The New York herald., 1870-08-20
THE SITUATION


Our dispatches this morning show that not less
than five battles have taken place west Of Metz
since Sunday last. The first was at PagEy on that
morning, wnen the Prussan advance was undoubt1
edy checked. 1t Is evident that after this combat
the German forces were moved rapidly In north1
western direction, with view to strike the FrencM
line Of retreat at point yet further west. The
| two armies must have met at Longevle on
Monday, where the Prussians were again re-
| pulsed, and from where they repeated their tact-
| Cal fank movement upon the right OF the French.
or the battle which took place on Tuesday have
comparatively full Official reports from Paris
The locality is said TO be between D0ncOurt and
vionvllle, but 1T s not stated what DOncourt
Is meant. vlonville is situated some twelve milea
west of Metz, on the road to verdun. Some four
miles north Of this place Is village called Doncourt.
Ten miles west by south Of Vionve is another VII
lage called Doncourt aux Templlers, the road from
Pont d Mousson to verdun, and only three miles
from the Metz and verdun road. We are OF the
opinion that the battle took place between Vionvle
and DoncOurt aux Templiers. This would give the
French army front covering its line of retreatJ
whereas line to the other village would have mada
1t impossible for any fighting to have taken place au
Mars le Tour, which lies three miles west OF VionI
ville the same road to verdun, unless the French
| line OF battle had formed sharp angle, with the
| apex at ViOnve.
by the statement made by Count de Palikao to the
Corps Legislatif on Thursday evening. The Count
stated thar the Prussans 'bad tried to retreat to tJ
Mihiel" q town Of some size on the Meuse rverJ
southeast Of DOncourt aux Templers. This would
imply that the Prussian line faced to the north and
the French to the south, thus placing the latter in
front OF and covering their line OF retreat1
1t is true that this position is very ID
Metz but 1t certainly proves that the French line oG
rotra hoa anotv ham nuto of tha oS
Bazaine has not yet succeeded in eXtrcaring itself
from the PrussIan nank movement. We are some1
what puzzled to cunt for Bazane's remaining IN
the vicinity OF Metz when 1t seems prObaDld
that his line Of retreat was less exposed
to attack on Sunday night that IL was
on Tuesday last 1t may be, suggested
by London paper, that he has been endeavOrng td
get the fank and rear OF the Prusslans, with u
view to compelling them to fail back for the purpose
Of covering their base OF operations this has bee
his intention inclined to believe that he has
been unsuccessful, and has been compelled To resumd
his retreat with greater danger Of being cut on
from Paris than ever before. The dispatches, how
ever, confused and contradictory that It ID
almost impossible to form any clear idea OF the sltu1
ation. But one thing seems certain, and 1t Is that
up to five O'Clock Thursday evening the French hnd
OF communication with Paris was open, we have
dispatches dated ut the general headquarters up td
that hour
As regards the official despatch from King Will
liam dated at Pont Mousson, and referring TO am
engagement near there on Tuesday, in which the
Prussians took 900 prisoner. cor seventeenl
cannon and two eagles, 1t Is evident that
he spoke OF the engagement near GravelotteI
and not of the battle between ThIonvilId
and Doncourt aux Templiers. Berlin lnews1
papet publishes particulars Of this engagement
or the engagement between the main bodies OF the
armies there have oeen ofcial reports whateveL
from the Prussan commanders, and this fact VILE
be readily asccrtained by any person who Will care1
fully examine the kilograms. This silence woud
| seem to bear out the French claim Of having re1
pulsed the Prussians IN their endeavors to force
| back the right wing OF their enemy.
Az we make 10 out there was battle west OF thd
| MoselIe on sunday, there was another on Monday
| near Longueville, two Tuesday and one wednes-
1 day. or this last engagement we publish the of1ciat
| report from Marshal Bazaine, dated at Verdun on
wednesday night. IL thus appears that the French
1 have not fallen back any further; ana from tho
| reports tnat the battle was renewed ON Thurs
| day It would appear that they either do not
| wish TO or cannot continue their retreat. While
| ~ ia evident that In the engagements which
have taken place from sunday TO Wednesday 1--WE
| rnow nothing OF the result OF Thursdays batle)
| fortune has favored the French we do not beuevo
that the army OF Marshal Bazaine Is yet absolutely
safe II It then there is doubt that he does not
wish TO retreat and that he believes himself rr,ug
CONTINUED ON TENTH PAG5