The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-08-26

| French were OuCnanReu anu UeSau W NC
threatened, as it appeared, with an attack
on the rear of their extreme right wing.
So long as the smoke from the Prussian
guns lowered only over their front, the
French chung to their position. The dis
lance from headquarters to where the Prus-
sian flank attack stretched forward was
great, and, to add to the difficulty of clearly
seeing the battle, the darkness was coming
on. know not how long the French held
out, nor at what precise moment the rus
sian onset became irresistible. What saw
was this The putfs of smoke from the
French guns mingled with the flashes,
| Frightening as the darkness increased, re,
coded gradually. The pillars of cloud and
flame from the north as gradually ana
steadily approached. With that advance
the French fire every moment grew more
slack. 1t was not far from O'Clock When
the ground was yielded finally on the north,
| and the last shots fired on that terrible
| evening were heard in that direction.
| ANXIETY AT HEADQUARTERS.
But to 90 back now to the movements OF
the King and those with him at headquar-
tiers. The Kings face, as he stood gazing
upon the battlefield, had something almost
plaintiff in it. He hardly said word, but
i noticed that his attention was divided be-
tween the exciting scenes in the distance
|
they were just beginning what must YET, be
a long task-to bury the French who fell IN
| TueSday's battle. On them he SaZed ST.
lently, and, thought, sadly.
| Count Bismarck could not conceal his
excitement and anxiety. If it had not been
for the King the Count would clearly nave
gone forward where the fighting was. his
towering form was always little III ad-
vance of the rest.
| When the French completely gave up
| their hold upon the road up to Gravellotte
the horses of the headquarters party We're
hastily called, and the entire party mount,
| ing, with the King ut their head, dashed
down to a point not very far from the vii
lace. Then shouts and cheers arose and
| followed them wherever they passed.
ACAvALRY CHARGE.
A little after o'clock strange episode
occurred. From the region where Stein
metz was supposed to be, magnificent regl..
ment of cavalry galloped out. They paused
moment at the point where the Contains
road Joins that to Metz. Then they dashed
up the road toward Metz. This road be-
tween Gravelotte and st. Huberts is cut
through the hill, and on each side of 1t rise
cliffs from forty to sixty feet high except at
the point where it trayerses the deep ra-
zine behind the village. When it is remem-
bcred that at the time the eliminating point
to which that road ascends was held by the
French, it will not be wondered at that only
half that regiment survived. What the sur
yivors accomplished | do not know, nor
could l learn the name and number OF that
regiment, which seemed to meet its fate
under the eyes Of the King. The situation
hardly admitted asking many questions,
but their plunge into that deep cut on the
hillside, where next day saw so many OF
them and their horses lying, was of that
brave, unhesitating, unfaltering kind,
which is SO characteristic of German sol
diers, among whom straSglers and desert
ers seem to be absolutely unknown.
MYSTERIOUS REINFoRcEMENTs.
must record also what seemed an mex
plicable thing. The army of Prince Frede-
rick Charles was lighting hard, and suffer-
| ing, it was only too plain, heavily. FROM
| this army division after division had been
taken and vainly sent against the French
centre. A portion Of the Princes nu-
merous reserves had been diminished to an
important extent in the engagements OF the
14th and 18th instant. Moreover, con-
siderable part of his army required rest,
and two divisions-one certalnly-Were IN
need of REORGANIZATION before they could
| again become efficient on a field OF battle.
Yet, at one time, it seemed that every dlvl-
sion and brigade and regiment was likely to
| be called into action. The losses in the
centre and the massng Of great forces for
a fresh attack on the French right flank left
| the Eerdun road itself at one time almost
uncovered-the very road for possession OF
which the Prussians were fighting. AT u
moment that for these reasons seemed criti-
Cal there appeared on the field, occupying
ground before held by portion Of the
forces of Prince Frederick Charles, a large
body of troops.
They moved into position under the eyes
of the King, yet neither the King nor any
OF his staff could account for their appear
ance. They passed the point which i'll the
morning had been the Royal headquarters.
Their march was begun at the time have
mentioned. and their advance did not cease
till dark. But the mystery that hung over
them was not dispelled. Whose was this
new army? Whence did it come? The
staff insisted that at the point whence it
moved there were, or at any rate ought TO
be, no troops Of the armies of either Stein.
metz or of Prince Frederick Charles. The
rumor began, and spread among the group
of men who surrounded the King, that this
fresh, mysterious force was part of the
army Of the Crown Prince, and that new
Junction had been expected. / know of nc
reason to suppose this true. Doubtless the
staff soon cleared up the matter to theil
own satisfaction, but it happened that
was away in another part of the field before
the riddle was solved. That there ever
could have been any. doubt about the iden
tity Of so great body of men arriving or
so great a battlefield illustrates the diff
Guilty with which even the most eminent
officers follow the movements of forces over
broken and wooded ground. L no. longer
wondered that to me the same task was al
most an impoSsibility.
In any event, it cannot be doubted tina
the presence of that large body of men made
itself felt upon the fortunes of the field
They were visible to the French as well a
to us. Here was another example OF TIT
moral effect that may be and SO often is eX
erted in battle by masses OF men whose
, presence is known to the enemy, but WHIT
may not fire a shot in the actual conflict
From their line of march it was clear tina
, the divisions were finally posted little il
the rear and on the left OF the Prusslal
centre at the time when the attacks so lonl
[ directed against the key of the French line
. had ceased-in fact, had failed for the time
: 1t was possible that the French, having sui
? Tered far less in holding their ground thai
the PruSsians in attacking, might have ad
3 vanced in their turn and undertaken
Vigorous offensive movement. II they ha'
D any such purpose, it is not unlikely tina
Il they abandoned it on sight Of the PRUSSIA
reinforcements.
III Instead Of advancing, the French nov
= contented themselves with the mere occu
i. patton of the ground to which earlier in TN
! day they had been driven back. At no Tim
I did they seriously strive to regain the west
ernmost line of hills which had been their
f in the morning. at no time did they re