The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1870-09-03
How the ZO1sayes Were. Cat Up
A 'Ease OF Fearful slaughter.
TSpecial to New York Herald.

lSIbttlil " view lOl
LONDON, Aug. l6-The following
letter from Gen. Procher, commanding
the Zouaves of Marshal McMahon's
Corps, tells the story of the demolition
of those fine soldiers
SAvERNE. Aug. 8.-Let us thank
God, who has preserved me from the
most terrible of dangers it is snldier,S
fate to encounter. 1t is miracle am
still alive, without scratch, bat my
heart is broken, and am overwhelmed
with griet at the fate Of my poor officers
and my poor soldiers. Idare not tell yen
how many have lost. tive uld grieve
you too much. Later shall know the
names of those you knew and loved, but
will never see again. The gallant tel
lows fought like lions and heroes. Out
of 65 officers Al We're killed, wounded
and missing. At 7 o'clock in the morn
ing they were full of life and ardor now
they are killed. At2 in the afternoon
my unfortunate Lieut. Col. Deshorhor-
ties was wounded by my side. A bullet
entered his abdomen, which was dis
charged but a few yards distant. He was
able to squeeze my hand as he was car
ried off the field, but he probably died
before this in Prussian ambulance.
Two chiefs de battalion were shot dead,
and third one is either dead or pris-
oner. St. Lanareux was wounded badly,
and but little hope is entertained of his
recovery. I had him taken from the
field in an ambulance. A bullet went
through his chest He behaved splen
didly. Pierson was shot stone dead.
| | have but five captains out of thirty.
The others are in heaven. All Of my
adjutants and most of my sergeants and
majors shared the same fate of the plo-
neers. Better or more gallant men
never breathed. But five are left. Two
who were left with the baggage were
either sabeled or taken prisoners. My
horses were also captured. My poor
black charger was killed under Gen.
Sawreur, to whom [ had loaned him,
his horse having been killed early IN
the action. Out of all l had, all that
: remains is the clothes that | wear and
IS francs in my pocket. My baggage
with that of the Marshal, has been
taken. l don't care for that, cannot
help crying inwardly when I think Of
those lost We fought like lions, 35-
900 against 100000. The enemy sur
rounded us on all sides. Gen. Calom
was killed, Alfred de Grammont, the
Dukes brother, lost an arm. The other
corps suffered almost as much as oul
own. Mcmahon behaved splendidly
and did all that any man could do, but
. he had not men enough. lle was un
able to cope with 100000 men with three
times more artillery than he had =; never
theless we inflicted heavy losses on the
enemy, and that was doubtless the reason
that We were not more vigorously pur
sued, Had such been the case, the di
saster would have been fearful it il
bad enough as it is. The battle begar
at half past Z o'clock. After night there
was a pouring rain, in which we had tt
stand without tents or fire, or lie down il
the mud. During the previous da.
we marched 70 kilometres, from the bat
tlefeld to Saverne. The last 26 kilo
metres were got over during the night
pellmell, and without stopping or sleep
: ing. War is a fearful scourge. W
are doomed to forced sinaction. W
have but 500 or 600 Zouaves, withou
: knapsacks, tents, clothes or food bu
, we have arms, and do not complain
We are without officers and non-com
misioned officers, and cannot be sent tc
| action. Il is probable we will be sen
3 to Strasburg to reform. Our regiments
chests, from all accounts, have been tax
en-. -s~ --...