New-York tribune., 1870-10-07
WAR MISCELLANY.
THE RATTLE OF SEDAN.

cot final catastrophe. On the evening OF
the Oh the enemy after sharp cannonade against the
,h Prssan Corps dArmee and portions OF the Bayaran
eorps had been obliged retreat from M0usson. The
greater part Of the German army on that day remained
m the left bank Of Mouse but the forces under the
Crown Prince of SaXony. having partly crossed the rNe
Sdvanced beyond Mouzon in the direction OF Carsn"u
and Sedan Our Third Army executed the following move
nionts the Sst The First Bayaran Corps maroheu ~
Raucourt to Remy. The Eleventh Prussans prooecu.u
from Stonnc to Chemcry and Cheveuse Win orue's "
stop on the left bank Of the Meuse, ana encainp
Dsnchcry, a little town the other sac o. ',r d ,bc
Tie Fifth Prussian Cops followed the Eio'o - I,o
Second Bavaran the First The "ur'e"roi , 80 and
o,tencourt The routes prescribed to the olneI'' r
tions Of the Third Army thus conVerSou ~ o m, 80,
tho French Northern Army was concehI"'.u ~ 80
"o I'm - 90 s,,rround the enemy and compel him
,.,. g surrender or TO retreat beyond the Begllh
,optior The latter contingency beng cohsiuereuN very
oe the order OF the day of the SOth contained pas
TO the eject that in the event OF the French not p
INC Immediately dsarmcd the other side OF the bor
der troops were 10 ioio" 'ncln ''o DoiH'u "i'
delay.
The s1st passed without any remarkable encounter
Only al Ecmilly the First Bavarian Corps fell in with
tne enemy and, driving him back after prolonged can
nouadc the of the forenoon approached the
Mouse Til, operation tic most important Of the Slst
was watched by the Crown Prince with his staff from
lrt close 10y the church OF the village OF Stonne HIS
Royal H-hross, who had arrived from the camp at
Titucmout az g. M from this point saw portion oi
fhc valley OF Ecmiy before him. The engagement hav
ing come TO au end the Crown Prince repaired 10 Cheme
m thrrr 20 take up lis quarters for the night The Sec
od Pavarian Corps and the WUrtembergcrs had no diff
fcy I'm carrying ont their orders. The Fifth Prussian
Ccrp. Which went 10y Chemery and there dehled past
tie Co.nmanJcr-n Chief did not reach its allotted po
stion before late hour in the evening. Before the
morning OF the Of September dawned everything was
complete The troops the left bank of the Meuse and
especially the Guards stood ready to cross those on the
right, under the Crown Prince OF SaxOny, were only
Waiting for orders TO assume the offensive and from
end OF our position the other able TO close In
IL was originally intended put off the decisive blow
60 sept 1t seemed desirable to give day resi- 10 the
saxon army which had undergone considerable fatigue
their marches on the 3Oth and Slst But when
sI. passed ChemeTy his way to Vendressc, he held
consultation with the Crown Prince and Gems MOtke
and Bumenthal, in consequence OF when ne t
the attack OF sedan and the French lines between
The Meuse anu te A1enHGS snouS S sn ~, the Crown
Of saxony received orders to advance Flle was
our line of battle was formed in this wise: On our right
had the army of the Crown Prince OF saXony @ Ills 1s
Inv the Fonrih Division of Cavalry with their back to
Remily Those troops of the Crown Prince OF saxOny
stll left bank OF the Meuse crossed at D4uy 40
left OF his army was stationed the FIRST BaVarlam
Corps, and behind tins the second Ihe BaNarlns lnIeW
their bridge opposite the village M Si BazeGs drn IpS e
night about 1000 PAGES below Donchery ntte 10 @ tne
ftber m The same direction near the village OF Dome
Mesnil, the Wirtembergers The Sixth Corps as re-
We're opposed the corps Of MacMahon, Fay,
Canrober the remnants Of Douay army ana he hewy
formed Twelfth Corps under Gen. Lebrun Tne center
of the French position was the fortress OF Sgdan tne
fanks extending from GvOnne on the left to Meneres on
the right In the rear of the French position were seen
the spurs the Ardennes.
