New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-08-30
METZ AND CHALONS.
BEFORE THE BATTLES - PREPARING FOR THE
sIEGE-THE GARDE MOBILE.

IRON OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
CAMP OF CHALoNs, Aug. 13.-I think / shall
be able to start for Metz at three four to-day The staff
officer in charge of the station has told no would try
TO send me off by troop train. give this letter to
trusy sergeant who has been lent by regiment to
prevent my being again mObbed; that II you receive
this it will mean that have started. The roads from
here to the station choked with troOps-artlery,
cavalry, infantry. They say there is truce Of seven
days, which will expire Tuesday. young st. Cyr
pupil who had gone to his fa9ily at Nancy the school
having been broken nforms us that the Prsans are
at Frouard and Nancy is entirely deserted. do not
know how shall communicate with you from Metz, but
must get there Ten thousand wounded are being
brought into the camp The effect upon the young Garde
Mobile is not good.
I open my letter to tell you have been again dsap-
pointed, and was unable TO make start for Metz this
afternoon. was already ensconced in carriage with
some sergeants of regiment which was going, when
the Chef de Care" station-master, caught sight
me- advised the staff officer of the station only TO
let go far Chaons town. This was no use to
me. However as far any practical use goes think
this position is better than Metz for the rear open and
can post letters to you with some hope that You will
receive them whereas at Metz could not let you hear
from unless went to Luxembourg, to reach which
1 should have to pass across country, through
Infatuated peasantry, for thirty miles. Here
I give authentic from headquarters.
Yesterday evening, at the cafe chantant, which is
my hotel (a hotels here, told you before cafes
chantans and something else the chanteuses living in
the house, WELL yesterday evening at the cafe chantant
a song sung, and, while was being sung,
q Mobile was writing impromptu verses, which
handed to the singers to with Short Of battles
this place offers spectacle which, hope this century
nor any other will ever witness again. There is
minutes silence. Troops coming in, troops going
out cassons rumbng along the street carts cannons,
dOnkeys, horses men, dray-cars ambulances wounded
men, and shamming runaways Gin great number), the
whole pervaded by roaring sound, produced by the
shouting of different songs in all directions Well, not
withsandng this all these signs which denote assuredly
the throes of nation dangerously struck the place is
full of Paris prostitutes, and the cafes chantans here
made such harvest before. Although in three
days the foods Of a routed army may sweep this
very place, closely followed by the hordes Of an in
furiaed enemy although every in France feels this
and has put aside his Boosting, dissipation Is just
great and amusement eagerly sought as after
FRENCH CONSUMPTION
Aug l4-This afternoon the town crier went through
the village with his drum, and read long proclamation
informing the happy French people that every one up
to As expected and indeed bound to go and be SOL
der. don't know exactly what will become Of me, but
when they claim must go. 1t is not pleasant GER
any but then when the country sin danger and when
we have an opportunity Of walking in the footsteps Of
fathers Of 1892 and Of shouting la Marseaise
go, ought to be pleased. 1t must not be forgot
ten however, that those fathers which we are told are
ours, walked sabots-Le battalion de la MoseHe en-
sabots you recollect-under Hoche, 1 believe. How
ever let me tell You one thing, and that Is
that the Frenchmen who month ago said they
should be at Berlin In a fortnight, in fact all
Frenchmen are now glad to say, we are greatly In
want OF stupendous victory TO set us up" As write
parties Of Mobiles passing under my window and
Of the group shouts Vice PEmpereur" to which
the others all by the last word Cambronne is said
to have pronounced Waterloo. This kind of chorus
hay hear I'M tod The ia
steadfast and devoted TO the Emperor, know 1t is
just the cards that by staying here shall spec
tace dreamt Of nowhere excepting in the Apocalypse
under the OF the battle of Arlnaggedon for IL the
French should lose the next battle this would be the
scene of the final slaughter; will not say battle for
that could not be- Then all that is intelligent all that
is still strong in body in mind in this country will be
half destroyed, and generation lost
THE EMPEROR AND THE ARMY-THE TRUCE.
August H-l2 Mdnight-I posted a letter to you this
morning, informing you that 1 had not been
able to go TO Metz, and now 1t turns out
that perhaps 1t was lucky, for the train that
1 might, as / thought, have gone by, found the
line cut at Ponta-Mousson, and fired at by Prus
slams, whose administers have already appeared there.
The train has returned bringing back the 1lh Regi-
ment, which carried Three travellers said 10 have
been killed, but that less authentic than the prn
cipal part OF that piece Of The news il also
spreading here that the Republic proclaimed this
morning In Paris. You know whether that Is true or
not; but have been spending all the evening with
gentleman who left Paris yesterday evening. He is
man Of some standing, being municipal councillor OF
Paris. He is besides, man OF uncommon acquire
ments He was in his younger years sent by the French
Government to make researches In England at the
British Museum. He left, said, Paris yester.
day evening, and says, judging by the state Of feel
ings Paris he should not be surprised at any change
having taken pace-elther Republic proclaimed, the
throne offered the Orleans family The latter think
will ultimately be the upshot OF all this There is
strong though hidden party for them in all the French
administrations" II anything OF the kind having taken
place is really known here half all, the Mobile
here would bolt back ~ Paris and nothing