Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-08-20
Mistellai,eous.
THE BATTLE BEFORE SAARBRUCK.

written by NJ. Edmond About to the Soir.
dated near Saarbruck, August 3, the day
after the battle, will be read with interest.
was seated at the excellent and friend
ly Hotel de Paris, where travellers arc
treated like guests and acquaintances.
when Captain Matthew, captain of gendar-
merle, entered the room, saying, Great
news, gentlemen; Saarbruck is taken"
All rose as if by y spring, shook hands,
and all but kissed. The campaign has then
opened with success. The arrogant frus-
slams who had strapped their trunks for
Paris have experienced at the first en-
counter the superiority of our arms.
Champagne 10 brought forth, we drink to
France, we hob-nob joyfully with strangers
of yesterday, who will be old friends to-
morrow. In the military circle every face
is glad General de Failly himself brought
the news to the chiefs of his army. For
the first time since the operation began he
asked for cup of coffee from his subor-
dinates. 1t is any ones privilege to give
an account of an affair of which scarcely
anything is known as yet. From the open
windows you see an excited, bustling and
painting population, who will sleep but
little during the night. There is con-
stant arrival of false news. The Emperor,
it is said. has arrived at saarguemines,
and this is reported officially on the part
of the sous-prefet. But the sous -pretet had
said nothing of the kind and the Emperor
has not arrived. Then we have thou
sand details about the action; we have had
but three killed and seventeen wounded;
the enemys loss has been enormous. Who
has seen them9 How is this knownp No
one can certify the statement, but faith
does not need to look so closely. The
most improbable tales are accepted and
registered rs gospel truth. As for me,
have determined to breakfast this morning
in Saarbruck. and inquire for myself. At
the second village on the route, in the COM
mune of Gros Bliedersdorf. L was nearly
stopped by bad news. The principal in
habitants, and the mayor himself, asked if
| wanted to get myself killed :-"The
occupy the last village; the other portions
are dangerous from the sharp-shooters on
both sides, who kill everyone, soldiers and
citizens, men and women. Ever since
Prussian soldier disguised himself as a
woman to assassinate one of our Chasseurs,
every human being, without exception OF
sex or clothes, is made mark of. Two
Germans were passing in a vehicle, one
was tumbled from it; besides, the town of
Saarbruck is only half taken; the St. Jean
quarter still holds out. and it is said they
will blow it up.n To these dscouraging
details the people of Bliedersdorf added
some more terrible stories IA requisi-
ton was made on the village butcher by
the ambulance for the use of the wounded;
he reckons our loss at 2000, that Of the
enemy at 1000; all the French wounded
have had their legs smashed; the enemy
fired low" l was not much frightened by
these somewhat butcherly details, but on
the recommendation of the mayor | took
an excellent mountain road, which brought
me without accident to the old frontier Of
Prussia, which runs by the road.
Right and left there were camps of in
tantry and cavalry. | do not know the
exact amount of the force we have hrre
if did should not publish it; butt can
tell both France and Prussia that we are
unconquerable between Forbach and Saar-
bruck without prejudice to the other posi-
ton in the east. Nothing can present a
more curious picture than these various
camps in their disorderly order. Here are
the light nfantry-Hungarian or Arabian
horses are drawn up in two parallel ranks
between two files of tents. These noble
and elegant animals are eating the hay
which the men have placed before them
on the ground. At the end OF a narrow
; valley you see q squadron of dragons
taking their heavy horses to quench their
thirst at rustic stream. On the other
side of the road an infantry camp looks
as if suspended from the skirt of small
wood; every moment you see some half
dozen men falling down, rs if by accident
and descending by long strides towards the
road. where an immense regiment half a
mile long are carrying on their backs 20o0
trusses of straw through cloud OF dust.
Officers of the staff and captain-adju
gallop across the mass of infantry, which
opens and closes again. By the side Of
the trenches, at u short distance from
herd which is soon to die, three butchers
smeared with blood are sleeping on heaps
OF dripping skins.
Through moving scenes like these ar
rive at the plateau, which commands
} Saarbruck The sentinels stop my car
riage, and will not allow me to proceed
further. Why, if the town is oursP A
sentinel cannot answer such a question,
| spy on the left kind of cabaret in
which our guns have left two very VISA
bic marks-one in the rez-de- chausSee the
other in the roof. Near this, but some-
what higher up u guns, all pointing. are
sending Platonic kisses to the railway sta
tion and to the town. We have now an
artillery camp in the position we took
yesterday. Why did the Prussians allow
it to be taken? 1t is difficult to explain
why regular and well,arm troops aban-
d9ned such an excellent position. | am
informed that this platform was yester-
DAYS battlefield, and that it is the trstct,as
6eih. Our troops won by main force the
height which commands Saarbruek they
drove the enemy into the plain and into
the woods, which rise like an amphithea-
ire ON the other side of the Saar. The
Emperor and the Prince Imperial arrived
at the time specified IN o'clock to "open
the ball.n (ourrIr le teu.) The affair was
settled in an hour and half. Our mitrail-
leuses swept away many, our chassepots
did well, our fuses caused some fires,
, One can see from where l stand some
burned houses and several hectares of
blackened ground.
We are masters OF the town, but we do