The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1870-08-20
FOREIGN NEWS.
The War in Europe.

The War I'm Europe.
Last week we gave brief accounts Of the fight.
ing on the 9th and 9Th along the entire line from
Weissenburg to Knoxville, ending in driving
the French back on Nancy and Metz.
From Saturday, the eth, until Sunday. the
i'th' no battle occurred. The French right fell
back toward Nancy, and new line was formed
along the Moseile Some considerable loss was
experienced in baggage by the rstreatiny forces.
and there were several skirmishes OF no partcu.
lar consequence. On Friday the French right.
under McMahon, evacuated Nancy and crossing
the Mosel!e took up position at Toul. - miles
west OF Nancy; and on the same evening Nancy
was occupied by Prussian cavalry
On Saturday, the 18th, the telegram an.
nounced the Prussians as advancing in ,brea
bodies toward the valley of the Moselle. Tn.
right under King William, was moving toward
Metz; the left, under Steinmetz, WAS nov;n.
toward Nancy; and the centre under the prince
royal, was coming up from the direction of saar.
brueck.
On Sunday, the 14th, there was again heavy
fighting, but of which the accounts are 81 maa.
ger, confused and contradictory that it is hard 70
get much idea Of what has occurred. The fol.
lowing is NapoeOn's version:
LoNGEvILLE, August 40 o'clock 4
The army commenced to cross to the left bank
OF the nver Moselle this morning Our advance
guard had no knowledge Of the presence Of anv
force of the enemy When half our army had
crossed over the Prns-isns suddenly attacked ma
in great force. Alter fight of four hours thew
were repulsed with great loss TO them.
Signed N,porEo1
Per c0Htrd, the King Of Prussia sends this dis.
patch to the Queen:
victorious combat occurred near Metz TO-
day, the troops of the first and seventh corps
armee participating in the action. | hasten n
the scene of conflict. Signed WILLIAM.
Two days later the sub-prefect of yerdun tel.
egraphs rs follows to the minister of the in.
terror:
NERDUS, Aug. lG-G \. Mo news from
Metz. Nothing is known 10 have occurred to.
day. All day Yesterday the roar Of cannon was
heard between Net and Veriun. Persons who
have reached here from that direction say that a
great battle w-s fought. opening at d.vbreak,
and that the Pru.,ians los, more than 10000
men in the combat, and were completely defeat.
ed during yesterday morning At the extremi.
ty OF my reimbursement, - kilometres from the
Notifications Of Ferlun, the enemy la. been
seen directing his retreat to the south
And the same day tke following particulars
| are dispatched fren Berlin:
Late in the afternoon of Monday the First
and Seventh Prussian army corp, vigorously at.
Tackled the french forces under the walls of
Net. n sanguinary conflict eusued The
French were at length driven within the CITY.
with loss Of 1900 men
On the sam. day grand reconnaissance IN.
der hlng William in person maintained itself
some hours within TWO miles Of the French de.
lenses, without any effort on the part OF the
French to d>.odge them. This fact shows the
utter Generalization II the French
The lttle fortress OF Henry capltuated YES.
terday after 4 short bombardment. to the Second
Btvarian army corps. 4 great quantity OF pro.
visions and six gun, were captured.
We coall fill our paper with dispatches abou.
these battles, hnt they would be but variations
on the above facts, which it must be confessed.
are sufficiently unsatisfactory.
IL Is clear, however, that the French have
abandoned the line OF the Mo,elle and are now
trying to mass their army on the banks of the
Meuse, whilst the German armies, which We're
called out originally 10 prevent the French from
invading the German territory, stand at this
moment in the heart Of France, pushing the
imperial army towards the capital