The New York herald., 1870-08-22

river ssar battery Of the Fifteenth artillery tnsn
Fortisth and q company Of engineers, aided ad,s
mel Mangln. who, with The remainder OF the
Sxty-seventh and the Stxth-slxt descended on the
lage which the Foretb and the engineers occupied,
while the paralions OF the Sixtyseventh rushed
up the slopes OF the hill ST. Annual ana established
themselves on the summit facing Saarbruck.
The Sixty-slxth took possession OF the heights
enemy M rom hs POSITIONS. General Bata,ese hIu .uo
ade, covered by skirmishers, advanced In line. The
country is hiy and wooded, but the ravines were
resoluteiy taken. The heights having been gained
General Batallle established one OF his batteries in
front or the Sixty-sixth regiment and another on
the champ de MdrTuures to sweep the railway sta
ton and silence the enemys artillery In position on
the left OF Saarbruck. Another battery OF twelve
Pounders was brought up and battery OF mirail.
leuses opened fire. The Prusslan infantry then LEFT
The town.
The greater part OF Saarbruck and ST. Jean was
burned within less than two hours, and the En-
peror returned 10 Metz by the train, which had
been ordered before the engagement to be In readi-
PRUssIAN ACCOUNTS.
From Berlin the account OF the affair is somewhat
dnerent Il Is strange now the i9sce OF circum
ta eyes, II is TO be hoped for the sake OF history that
the French government VIII give permission at any
to OF the cloud OF foreign correspondents TO
follow the army The following is an official Berlin
account, dated August 3--"Yesterday, at ten A. NJ,
the small detachment ut Saarbruck was attacked by
three divisions or the enemy. The town and the
Place dArines were bombarded at midday by
twentythree pieces OF artillery. At two O'Clock the
place was evacuated and the detachment retired.
Our losses were relatively small.
According TO one of the prisoners the Emperor ar
rived before Saarbruck at eleven O'Clock"
We hear that IN Paris the excitement was intense
when the news was published and that some OF the
newspaper offices were Illuminated In celebration
OF the great victory, while In Berlin IL was treated
with as little attention as II corporas guard had
been relieved.
To-day there Is every sort OF rumor rife IN tue
town. but up 10 this hour tive o'cock) nothing on
One person knows baker, who lets rooms to
lady, who has son, an officer IN the French army,
wounded at Wissembourg. who has written letter to
his mother, adding as postscript, "Great victory
10000 prisoners taken u IL Is possible The poor Tel
low is delirous. Another stout and somewhat greasy
looking individual declared with vehemence that
letter had been received by haberdasher, "whO
lives IN that big white house that you see there.'
confirming the news, with the addition that 900
Prussians had been Killed and 30 600 taken prisoners.
third has Just declared that there are 40, 900 Prus
SLAMS IN wood near WissemDourg, surrounded by
MacMahon's army, and tnat the worthy Marshal
having set the wood on fire the unfortunate Prus-
slams are now being grled to death.
ALARM AND SECRECY.
That there Is now nghting going on am inclined
to believe, as the headquarter staff await orders to
leave tonight. If they do SO, the move Will imply
there has been success for the French arms and
That there Is some foundation. however slight for
the reports which have today been current.
In military circles here 1t s believed that the dis
aser at " Wissembourg was q coup de Dtdfn executed
by the Prince Royal OF Prussia. 1t appears that at
q
ready to cut of the retreat Of The French IL they
advanced AFTER the attack on Saarbruck. The
French however, did not advance and the Prussan
troops at Neukirchen were quickly transported To
the neighborhOOd OF WisSembOurg, where. joining
the forces there stationed they attacked and nearly
annihated the division under General Abel Douay.
This theory may be correct as two days elapsed be-
tween the affair at Saarbruck and that at Wissen-
bourg On reference to the map you Will see that
there Is railway communication between the two
places.
| have Just received a report from the outposts
which gives me the movements OF the French army
since the night OF the 81 and 4th.
WHAT NAPOLEON HEARD.
The Emperor heard that Prince Frederick Charles
was advancing from Treyes on Sierk by The right
bank the Moselle as to drive IN the left of The
French army.
The Fourth corps under Ladmirault, was moved
from Thionvile to Boulay on the right, and Marshal
BaZane from Boulay to st. Avoid On the 4th Lad
miraults corps moved rapidly back to the left and
the corps under BaZaine followed the movement.
The danger was imminent as the Guard left Metz
at daybreak to take up position at Boulay, readi
ness 10 support In case OF need, Ladmiraut and Ba-
zaine.
RURAL DEsTrTUrIoN.
Along the entire frontier the country Is becoming
destitute OF resources. Through patriotism and
necessity the Inhabitants have given and sold
everything 10 the troops. Nothing is TO be had for
love or money. Neither horses, mues cattle, fowls,
milk nor eggs. The peasants have money, but they
viii be forced TO purchase provisions az distance.
CHANGE OF TACTICS.
hear this morning from a correspondent at Ham
| sous Vasberg that yesterday every movement ap-
| peared to be changed, ana that the army was In
movement from left to right. He little knows what
| has happened at WlsscmbOurg. He says:-"The
French and Prussians have the appearance OF play
ing crafty game, the man9nvring being 10 the
and resources than the enemy. The French regl-
ments are increasing In strength, During the past
fifteen days they are nearly doubled In numbers for
from 1900 men they have now $500 strong, and
even more.n
The sanitary state OF the French army is excellent
there are but few on the sick list