The Portland daily press., 1870-09-01

has peen oeStroyed.a at two points Dy the Tfus
SLAMS.
BouILLoN, Belgium, Aug. 81, P. MA fear
ful battle was fought yesterday and to-day be-
tween the Prussan armes of the Crown Prince
and Frederick Charles and the forces of Mar
shall Mcmahon. Yesterday morning McMa-
non commenced general movement toward
| Montmedy. He was attacked near BenmOnt
| and driven lack after an obstinate resistance
toward the Belgian frontier The Prussians
| occupied the line of road and captured large
amount of camp stores They drove the French
from position after position until night closed.
Early this morning the battle was resumed and
continued all day. Daring the night large
number of French reinforcements came up but
they failed to turn the scale of victory.
| The Prussians were also reinforced largely
and attacked in overwhelming numbers. Nc
Mahon retreated to Sedan with the remnant of
| his forces. The slaughter was immense and
| it is impossible to estimate the loss. The
| Prince Imperial is said to be in Belgium. The
population are flying in great terror.
HOW M'MAHoN WAS CUT OFF.
LONDON, Aug. 31.-The Prussans, conceiv-
ing that McMahon's aim was to gain the from
tier to effect junction with Bazaine, advanced
their lines and the Grown Prince south OF
Stenay marched by the way of COmmercy'
Bar lie Due, st. Dizier. aul Vitry. The fourth
army, under the Prince Royal of Saxony,
keeping north of Pont a Mousson, moved to-
wards Chalons, at the same time observing
Metz, while Steinmetz, reinforced, proceeded
through Verdun to Rheims, his right sweeping
the Belgian frontier in hopes of meeting Nc
Mahon. Thus the German advance covered
the country from Belgian along the Meuse to
the Aube, rendering it impossible for Mcmahon
to reach Metz.
THE COMPOSITION AND LOCATION OF THE
PRUssIAN ARMIES
BERLIN, Aug. 3l.-The North German Ga
zette of this city to-day gives subjoined state
ment as to the organization and movementsor
the armies of Germany, respecting which
many errors have been in circulation lately.
The Prince R0y.l of Saxony commands divis
ions organized as previously reported. This
army has been ordered to move on Paris by the
way of Rheims, while third army is moving
to the same destination through Troyes. There
are eight army corps, therefore, now moving
on Paris. The first army is commanded by
Steinmetz, and consists Of the LIST, 7th and Sth
army corps. This army is now near Metz
The second army is that of Prince Frederick
Charles, comprising the I'd, Sd, 9th and 10th
army corps. This is also near Metz. The
third army, commanded by the Royal Prince,
comprises the 9TH, 9Th and 18th corps, as we'll
as two Bavarian corps. This army has been
directed to move on Paris by way of Troyes.
The fourth army is that of the Prince Royal of
Saxony, and is advancing on Paris by way of
Chalons. The fifth army, under Gen. Werth-
err, embracing Wurtemberg and Baden, the di-
vision now engaged in the siege of Stras-
bourg. Besides these, there is an army of
reserves, partly under command of the
Duke Mecklenburg Schwerin on the Rhine
partly under command of Gen. Canstein
of Berlin, partly under command of Gen.
Lowenfeld in Silesia. The Gazette, after thi s
recapitulation, goes on to say, Evidently the
Prussians may without interruption or without
the danger of exposing their rear move on Paris
while armies remain in the north of Germany,
strong enough to maintain order at home and
protect the country. The splendid library of
Strasbourg has been destroyed by the vigorous
bombardment"
POSSIBLE RELEASE OF BAzAiNE.
LONDON, Aug. 3l.-[Special to Herald. IA
close examination of kilograms and letters Gre
Gates the impression that McMahon's northern
movement may succeed in effecting the release
of Bazaine's forces from Metz. 1t is now
known that the King and Crown Princes
headquarters were at Bar lie Due and Longwy
on the Oath. The Prussians first heard of the
abandonment Of Chalons on that day. The
cavalry scouts sent out thirty miles knew moth
IS AToAE
left Chalons on the 21st and Rheims on the
22i and reached Sedan on the 9th. 1t is be-
lieved that the French troops reported at
Rethel yesterday were reinforcements sent
from Paris and that Mcmahon is massing
forces now about 10000 strong in the neigh
borhood of Montmedy with the intention of
making desperate attack towards Metz.
Great Britain
GOSSIP AND RUMoRs.
LONDON, Aug. 31.-The Prince Imperial is
at Avesnes, in the department of the Nord.
The Figaro prints in capitals story of the
departure of Prussan privateers from Ameri-
ca, and bids the French shipping and seaport
towns to beware.
La Patrie estimates the Prussian losses at
over 145 900 thus far. Thionville has certainly
Bismarck is at Spandau,!near Berlin. The
French position on the heights between YOU
siers and Altigny, which was held by body
of Turcos, was taken by storm yesterday by
two squadrons of huzzars, who dismeunted for
the purpose This place was very strong one.
Two Uhlans of the royal guard last night
brought in two officers of McMahon's staff just
captured.
The news from the French army this morn
ing reports that the Emperor is seriously i'll at
Sedan, and his condition has excited the great
est anxiety. Thirty thousand sick and wound
ed soldiers from the front have returned to
Paris. Four hundred Arabs of the French
army, captured in the late engagements by the
Prussians and imprisoned in Germany, have
escaped and returned to France. Strasbourg
is not expected to hold out three days longer.
The Times this morning says McMahon is
now endeavoring to retreat on Soissona, hav
ing failed in his attempt to relieve Bazaine at
Metz. The mails only are carried between
London and Paris.
kilograms from Paris this morning are ex-
ultant in the statement that the Crown Prince
was Sc hours behind the calculations of the
Prussian staff, and he will not arrive at the
right moment to effect function with Prince
Frederick Charles.
The passenger traffic between Calais and
England has been stopped.
sTRAsBOURG STILL REsISTS.
Tho sufferngs of the Inhabitants of Stras-
bourg are terrible They are starving and
compelled to live in their cellars day and night
to avoid the unceasing fire of the besiegers.
Another fruitless sortie was made by the gar
rison on Monday. The Prussian sharpshooters
are within 500 yards of the glacis. Many houses
have been burned. The arsenal was at one
time on fire. The ammunition was safely re-
moved. The fortress continues to resist.
ANoTHEE ALABAMA CASE.
England is likely to have an Alabama issue
with Prussia. A note almost equivalent to a
protest has been received by Earl Granville.
1t demonstrates against England's disregard of
her obligations as neutral, aud declares that
Prussia will not accept legal bubbles of the
law.