The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-08-04
CONFLICTING Acco UNITS.
PREPARATIONS FOR A PITCHED d
BATTLE.
REVIEW OF THE SITUATION
TIE EMENT At SAAR.
BR UCKEN.

4
siye and crossed the frontier, and invaded the
territory of Prussia. In spite Of the numbers
and position of the enemy, few of our battal-
ions were sufficient to carry the heights which
overlook Saarbrucken, and our artillery was not
slow to drive the enemy from the town. The
elan of our troops was so great that our losses
were slight The engagement commenced OF
II and ended at /. The Emperor assisted in
the operations, and the Prince Imperial, who
accompanied him everywhere, received on the
first field of battle bis baptism of fire. His pres
ence of mind and sung Jfom in danger were
worthy of the name he bears. The Emperor
returned to Metz at S P. NJ.
Csaarbriicken is small Prissian manufac-
turing town on the Prusslan-French frontier.
1t is situated on the River Saar, which Is cross
ed by the bridges at this polut. saarbriicken
is on the line of rail from Metz to the fortified
City of Mayence.]
The Prussinn Account.
LONDON, August 8.
The following is the Prussian account ofthe
affair at Saarbricken !: The fortlfcatlons at
this place (Saarbriicken) were attacked By o
column OF French infantry yesterday evening;
the French were repulsed.
Desperate Feat.
LONDON, August 8.
Rumors are in circulation here that the
French had stormed Weissenburg, town In
the Palatinate.
There is some confusion here. Weissen-
burg, or Wissenbourg, is French frontier
town, and, unless it was captured by the
Prussians day or two ago, its stormiDg by
the French was neither diff ;ult nor danger
ous.1
Another Version of the Affair.
LONDON, August 3-Noon.
The following details of the engagement at
Saarbr1cken have been received
The fight began at II o'clock A. M. yester-
day. The French passed the frontier in force,
and BY their sharp artillery fire the Prussians
were driven from their strong position. The
French remained the masters Of the position,
which they won without serious loss.
The Emperor and Prince Imperial witnessed
the conflict and returned to Metz to dinner.
PRUssIAN DETAILED REPORTS.
Prussian Expedition into French Terri
tory.-MIners and Workmen Taught
to Ride on Horseback-The Needle Gun
Preferred to the Chassepot-FIrst Com
siderable SkIrmIsh.
LONDON, July 81
A correspondent at Saarbriicken writes on
Wednesday, July 27, that the French and Prus-
slams were within sight Of each other. Pass
ing Kreutznach he found the English residents
fled from fear or the French, the representa-
tives of the British Government refusing to
give them protection. The French at Forbach
were $4,000 strong. The Prusslan force at
saarbriicken is not stated, but there was no
probability there of severe fighting Immediate
ly. The French are not ready.
Actual hostilities began July Fl. Kraus, O.
fusllier. shot the first Frenchman. There has
been continual skirmislling since Saturday.
The Prusslan patrol went some distance be-
yond the border, finding no enemy, but on
the same day some French cavalry were re-
pulsed, losing an officer and thirteen men.
The prusslan forces are partly armed with
new and lighter gun, having shorter barrel,
usinp smaller bullet, but with the same nee
die arrangement. The Bavarlans tried the
Chassepot two years ago, but preferred the
needle gun. During the recent skirnishes,
the PrussIans were able to fire quicker than
the French. The cavalry Is splendldly
mounted.
The same correspondent writes on the Goth
that the destruction Of the railway at Bitche
was extremely important. The line runs from
Forbach and Saareguemlnes to Haguenau, and
thence to strasbourg. The order to destroy 1t
was given on the 18th, go as to prevent the
sudden concentration OF the French from the
south. Accordingly, small number CT picked
men of the 40th Uhlans started under the
command OF Lieutenant V1n yogh 70. zwei-
brucken, the nearest German town to the
French viaduc.. At Zeibrucken an engineer
with mi1crs and workman awaited the caval-
nv. On Tuesday they sert of the 3oth Cavalry.
1ha men with the miners and carts carrying
the necessary materials. But on this night,
and also on the following one. the French out
posts were too active Tor them. and they had
| to retire unsuccessful.
Now follows the characteristic part OF the
expedition. They made up their minds that
the heavy materials which incnmbered them
must be reduced to the smallest possible COM
pass. and that every man who took part in the
expedition must be mounted. The next TWO
dayswere, therefore, given np 70 riding les
sons. Alter two days Instruction the miners
and worknen were able TO keep themselves
on their horses, and, on Saturday night, the
whole body crossed the French frontier. The
mounted miners and workmen were charged
To push on with all haste to the Viaduet, While
the Uhlans engaged the French oatposts VINO
were this time surprised.
They accomplished their tash WIN periect
intelligence and success. The country around
was rousel from sleep by an explosion which
sent the great viaduct into the air. The miners
rushed ont again upon the railway from the
/ spot whittier They had retreated after lighting
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