The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1870-09-02

ycU OCVDbHcfn Strlk6 inc eye, mOro Ikc
q procession Of pilgrims approaching q
holy shrine than OF soldiers invading q
hostile country. OF the Krdkentragcr,
some are men OF the Landwehr, wearing
uniforms, others arc students from the
hospitals or Universities, In plain clothes.
All exhibit the red cross worked or stamp
ed on a white cloth. which Is tied round
the left arm. Beside tho Sisters In black
and white there Is q corps Of Sisters who
wear dark slate colored dresses and white
hoods, with butterfly wings, and like the
Rrakentrager, plays round the LOFT arm
tho red cross on white ground. These
admirable women have already done OK
cellent service. They were on the field OF
battle, on the night Of the 9Th, before tho
firing had ceased, and this morning rs the
clock struck five, saw party Of them
walking through the streets on their way
towards Forbach, beyond which town
there will soon bc more work for them to
do. All tho Sisters march on foot, each
little company preceded by q priest or o
pastor" s.fE
The same correspondent, in visiting n
battlefield, was struck by the sight Of q
number Of sticks standing about the
ground. He adds $50
''These are not sticks, however. they
are needle.guns. Where these five nee
dlr-guns are planted In the earth with
bayonets for roots) five Prussian soldiers
have fallen. The men are buried; but
their arms, for this day ut least, are to be
LEFT here. A few yards ahead there are
three more of these needle-p plants; then
nine. then n dozen; then close to ridge,
where the Prussian nssailants had thought
they woGld find cover but failed to do SO.
twenty-sevcn. Passing this ridge, and
climbing, not without difficulty, up the
steep ascent, / find knapsacks lying torn
open on the ground, broken accoutre-
mcnts, battered helmets, blood. stained
clothes, and bodies rigid in tho convul-
sions If death. Prussians alone are to
DO seen here, and looking down into the
plain observe three different paths of
ascent marked, rs II to show how diff
cult thcy were. with needle-guns stuck
In the turf. Every man who had owned
ono Of these muskets either died close to
where his weapon stand rs sign, or. at
least, foil unable any longer to use It."
The following statement Of French rail
roads and distances will be of value just
now From Metz to Thionville Is nineteen
miles, in northerly direction. Thionville
Is tho terminus of railroad limo which
runs along the frontier of France from
Givet, beyond which II Is In Belgian ter
STORY. Bazaine is said to have retreated
by way of Autun and Longuyon. The
first named place Is thirteen miles west OF
Longuyon. Montmedy lies about the same
distance west of L0ugiyOn, the entire
route traversed being thirty.threo miles
from Thionville or fifty-twO from Metz.
Montmedy. 1t should be stated, is one of
the frontier fortresses of France, and forms
with Verdun, Longwy, Thionyille and
Metz, quinquanglar. partly In tho GEN.
tro OF which are tho German forces.
Some fifty miles northwest of Montnedy
Is the fortress of Mezieres, ten miles east
of which stands Sedan, also fortress,
where, II Is said, the trains laden with
provisions and ammunition were station
ed awaiting the safe retreat of Bazl.ine.
The reader must not confOund the Mcz-
ieres referred to with tho place Of the
same name reported to have been occupied
by the Prussians, the one being on the
river Mensc, near the Belgium frontier.
and the other on the MOselle river, be
tween Metz and Thionville, and about
eight miles from the former place. Fifty
four miles south-southwe Of the fortress
of Mezieres, which we here refer to, Is the
city of Rheims. the reported head quar-
tiers of the Emperor. All the places
named here are connected by railroad,
which runs from Rheims, to ,Mezicres IN
north-northeast direction and continues
to Thionville by m cast-southeast route.
Tho Paris correspondent of the New
York Journal Of Commerce thus speaks
of the doubtful prspects of the Bonapar-
lists "That without success the Emper-
or can never again return to Paris Is ut
this moment almost an universally ad-
mitted conclusion. Even with success
his position must be far different from
what II was, robbed rs he will be of the
small amount of personal prestige which
still adhered TO him. For success If
achieved must clearly be so by other hands
than his. His incapacily for any great
command, in presence of such leaders rs
those mt the head of the Prissians, Is now
admitted to be rs much q fat dccompR rs
any other incident of his life. His mill.
tary reputation, such rs 1t was, Is ruined
irretricvably. Ifhe ever comes back, II
must be TO great humiliation, and to be
called to u severe account for past er-
ors."
The New York Tribune says that twill
be strange If tho chance of the Orleans
Princes does not speedily come. Or rath-
or 1t will be disgrace to them If thcy do
not make their opportunity during the
present revolutionary crisis In France.
Changarnier ut Metz Is an adhcrent Of
theirs; McMahon at Chalons Is, to say tho
least. not an Imperialist and Trochu has
resolved to invite the Orleans Princes to
take part in the defence of France. Their
acceptance of the invitation may prove
the taking Mt the flood the tide which Is
To lead them to fortune and the French
throne. .f
A correspondent from the seat of war,
In speaking of the strength of the fortifica-
tions of Metz, says: "Tho more sec Of
Metz the more impossible 1t seems to me
that It should be taken. 1t may by my
ignorance. but / do not ut all see how an
enemy Is to overcome such obstacles, II
the place Is skillfhlly, and nm sure It
be gallantly. defended. The ramparts
which encircle tho entire city are strength
ened by forts Mt every salient point, and
the Moselle flows everywhere In broad
deep canals. with high, perpendicular
walls. Then the whole city and its envi-
rons arc commanded by two immense for
tifications, which could pour a plunging
fire upon u besieging army. 1t would be
In vain to attempt TO capture Metz until
these fortresses are taken, and they are on
the SUBMITS of two hills, thousand feet
above the river. The whole might no
doubt be invested and starved out by an
army of sufficient force, which could In
the meantime defend It's own positions"
TIRED or WArrNs.-A short time ago,