The Crown Prince left Chemery in his carriage at q;
m Having mounted his horse near Cheyeuse on the road
20 DoneheTy he to0 UP ms position on 6 mn III RcSs RoSeSerys
not far from small mansion called Chateau DoncneIy:
From this point the whole array OF the German army
could be suseyed and the progress OF the battle watched
sedan is situate at one Of the finest points Of the valley
Hills crowned with forests rise in terraces
EarToW strip Of meadow land by the %sersde: on the
lett little the left of Sedan, is plain, with
Tne 'SS pain tpSVersd by Sf elevation To the right
Of land on which lies the village Iges with Vette to
the ei & and % Se to n ihf S to s @ tSS vonRe
the right bank. Tie main road between DOnchery and
halfway touches the village OF FrenOy. Bazees which
opposite to The is @ nth Ei @
dense fog covered the valley and the hills Only al
Ba. m the broke through the Clouds when the day
became hot and sutIy The army Of the Crown Prince
Of fsxOny began operations little after o'clock. Al
what in the of Sedan indicating the left flank of the
TO have been SaGsed % on Gu the S2 % and eo
not he so easily dslOdged while the fight going
Hank the enemy The Eleventh Corps proceeded along
the slight elevation in the midst OF the plain the F1fth
marched straight to get 20 the enemys Accord
ing plan OF the battle, these Corps eventually
TO enec junction WIN our Isht %ag anu, ennSy tb
Ardennes. The wiirtembergers and the Attn Cavalry
protect the plain in case the enemy should push forward
IN this direction, which, however was not very probabe
indeed had himself destroyed the railway bridge between
DOnchery and sedan. At "a the Eleventh Corps dArBee
upon his position An increased fire Of the batteries
marked this moment The SaxOns, vino had designedly
reserved their strength for this contingency now at
tackled with an OyerpOwerng shock Shortly after the
Tnt wing of the French began TO fall back but only TO
nl themselves in the iron embrace Of the two Prussian
cops ia their rear. At the point where the Eleventh
Corps descended the hills upon the surprised enemy
t1e resistance OF the French sensiby diminished since
I'm som lt
leading down 10 Sedan the fight assumed desperate
sent their horse charge in flank The French
cavalry made two brilliant Onslaughs some regiments,
and above all. the Chasseurs dAfrique behaving with
the utmost gallantTy. The infantry way earlier,
the number Of those battaons which surrendered with
o'clock In the time the Fifth Corps had performed
The long distance To the extreme nights, and after
sharp encounter succeeded In driving back the detach
ments making for the Ardennes.
Things now assumed favorable aspect At l2A II was
announced that the French artillery, which the
Emperor had opposed to our Fifth Corps, was repused
and that only few'scattered bodies of infantry had
Effected their retreat the frontier Flight being
thus rendered impossible, we had to deal only with the
central portion OF the battlefeld-the slight elevation
srOssng the plains the hills stretching from il to Sedan
AID the fortress itself which formed the last refuge for
he troops driven from the nights. Since 22 the fire OF
he lrussian batteries ON the right and left wing so
apdy approached one another that 1t was evident the
enemy would soon be completely surrounded. 1t a
the Guards maI on on the lett wing partly behind
lud partly by the side Of the Twelfth CORPS dArm6e
olnCo tO% c uuarus Peccueu Dy tneII ruiIery, hsu
Oeen pushing toward the WOOD 10 the LETT OF Sedan BY
the advancing smoke OF their fire noticed how
They ofect3ey assisted by the Bavarians After
smart Resistance by the French, the Bayar1ans had
sormed Bazeiues, which was burned. They then took
Balan, southwest OF Sedan where gorge gave
them much trouble. Toward they posted two bat
tees In meadow 70 the left Of the road TO Sedan From
thls point they hled on Nette the spre OF which
soon enYeloped IN flames The French artillery having
nothing 70 stop The Eleventh and Twelfth Corps from
pressing Forward IN the direction Of Sedan. The enemy