The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-08-27

SIX DOLLARS A YEAR
continually arriving on both sides of tile t,s,d
There could be no doubt that the French ae1 u.oi;
understood the meaning Of the new move
ments Of the Prussians, and of the gradual do.
velopment Of their line to the north.
THE FRENCH oUTFLANKED.
Steinmetz was able to extend his line grad
nally further and further until the French were
outf1anEed and began to be threatened, as it
appeared, with an attack on the rear Of their
extreme right wing. So long as the smoke
from the Prussian guns hovered only over
their front, the French clung to their position,
The distance from headquarters to where the.
Prussian flank attack stretched forward was
great, and, to add to the difficulty of clearly
seeing the battle the darkness was coming on.
know not how long the French held out, nor
at what precise moment the Prusslan onset
became Irresistible. What T saw was this:
The pufs of smoke from the French guns
mingled with the flashes, Frightening as the
darkness increased receded gradually. The
pillars of cloud md flame from the north as
gradually and st ,adlly approached. With that
advance the French fire every moment grew
more slack. 1t was not far from 8 o'clock
when the ground was yielded finally on the
north, and the last shots fired on that terrible
evening were heard in that direction.
ANXIETY AT HEADQUARTERS.
But to go back now to the movements OF
tne King and those with him at headquarters.
Ihe Kings face, as he stood gazing upon the
Dattie.neld, had something almost plaintiye In
it. He hardly said word, but 1 noticed that
his attention was divided between the exciting
scenes IN the distance and the dismal scene
nearer near TN ms feet, where they were just begin
the French who fell in Tuesdays battle. On
them ne gazed silently and, thought, sadly.
Count Bismarck could hot conceal his eX-
cltement and anxiety. II It had not been for
Ine hlng, the Count would clearly have gone
forward where the fighting was His tower
Ing form was always a little in advance of the
When the French completely gave up their
hold upon the road up to Grayelotte. the
horses of the headquarters party were hastily
called, and the eLtire party mounting, with
the King at their head, dashed down to point
not very far from the village. Then shouts
and cheers arose, and followed them wherever
they passed.
CAVALRY CHARGE.
A little after o'clock strange episode oc-
Cured: From the region where Steinmetz was
supposed to be magnificent regiment of cav
airy galloped out. They paused moment at
the point where the COnf1ans road Joins that
to Metz. Then they dashed up the road to-
ward Metz. This road between Gravelotte
and st. Huberts is cut through the hill, and on
each side OF 1t rise cliffs from forty to sixty feet
high. except at the point where 1t traverses
the deep ravlne behind the village. Whenit
is remembered that at the time the culmina-
ting point to which that road ascends was held
by The French, 1t will not be wondered at that
only half that regiment survived. What the
survivors accomplished ] do not know, nor
could learn the name and number of that
regiment which seemed to meet its fate under
the eyes OF the King. The situation hardly ad-
mitted asking many questions, but they plunge
into that deep cut On the hillside, where next
day saw many of them and their horses "
ing, was of that brave, unhesitating unfalter-
ing kind which Is go CHARACTERISTIC Of German
soldiers, among whom stragglers and desert
ers seem to be absolutely unknown.
MYSTERIOUS REISF0RcEMENTS.
must record also what seemed an inexpli-
cable thing. The army of Prince Frederick
Charles was fighting hard, and suffering 1t
was only too plain, heavily. From this army,
division after division had been taken and
valnly sent against the French centre. Apor.
tion Of the Princes numerous reserves had
been diminished to an important extent In the
engagements of the l4th and 18th instants.
Moreover, a considerable part Of his army re-
quired rest, and two divisions-one certainly
were in need of reorganization before they
could again become efficient on field Of bat
tie. Yet, at one time, it seemed that every
division and brigade and regiment was
Losses in the centre and the massing
of great forces for fresh attack on the
French right flank, left the Verdun road
itself at one time almost uncoyered-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,
O large body Of troops. They moved into posi-
ton under the eyes of the King, yet neither
the King nor any of his staff could account for
their appearance They passed the point which
in the morning had been TIE royal headquar.
ters. Their march was begun at the time !
have mentioned, and their advance did not
cease I'LL dark. But the mystery that hung
over them was not dispeiled. Whose was this
new army? Whence did 1t come? The staff
moved there were, or at any rate ought
to be, no troops Of the armies OF
either Steinmetz or OF Prince Frederick
Charles. The rumor began and spread among
he group Of men who surrounded the King
that this fresh, mysterious force was part OF
the army of the Crown Prince, and that new
junction had been expected. | know of no
FeuSOu W SupPOsc tillo tiuC. Douobioeo shS
staff soon cleared up the matter to their own
satisfaction, but 1t happened that 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 o battle
field, illustrates the difficulty with which even
the most eminent officers follow the move
ments OF forces over broken and wooded
ground. no longer wondered that to me the
same task was almost an impossibility.
In any event 1t cannot be doubted that the
presence oil that large body of men made Itself
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
maybeand so often is eXerted In battle by mass
es of men whose presence Is known to the
enemy. but who may not fire shot In the ac-
tual conflict. From their line of march, 1t Ia
clear that the divisions were finally posted
little In the rear and on the lett OF the Prtls-
sian centre at the time when the attacks so
long directed against the key OF the French
lines had ceased-in fact had failed for the
time. 1t was possible that the French, having
suffered fur less in holding their ground than
the Prllssians in attacking, might have ad-
vanced in their turn and have undertaken
vigorous offensive movement. II they had
abandoned It on sight Of the Prussian rein
f0rcements
Instead of advancing, the FreRch 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