New-York tribune., 1870-08-24

correspondent at the heauquarters OF Ming Wnhalh
among whom stragglers and deserters seem to
be absolutely unknown.
MYSTERIOUS RE-ENFoRcEMENTs.
must record also what seemed an mex
plcable thing. The army of Prince Frederick
Charles was fighting hard, and suffering, it
was only too plain, heavily. From this army,
division after division ihad been taken and
vainly sent against the French center. A pOr-
ton of the Princes numerous reserves had
been diminished to an important extent in the
engagements Of the 14th and 10th insts. More
over, a considerable part of his army required
rest, and two divisions-One certalnly-were In
need of reorganization before they could again
become efficient on q field of battle. Yet, at
one time, it seemed that every division and
brigade and regiment was likely to be called
into action. The losses in the center and the
massing of great forces for fresh attack on
the French right flank, left the Verdun road
itself at one time almost uncOvered-the very
road for possession of which the Prussians
were fighting. At moment that for these
reasons seemed critical, there appeared on the
field, occupying ground before held by por-
ton of the forces of Prince Frederick Charles,
large body of troops. They moved into
position under the eyes of the King, yet
neither the King nor any of his staff could ac-
count for their appearance. They passed the
point which in the morning had been the
Royal Headquarters. Their march was begun
at the time l have mentioned, and
their advance did not cease till dark. But the
mystery that hung over them was not dis
pelled Whose was this new army Whence
did il comet The Staff insisted that at the
point whence it moved there were, OF at any
rate ought to be, no troops of the armies of
either Steinmet OF of Prince Frederick
Charles. The rumOr began and spread among
the group of men who surrounded the hing that
this fresh, mysterious force was part or the
army of the Crown Prince, and that new
junction had been expected. l know OF no
reason to suppose this true. Doubtless the
Staff soon cleared up the matter to their own
satisfaction, but it happened that L was away
in another part of the field before the riddle
was solved. That there ever could have been
any doubt about the identity of so great
body of men arriving on so great battle
field. illustrates the difficulty with which even
the most eminent officers follow the move
ments of forces over broken and wooded
ground. I no longer wondered that to me the
same task was almost an impOssibility.
In any event it cannot be doubted that the
nresence of that large body of men made It
self felt upon the fortunes of the field They
were visible to the French as well as to us.
Here was another example of the moral effect
that may be and so often is exerted in battle
by masses of men whose presence is known to
b,,t phn fire. a
actual conflict. From their line Of march, 1t
ia clear that the divisions were finally posted
little in the rear and on the left OF the
Prussian center at the time when the attacks
an long directed against the key OF the French
lines had ceased-in fact had failed for the
time. It was possible that the French, having
suffered far less in holding their ground than
the Prussians in attacking, might have ad-
vanced in their turn and have undertaken
v;oorous offensive movement. If they had any
sucb nurpose, it is not unlikely that they
ohondoned il ON sight of the Prussian re-
endorsements.
Instead of advancing, the French now con-
tented themselves with the mere occupation OF
the ground to which earlier in the day they
had been driven back At no time did they
seriously strive to regain the westernmost line
Of hills which had been theirs in the morning.
At no time did they recover or seek to recover
NV any vigorous forward movement to the
;nnction of the roads at GravelOtte. From
70 the weight of the battle tended more and
more to the north of the road. There was q
lull. the meaning of which the French failed
annarently to interpret BY they may have
believed themselves partly victorious. They
we're still perhaps in condition to renew on the
morrow the struggle that had gone on all day
for that fated road from Metz to Verdun. II
thew had not gained the road or the battle
thew had not clearly lost the latter. Two hours
later they had lost both'
pIAzING HOUSE ILLUMINEs THE FINALE
A little before 8, q large white house on the
HIGHT beyond Gravelotte caught fire. 1t seemed
through the gloom to be church. Its spire
crew into flames, and vast black cloud Of
smoke arose, contrasting strangely with the
,vb;ts smoke of the battle. More and more
n;cturesoue grew the whole field. As evening
fsn the movements of the troops could be
followed now by the lines Of fire that ran