The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1870-09-15
Review Of the War.
FROM TIE DECLARATION OF Hosrr1rT1Es BY
FRANCE TO THE SURRENDER OF NAPOLEON.

| table as fated decrees have taken men so un-
expectedly that the first great shock of sur
prise and astonishment which stunned them
has scarcely yet worn off, The march of events
to this prodigious climax has been so rapid that
memory with difficulty recalls the separate
events which have rushed in such whirlwind
succession over the surface of contemporary
history and involuntarily catching breath as
from a sudden submersion, each asks his neigh
Dor. "Who would have expected it Z" And
this story is told, and will bear telling again
and again.
Early in July, less than two months ago,
William of Prussia was said to have treated
the French Ambassador with rudeness. The
Ambassador, eager to prevent misunderstand-
ing and to obtain specific promise from the
King himself as to the non-aggressiye inten-
tions of Prussia, pressed his suit little peril
naciously and unseasonably. The monarch
himself was not otill-disposed, and matters might
have been temperately managed had not Count
Bismarck stepped in, and, Brennus like, cast
the sword into the balance. The dignity of
France was outraged, the sensitive honor of the
French nation touched, and preparations for
done, the last hope of peace was not thrown
aside until the 18th of July, when the declara-
ton of war was published. Then, on both
sides, troops and all the paraphernalia of horrid
war were hurried to the frontier. The line of
operations chosen by the French Generals was
from Metz on the west to Strasbourg on the
east The troops massed along the frontier,
and for some days nothing was done in appear
ance /; but the preparations on both sides was
so enormous that the wonder is how such vast
work could have been accomplished in so short
time. There were not wanting, however,
people, who in their inconsidcrate impatience,
expected the overt acts of war to follow imme
diately on the first notes of preparation. At
length on the 90th of July, at the little from
tier town of Saarbrucken, the first blow was
struck it was but preliminary operation for
reconnaissance On the I'd of August the bat
tie of Saarbrucken was fought to get possession
of some wooded heights. The French were
successful, and, trivial as was the operation COM
with what followed, there was great graduation
over the first gain.
In day or two, however, the object for
which the first movement was made having
been accomplished, the French General, Fros-
sard, abandoned the points he had been at pains
to attain, and fell back little to his first posi-
ton. Now the Prussians put themselves in
motion at the other end of the line. On the
Sd of August, the day of the little affair at
Saarbrucken, the Crown Prince advanced sud-
denly against MacMahon, and falling on the
advance guard under Douay at Wessenburg,
cut his troops nearly to pieces, routed them en-
tirely, and having given to General Douay, who
died hero's death on the field honorable
burial, the victorious Prince advanced against
MacMahon. -,
On the 9th of August, at both ends of the
line, battles were fought General Frossard
was crushed at Forbach, near Saarbrucken, and
driven in with heavy losses on Metz; while at
,tt, for tho hntt ic
after both places, the Crown Prince followed up
Weissenburg by assailing on MacMahon and
routing him with immense slaughter on both
sides, after desperate fight, in which the
French did wonders of heroic bravery, but
could effect nothing against overwhelming num-
bers consummate generalship, and uniinching
perseverance, The French, utterly crushed
and demoralized, gave way. Some OF the bro
ken regiments made their way to Strasbourg,
MacNIahon himself, with the shattered REM
nant of his army, retreated, with courage un-
broken, though in great disorder, to Nancy,
with view of massing the Army of the Rhine
on the line of the Moselle, which had the great
frontier fortresses of Metz and Thionville as
their base on the one side, and in the rear the
Paris and Strasbourg Railway, with communi-
| cations open to the entrenched camp of ChalOns,
| the fortress of Verdun, aud various fortified
Ill,
| two large rivers and many minor streams,
| might reasonably be considered hopeful line
of defences.
Meanwhile Paris was in state Of siege.
| On the 18th the Olivier Ministry had resigned,
Palikao, a rugged veteran, was Minister of War,
and Trochu, a brilliant scientific soldier, was
made military commandant.i The Notifications
and defences were rapidly pushed. The unsuc-
| cessful Marshal Lebeuf was removed, and Ba-
zaine was made omnrander-in-chief of the
Army of the Rhine! The French left had fall
len back on Metz, the French right had pivo-
ted on Metz, so as to make the River Moselle
the front of their line, France breathed again;
But if the French retreat had been rapid, and
their organization prompt, the Prusslan pursuit
was unhesitating, and sternly determined 10
risk nothing by delay. The French army,
though retaining their high courage, was IN
measure demoralized Whatever the error or
oversight, whether from mismanagement or
from the contrarieties of time and circumstance
inevitable on defeat, the supplies both OF am
munition and of provisions came forward SO
uncertainty and irregularly that the French
soldiery with all the depressing encouragement
of defeat and want of confidence in their lead
ers had TO endure the suffering OF deplorably
insufficient food, and of an ill-managed COM
m;ssariat. 1t is even, indeed charged that the
we'll devised plan of campaign by which Mac
Mahon was to have crossed the Rhine and car
ried the war into the enemy's country was spoil
ed at the outset by an inefficient commlssarlaI.
However this may be, the failure to attack
gave the Prussians the right to open the game
and to reverse the intended procedure. Maal NaPu-
following the retreat nG Of nntepabe Ine The II Prus
slams took possession of it, and, although Tor
1uant oP seGpe. trains they could do nothing
oraust the forts and strong posts their recon-
n6;ssances s and scouts were pushed far into the
French French rear, on the road to Paris. Meanwhile
MacMahon, finding himself, so endangered by
The proximity of the Prussians, gathered to-
gether the remnants of his forces and struck
across from Nancy towards the northern COM
munications from Metz to Verdun, hoping to
| &l,o from nd tn