The New York herald., 1870-08-14

L
and Bitche to Metz where the Firth corps again hold
I it up to the angie where Belgium projects In be
| tween Prussia and France. More troops are every
day arriving to take the place OF those that nave
gone, and as fast they can be brigadcd and the
brgades can be told or in divisions they are sen u
| the front.
| THE PLAN OF ATTACK.
! Since despatchlng my letter or yesterday the
opinion therein given respecting the plan or attack
| has been fully confirmed. The French advance will
no doubt be through the Bavaran territory, and IN
large line OF army corps extending from Bitche
nearly TO Luxembourg, and directed for Mayence.
The Prussians evidently want by retiring 10 draw
on their enemy, and have no doubt tnat their
desires VIII be fulfilled TO the utmost. II the first
| great battle takes place Mayence. and the
| French get the best of the contest, many OF the
| former small German States that were four years
ago absorbed In Prussia w!ll declare Tor the con-
| querOrs
| THE REAR or TIE FRENCH ARMY
The will be in communication with the basis
with which 1t works, and supplies OF all sorts are
| being amply provided at Strasbourg. Metz and
Nancy, TO which towns, Us you VIII see by any rail-
way map OF Central Europe, there is communication
| by rail from almost any part OF German. Their
commssariat department IL, indeed one OF which
the French army may well be proud. Its orgauiza
tion Is as near perfection rs possible, and II Il
Kept up during peace as well as during war II IN
never found rusty when wanted In emergency.
It's onlcefs are, perhaps, the most Intelligent men
OF the whole French army, ana are. matter OF
course, selected with the greatest care ana per-
ect Il the chain OF responsibility so accurate the
method by which the accounts are Kept, that have
Dcen assured by those who have opportunities or
AT once. There could, Indeed. hardly be a better
proof OF the efficiency or this department than that
within the asst twenty days i've Immense army corps
nave been lifted out Tor the field From shoes TO
shakoes, from head TO heel, nothing has been
elected, seemingly.
these stores so much 80 that II the French army
I marches To Berlin IL VIII never want ior the neces-
fact, should say that it would be utterly impossl-
bic 10 md an army better found every respect
han tiat about 10 take the neld here Tor the PruS
RESOURCES OF THE FRENCH ARMY.
In England, ana still less in America, people have
really no idea whatever OF The immense arIuy Kept
under arms by France, even during times of peace,
nor OF The enormous resources of mat in
possible way AS an instance OF this will mention
one TACT which struck me very fOrcDly when came
first to Strasbourg. observed great number OF
young mea-or. rather, youths aged from seventeen
TO twenly-one years-waking about IN a very pecu-
liar Uniform. They were evidently not commits
stoned officers and as evidently they were not pri-
vale soldiers. Their uniform was neat, made OF fine
cloth, but they wore no epaulets other marks by
which commissioned officers are known in Europe
On lnquiring found that they were 'tlrIny medical
Students and that there IS here large college,
with very fun stan or medical and surgical proies
sors, at which no fewer than 800 young men be-
ing educated Tor the profession OF army surgeons.
THE BAyARiAS FRONTIER.
u
commanding the FIRST division OF Third army corps
VINO moved yesterday with his division to Asneau.
near Bltche. He states that there Is yet no
enemy Iii his front.
AFFAIR or OUTPosrs.
A dash OF Outposts took place IN the neighbor-
mood on sunday night. small party OF Bavaran
cavalry crossed the frontier about IOur miles frOm
NIederbronn Tor the purpose OF taking up the rails
between the LauterDourg and SchleItha They were
surprised by a French picket driven back four taken
prisoners and three Killed. Strange TO saw, among
those killed was an English officer This part o, the
IA IA
the French military authorities and the inhabitants
complain very much that they are left at the mercy
OF the enemy. II was evidently Marshal MacIa-
hons intention to draw on the Plussians opposite
Strasbourg and tempt them 10 cross the Rhine mere
or, at any raie to give battle the opposite side
But they have been wiser IN their generation than
accept battle upon such terms. This afternoon, as
l write, the departments OF Haut Ruin, Bas KIM
and Meurtne have been declared in estate OF
siege" or, IN other words, have been ut under
military law.
ANoruER pRusslAy SPY.
one OF these gentlemen contrabands was caught
to-day swimming the Raine In open daylight,
Little above the railway bridge. He Is evidently
gentleman, probably an olllcer, and does not deny
that he came over in hopes OF getting Information
Tor his government.
MORE TROOPS.
Reinforcements OF French troops have arrived
during the last twenty-four hours. One OF these is
regiment of Lanccrs mounted upon as fine ana as
useful horses as ever saw III any army. The
other Is a regiment OF Turcos. or native Algerian
riiemen. OiiicerS and men nearly all decorated
wiihmedas, ana look sun-hardcned, lighting set Of
men, The regiment marched In 1900 strong. In
three DattaOnS
Tonight another division of the army goes to what
must now b. called the front-tlat is the line OF from
changed his front.
Very few Gays hence there will be more stirring
news record.
CONFIDENCE OF THE FRENCH TROOPS.
Their confidence in the result of the campaign
Is wonderful | am perfectly certain that II they
could be canvassed man BY man seven tenths would
tell you they expect To enter Berlin as conQuerorS
Nay, have heard 1t confidently predicted shat on
the 18th OF August rhe Emperor's f5te. the conditions
%
AT MncBIahon's Hendquarters-Prepnrn
for the Cnmpaign-War News and War Corr
re.pondents-Nisteriai,D Discipline and Mo-
raic of the Army.
HEADQUARTERS MARSHAL MACMAHON'sl
ARMY CORPS, STRAsBOURG, July 20, 1870.
1t is not improbable that this will be the last let
ter shall send udrom Strasbourg. There are to-
day many indications that a movement OF head
quarters Of the Rhine army is not far from taking
place.
II ali very well to say that official bulletins OF
what is going viii be sent forth from time to
time by the authorities. Who will believe the au-
thorites If there is anything like back cloud in the
alrY In the French army the order against newspa-
per correspondents is very unpopular indeed. Even
the general officers while they say they must obey
the directions given them shrug their shoulders and
show that they believe the government to be in the
wrong. The JUNIOR officers say that tnis the great
est and most important war the present generation
has seen viii be utterly unrecorded by the press or
the day, and assert, not without justice. that the
rule treats the army most unfairly. AS | have said
before, "barrng accidents" will be there and see
what Is going on.
THE MAGNITUDE OF THE WAR.
have drawn your attention to the vast number
OF men and the enormous preparations required for
this war. Last night was shown by q star Oliicer
of cavalry return that astonished me not little
and which helped to give me still clearer idea OF
what this tremendous contest must cost. You will
hardly believe 1t when tell you that in the four army
corps in the field France there are not less