New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-08-20
THE FIGHT AT PIGNY.
The German Victory.

| Especial to the New York TrlbuneI
LONDON, August 16.-Our special CORES
pOndent writes from Paris, Monday night
that Sundays battle was only semblanc'
of success or mitigation of disaster.
The Germans having cut off all railroad
| communication with Metz, Bazaine com
menced to retreat across the Moselle, anC
| proposed to follow the ordinary high rOaC
! toward Verdun, whittier the Emperor anC
| Prince Imperial, leaving Metz to its fate
| had preceded him.
When one-half of the army only had got
| over the river, the generalisimo upon whose
presumed skill the hopes of France are now
fixed, was surprised just like other French
| commanders.
Reconnaissance had found no inkling OF
any German corps in the neighborhoOd, but
nevertheless when One-half of the army had
got across the river, it was attacked by
great forces.
We have the Emperor's word that after
four hours fighting the enemy was repulsed
with great loss. But it is not said that the
half of the army which wanted to get across
succeeded. Taking the view most favora-
BILE to the French, it is obvious that D move
ment thought to be of capital Importance
must have been, to a considerable extent,
thwarted and impeded by an attack for
which it was not prepared.
The Emperor tells the Empress of the
great losses of the enemy, but says nothing
of his own, which, however, after four
hours struggle with the soldiers of Weis-
senburg, Forbach and Feoischweiler are not
likely to have been very small. What is
the exact meaning of the repulse,
In respective positions of two armies, if
the Germans had attacked Metz from their
own side of Moselle and been driven back,
the repulse would have been Ineligible
enough; but on the showing of the Empe-
rOr's dispatch, they unexpectedly got round
in great force to that side of the river by
which Bazaine meant to retire, and checked
his retreat upon Verdun.
If reinforcements should come from Thi-
onville to prevent Bazaine gaining the En-
peror and going on Chalons to protect him
and the Prince Imperial.
French papers call this the combat of
Longeville. But they have no other grounds
for this denomination than that the Empe-
ror's dispatch is dated from Longeville
The Emperor does not say that he was at
the fight. and probably he was not. The
official dispatch from Moselle states that
the Emperor left Metz at two P. NJ. yester-
day for Ferdun.
This dispatch is dated Metz, ten minutes
past eight, evening. The Emperor's tele-
hours later. LOngeville is a village four
kilometers from the left bank of the Moselle
La France assumes (but l should think
incorrectly, that the Emperor hearing the
sound of cannon, came back and took part
in the battle. All this has to be cleared up
But according to present appearances the
Prussans have again out-generaled the
French.
CINCINNATI, August l6-The Cincinnati
Courier publishes to-day the following highly
important dispatch about the success of the
German troops at Metz:
BERLIN. August l5.-Further particulars
of the great battle at Metz yesterday have
been received. The battle was fought at
the village of Pagny, near Metz, and ragged
fiercely for six hours. The Prussian forces
engaged in the action numbered 20, 900 men,
under command of General Steinmetz. The
French army was commanded by Marshal
Bazaine. The number of troops engaged
under him has not been ascertained. The
fire from the French infantry and artillery
was terrific. but the Prussian line did not
wavcr for an instant, but followed up every
advantage, under perfect hail of shot and
shell from the enemy. Finally, after hard
fought and bloody struggle, the Prussians
succeeded in breaking the French line, when
general panic seized the French ranks.
and the troops under Bazaine were driven
in great confusion into Metz, while one corps
retreated upon Verdun. The troops under
otHNldIs <huLuil eiuit anu ssCiCdl WtIC tii-
gagged in the action. The loss on either side
has not yet been ascertained, but it is
thought it will exceed that of WOerth.
(Pagny-sur- MOselle is town of about a
thousand inhabitants, in the department of
the Meurthe, on the Paris und Strasburg
railway, about twelve miles southwest of
Metz.]
A special from Washington, Tuesday, to
the st. Louis Democrat says:
The State Department received to-day
from Baron GerOlt translation of full dis
patches from his government, giving a gem
eral outline of the military movements up
to Sunday, when the Prussians had driven
the French into their Notifications at Metz
BY these dispatches the repulse reported by
the French appears to be only the check
given the Prussians when the French
reached the shelter of their Notifications.
1t was intimated that both Strasburg and
Metz should be left in the rear by the Prus-
sian main body, as it moved ON in the gen
aral direction of ChalOns,a smaller force be-
ing left to watch both places. The dis
patches were of the most cheerful character
and spoke of all the movements of the three
German armies as a complete success. At
Every step there was perfect unity among
,he people at home, and the army was in
excellent spirits and thoroughly organized.
md the commanders and leading officers of
he right. left and centre were in complete |
accord.