The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-09-15
MARS-LA-TOUR.
One of the BI IoOdiestIBattIeso ofthe War-3O,0OG
Killed and Wounded.


The Prusslan correspondent OF the London Times,
dating from Berlin Aug. 80, gives the following
graphic account OF the sangulnary engagement at
At last we have detailed accounts of the most san
Iionviile, on the 16th inst For whole week it al
most seemed as though veil were to be- thrown
upon the horrors of this particular encounter. But
the silence has been broken at length and public
well as private letters permit us to form pretty
accurate idea OF what occurred on that fatal day.
AS will be remembered, the battle fought be-
tween the van of Prince Frederick Charles and the
greater part of the French army under General Ba-
zaine. The Princes van, having crossed the Mo-
selle was marching north, on the left bank OF the
river TO intercept the retreat of the French to Paris
In the immediate vicinity of Metz, behind whose
ramparts the defeated enemy had been completing
his preparations for retreat the Prussians fell In
with French army. Mistaking the troops before
them for the rear of the hostile army, which they
supposed TO be in full march westward they at
tackled at once But the fight had not lasted long
when they became aware OF their error. They had
to deal, not with last lingering remnant Of the
French but with the main body itself. Considerably
General Bazaine had not yet evacuated Metz, but
still encamped on the western flank of the for
was disagreeable discovery to make for the Prus-
slams They were about $1,000 strong; the force
which they had challenged counted between so, 900
and 9O,OO6 and had about 10000 more within the
walls OF the adjoining stronghold
Thus they stood and bated for nearly eight hours.
six times they were charged by the Imperial Guard;
six times they repulsed the attack, and, pursuing
the enemy in their turn, drove him from position TO
position. One after the other, the corps Of Generals
Frossard, Canrobert, Decaen, Ladmirault and the
I'd Division OF General Fatlly were forced to give
way before the PTussian onslaught. But their tri-
umph dearly bought by the gallant band. I'm
der the telling hre of the enemy they had suffered
grievOusly from the first Gradually their numbers
were more and more reduced; at last they were so
few, and these 80 tired, that the French could ven
ture to attack their guns.
Not until after O'Clock, when, some Rhenish regi-
ments coming up, the Germans were no longer so
very much outnumbered, did the scale OF victory
begin to incline in their favor. Eventually general
charge forced the enemy TO fall back hoty pursued
by the HanoYeTian horse and artillery, AS usual in
French retreat, confusion now ensued and rapidly
assumed degree out OF proportion to the defeat
sustained But for the vicinity of Metz and the pro-
lection it afforded to the discomftted troops there
| might have been another disaster like that of
Woerth This was avoided by the nearness of the
detached forts, but from military point OF view re-
treat TO Metz, whence there is no escape, per-
hapR even less eligible than flight TO Paris however
| pTecipitate and caamitous.
| The day OF Mars-la-Tour has cost Germany almost
| twice as many men Killed and wounded as the day
OF KoEiggratz. This is fact which makes all the
usual epthets, such terribe," 'awful," ETC., ap-
pear pitiably below the mark. Fortunately, so per
| cent OF the victims slightly wounded and will
| survive, although more or less incapaeitated foI
| work. The French losses quite as large, and
| include even greater number OF dead. Putting
the casualties on both sides together, the total
obtain is, am afraid, rather ia excess OF 30 900.
The announcements OF Oficers deaths 10 the
papers NIL whole columns. Fathers, brothers, and
brides leaving In shoals for the front to fetch the
corpses OF their beloved ones. Reading these terri
be lists, is sometimes led 10 think that whole
, generation had passed away. Alas at the name OF
Mars-larTour many heart VIII ache for many
year 70 come, a a .Il.-t- ...s'.s ~