Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1870-08-09
France and Prussia.

Prussians. The fight was confined to artillery
and the loss was not much on either SIDE The
Prussians report their loss, two officers and
seventy men-the French loss about the same.
Saarbrucken is situated on the Saar river,
forty miles south southeast of Treves, ten
miles south Of Saarlouis, and about forty miles
east of Metz The town takes its name from
the Saar river and ''bruecken," the German
word for bridges" It is often given in the
singular, Saarbruck, or Saarbridge, from the
stone bridge over the river, connecting the
town with its suburb st. Johann. 1t has a
population of between eight and ten thousand,
was founded in the tenth century, and has
passed through many vicissitudes incident to
war. It is distinct from Saarburg, which is
thirty miles north-northeast of Saarbrucken. =
Saarlouis is another town of Rhenish Prussia,
some ten miles northeast of Saarbruoken. The
Prussian line in the Saar Valley ran parallel to
the French boundary and included Saarlouis,
Merzig, Saarburg and Saarbrucken, and appa-
rently the Prussian objective point was Meta.
The Emperor, on his return to Metz, after
the battle, sent the following telegraphic des-
patch to the Empress: ds u3z
Louis has received his baptism of fire. He
was admirably cool and little impressed. A
division of Frossard's command carried the
heights overlooking Saar. The Prussians
mad brief resistance; Louis and ! were IN
front. where the bullets fell about US. Louis
keeps ball he picked up. The soldiers wepi
at bis tranquility. We lost an officer and ten
men.
(Signed) NAPOLEON.
Metz was Illuminated that night in honor. Of
the victory. After the retreat of the Prussians
the French did not occupy the place.
The Empress. with her nieces, went the next
morning to the Chapel of Notre Dame de Vic
torres to offer prayers of thanksgiving for the
safety and success of the Emperor. 7
The heights taken by the French at Saar-
bruck form the key to the railway approaches
to Treves hence the Importance of the con.
quest.
The Prussian Government furnishes the fol
lowing account, more in detail, of the affair al
Saarbrucken:
"a feeble garrison held Saarbrucken until
the French deployed and advanced in three
columns The Prussians then retired to a po-
sition north of the town to observe the enemy.
In spite of the free use by the French of the
mitrailleuse, artillery and Chassepots, our losses
were only two officers and seventy men. The
loss of the French appeared to be more serious.
Our troops were admirably COO"
A London despatch dated August 5th says:
IA correspondent, endorsed by the Times
gives the following interesting details Of the
battle of Saarbrucken:
The French made some prisoners, but cap
tured no cannon They lost forty killed and
sixty wounded.
The French force in the battle was estimated
at 80, 900 men, and the Prussian at only 5000
Artillery won the fight There was but littlt
infantry and DO cavalry engaged
1t was the Fifty-ninth Prussian Regimen
and not the Fiftieth, as before reported, en-
Fortieth held their ground against the French
until the latter force had fully developed it
strength. The small force of Prussians ther
retired"
On Thursday more important engagement
took place at Weissenburg, in which the Prus
slams we're the victors. A Prussian despatch
on the evening of the day of battle says:
eve have won brilliant but bloody victory
The left wing was the attacking body, and con
sisted Of the Fifth and Eleventh PrussiaI
Corps, with the Second Bavarian. This fore
carried by assault, under the eyes of the Primo
Royal, the Fortress of Weissenburg and tn
heights between Weissenburg aud Geisburg. :
Douay's division of Marshal McMahon's corp
was splendidiy defeated, being driven from it
camp. General Douay himself was killed. :
Five hundred prisoners were taken-n o
them wounded. Many Turcos were among tn
captured The Prussian General Kirchbacl
and Fiftieth Regiment Of the Line suffere,
heavy losses. -
A despatch dated Frankfort, August 5th-
noon-says:
GA train has just arrived here bringing fv
hundred French prisoners from Welssenburg
They will be sent to Northern Prussia. Tn
total number OF prisoner S taken by the Prus
SLAMS in the fight was eight hundred, including
Gig hteen officers
A French dispatch dated Paris, August 5th
says:
AT one o'clock yesterday afternoon three
regiments Of Douay' Division and a brigad,
of light cavalry were attacked at Weissenburl
by very considerable force of the enemy
which had been massed in the woods skirtine
Lauter river. Our troops resisted for severa
hours the attacks of the enemy, and then re
tired to the summit of Pigeonnier, an emf
nence which commands the line of railroad tt
Btsche General Douay was killed. One
piece of artillery, the horses having been killed
and the carriage broken, fell into the hands o
the Prussians.
A despatch dated London, August, 9Th
says:
cit is understood England has determined
to make the invasion of Belgium casus beM.-
The King Of the Belgians will summon the
Powers who have guaranteed her neutrality e
her assistance as soon as her territory is inva
ded, and England will respond.
LATER.-It was General Abel Douay, the
infantry commander. who was killed at Wois
senburg, not General c. Douay, the genera
commanding division.
The French and Prussian dispatches are very
conflicting, whilst the former represent ''tht
enthusiasm of the French people over the favor
the Prince Royal of Prussia telegraphs the fol
lowing:
Victorious battle has been fought neal
VORTEX Mcmahon was totally beaten (toto
enaeut battee) by the larger portion of my com
mand. The French retired upon Bitsche.
The indications are that We will hear of ter
ribIe Battle in few days The dispatches must
be taken with many grains of allowance.
STILL LATER. There seems to be no doubt
of the defeat of the French in the battle Of
Saturday loss was heavy-and uneasi
ness is felt at Paris Both sides lost heavily.
For the Spectator
Grand Tournament and Fancy Ball at Strib.
ling Springs, Wednesday. Aug. H..