The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-12-25
The War Situation In France-HOper
Prospects of the Republic.

Prospects of the Republic.
The coming of Christmas brings brighter
prospects for France. Our dispatches this
morning state that General Faidherbe, the
leader of the Northern army, gained q decisive
victory at Pont Noyelles, near Amiens, on
Friday, in which he had driven the Prussians
with the bayonet A trap has evidently been
preparing for General Faidherbe between
Manteuffel and the commander Of the
heavy column, which has been moving
northward through Laon and La Ferte;
but he has as evidently scented it and
brought on a battle with Manteufel before his
cooperating column could come within strik-
ing distance. Havre and Cherbeurg are both
deemed impregnablc, the gunboats being in
the harbors, and there are sixty thousand
troops in Havre, who will doubtless be
pushed forward to attack the rear Of Man
teuffcl and complete his discontinue. In the
south the retreat OF the German armies under
Prince Frederick Charles and the Duke of
Mecklenburg toward Orleans from Tours is
fully confirmed, and was evidently brought
about by the skilfnl manGuvring of Bourbaki
to cut off the Prince and of Chauzy to
turn the Dukes right flank. Each of these
movements brings the armies Of relief nearer
to Paris, just as General Grants fianking ope-
ratons in the Wilderness, before Spottsylvania,
on the North Anna and along the Pamunkey,
brought him at each turn 80 much nearer
Richmond. The Germans, finding Chauzy over
tapping them on their right and Bourbaki
threatening to overlap them on their left, ne
cessarily withdraw, as Lee was compelled to
do in order to present front equal to that
of the enemy. The sorties on the east
of Paris seem to have been fully as
thorough and successful as the first accounts
stated, although King William, hitherto the
"relable correspondent" of the war, has
stated that they were easily repulsed Alto
and Of soldierly steadness evinced in the new
armies of France give great hopes for the
heroic people.
A new feature which has appeared in the
conduct Of the war may well bring great
chill to the heart of King William. 1t is stated
that the people in Rheims have risen In Sin
surrection" against the Prussian commander
in that city, and that six thousand Saxons
are being hurried from Versailles to
sustain him. Rheims is a city of
fifty thousand inhabitants and is the capital of
the champagne district. 1t has been held by
a heavy Prussian force ever since its capture,
soon after Sedan, until recently, when its gar
rison was depleted by the sending of large
portion to cooperate with Manteuffel. 1t is
probable therefore that the people, finding
the enemy 80 reduced in their midst, have
organized such resistance as threatened
General Butler when he held New Orleans
against the rough mob of that city. Our
readers will remember-and those who were
among the Union force in that city at the time
will never forget-how formidable an array the
.jacquerie of that city, unorganized, I'M
drilled and only partially armed, presented
against Buffers weak force of Union sodiery;
and what an iron will and prompt determine
ton it required to dispense them. Such
force in Rheims may breed terrible trouble for
the Prussan commander there but, whether
il is put down or not the truth will have been
forcibly illustrated that the people of France
will make another war of La Vendee before
they will give up fully and completely to the
invader.
UAIrEP A FEAST THE GIyER SHAKES Hrs