The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-08-24

cos.ty struggle terminate We VIII only re-
sign onr arms when we have been guaranteed
security against a fresh contest, whenever il
may suit the political necessities of the French
ruler to resume it,
THE BATTLE OF REZoNvILLE.
The Prussian official report of the battle
which took place with the enemy on Thursday
the 18th inst states that the Prussian forces
engaged consisted OF the Royal Guard, the
Secone, Seventh, Eighth, Ninth and Twelfth
Army Corps, the Third and Tenth Army CORPS
being held in reserve. This action was prin.
cipaly carried on by the artillery The posi-
ton occupied by the French army was "a very
strong one, being equal to fortress, with the
exception of the position held by Marshal Me-
Mahon corps and two divisions of General
Faitiey's CORPS, which were mere exposed. BY
h'shtiall all the heights had been stormed aud
captured by the Prussan forces
PARTICULARS OF THE BATTLE AT GRAvELorTE.
Especial to N. Y. Tribune 1.-The following
detailed account of Thursdays great battle at
GravHlotte Aug Is, was received this morning
IN London from cur special correspondent,
VINO witnessed the battle at headquarters and
stood by the side of BsmarL and the King.
The first realization we had at Port Moussan
Where found myself on the 18th, the extent
OF lighting which had been going on on Tues
day aud Sunday last at the front was the COM
ing in of the wounded men.
"A first it was surmised that these had been
wounded in skirmishes, but on the 18th. late
In the evening, there were signs that work as
becoming warm. On that evening the soldiers
with CHASTITY wounds walked about the market
place n Pont a. Moussou surrounded by eager
groups of their newly arrived comrades and
told story of the disaster to them, borne
away as they had been from the field without
having heard of any result. stood gamong
these groups and the narratives of the men all
amounted to their having been set to conflict
with much larger force than their own, and
that their division had been cat up. was
struck by the fact that though there was some
dissatisfaction suggested by their tone of voice
heard no word uttered sby the narrators or
listeners which accused any one. They dwelt
rather on the fact that they had dealt a heavy
blow on the 14th and though the 10Th Division
had as an available organization been demol-
fshed, it had sold its life dear
On the 18th the wounded of the preceding
day began to pour into Port Moussar. They
were brought 10 in long uncovered grain carts,
lying upon hay. From my window, which
overlooked the street and commanded view
of the market place, I counted more than 90 of
these carts, containing an average of about ten
men.
1t was strange to see them as they passed
amid files of French, unable to conceal their
JOY on the one hand and Prussian soldiers
on the other. But now came the other side of
the account. The streets began to swarm with
other wagons with other wounded, the wearers
Of red trousers, apd now and then came
batch Of wounded prisoners. AT length ar
rived carriage with a French General and
was followed by vast crowd OF Frenchmen
and for little while it seemed as if there
might be collision between the inhabitants
mi Prnssians SO earnest were the demons.ra-
ions of the populace. 1t was now at last evil
lent that the struggle was very serious at the
tront.
AT midnight, or a little after all the trum-
pets for miles arounl began to sound. This
Vas the first time we had been startled by such
through all the bouvacs around the little city.
For several days previous there had been
roops almost perpetually marching through,
tut now they tramp throu ii every street and
~ the way made between midnight and dawn
perpetual roar. Hastily dressing L ran out
ntO tue darkness AMI managed to get seat
N wagon that was going in the direction of
he front, which was now understood to be a
nile or two beyond the village of George, some
.welve miles from Port Mousson. On our
way we met a considerable batch of French
prisoners, who were looked upon with consid-
,rable curiosity by a continuous line of Ger
man soldiers with whom we advanced and but
,aly one or two offensive cries towards the
prisoners were heard. The way was so blocked
With wagons that 1 finally concluded could
20 tie six or seven miles remaining on foot bet
er, so got out of my carriage and began to
walk and run swiftly ahead. AT Mourient, on
he Moselle. about half way to George, found
bodies of cavalry, uhlans and hussars crossing
he river by pontoon bridge and hurrying at
he top of their speed towards Gorse.
Hurrying nay own steps [ soon heard the
irst thunder of cannonaie, seeming to come
rom the heart of range of hills on the right.
PASSING through the village and ascending the
high plain beyond found myself suddenly il
he battle field, strewn literally as far as my
,ye could reach, with dead bodies, In one or
If the field companies were still carrying the
lead, chiefly Prussians, the French being nee
,ssarily buried. The last were still lying in
vast numbers on the ground. A few of these
Jaw were not dead AS hurried splendid
'egimeut of cavalry came on behind and when
hey reached the brow CT the bill they broke
,ut with wild hurrah and dashed forward. A
ew more steps and gained the summit aud
Jaw the scene wach had evoked their cry, and
seemed 10 thrill even their horses. 1t would
be difficult 10 imagine Il grander battle. From
The hill to which bad been directed by good
Prussian and French centres could be seen,
md considerable part of their wings. The
pot where L stood was fea full with the amount
If CHASTITY corpses and burthened With the
stencil Of dead horses, of which there were
great number. was standing on the battle
ield of the 10Th, on the Prussian side thereof
On the left, stretched like silver thread, was
The road to Verdun and to Paris also, for the
possession of which this series of battles had
begun.
1t ran between a line of popiars which stood
against the horizon on my left and on as
lar as the eye could reach toward Metz, with
military regularity, and strung on this road
like beads were the pretty villages, each with
its church tower, which, although they had
separate names. are really only few hundred
yards apart. Mars La Tour, FlarjguyFa little
south OF the road Vironville, Regonvile. and
Gravelotte, which is divided into Great and
little Gravelot;ee. On my right were the
tbckly wooded hills behind which lies the
most important village of the neighborbood
the one had Just left [George] so envioroned
with the foregroung of battle which should, we
would say, be called the battle of Gravelotte
for it was mainly over and beyond that devot
ed town that it ragged.
The areu have indicated is perhaps four
miles square. Owing to having come on foot
rather than along the blocked road. arrived
just as the battle waxed warm; that is, about
noon on the 18th. At that time the headquar-
tiers of the King of Prussia were at the spot
have described. The great representative men
and soldiers of Prussia were standing on the
ground watching the conflict just begun.
Among them 1 recognized the King, perhaps
Bismarck, Gen. Won Maltke, Prince Freder-
lex Charles, Prince Carl, Prince Adelbert and
Adjutant Krauski. Lieut.. Gen. Sheridan of
the United States Army was also present. AT
this moment the French were making the most
desperate efforts to hold on TO the last bit Of
the Verdun road, tilt between Rezonville and
Gravelotte, or that part of Graveotte which
on some maps is called st. Mariel