The New York herald., 1870-08-30

muster all told, more than 10000 esetive bayonets
or sabres. Why, then, did the French leader not
only give the enemy battle, out actually tempt him
on and force him. as 1t were, TO the conibatf SIM
ply because he had no idea In the world of the mum.
bers Of his enemy.
most distinctly assert that the information, the
management and the want OF order in the French
army--the French regtmental oflcers say IT, and
said 1t before they left Strasbourg-would disgrace
the rawest evies that ever were raised. MacMahon
had no idea whatever OF the numbers that were
before him on the morning OF the 9th. or his four
divisions, one was the remains Of the division
that mad been beaten at Wissembourg forty-eight
hours before. The rest OF his men were In excel
lent spirits the night before, but they laid all that
night on the wet ground in perfect deuge OF rain
and had nothing to eat before they went into
action.
You will say that in the first respect the Prussla,s
were equally badly on. so they were. But the
Prusslan management was Infinitely better. and they
had their warm coree their biscuit, bit Of cold
meat and "tnimbleful of schnapps" before muster
ing to fight. And. take my word for II. have seen
ana proved II more than score OF times, when
wore red coat and fought on the plains OF Hindo-
stan, that there is immense difference in the fight
Ing value OF O full ana fasting man.
Not only did the French troops not take food on
the morning OF August Q, but many Of them had not
eaten anything for twenty-four hours previously.
At daybreak patrol Of Z0uaves came down into
the village of woerth to feel for the enemy spoke
to the oncers and remained talking to them for nalf
an hour. got them and for about twenty Of their
men conee and brandy, with crust Of bread from
the inn. They were cheerful hearty and certain TO
beat the enemy. But they told that they had not
broken their fast since the morning of the previous
day. Tor that the supplies had not yet joined them.
Was this good management good generalship
Where were the well paid officers Of the much
vaunted French 'Intencance' or COmmssarat De-
partments Here was one OF the picked regiments
or the picked army corps, going into battle chilled
through and through from wet and without food.
! Courage Frencnman always has and to spare. lie
| Is as brave as his own sword But men are but
men after all, and what can you do with troops
| treated these poor Fellows wereS
MPUIsIvE AND BRAVE, BUT DISAPPOINTED
My heart beeds when think or the bad treatment
OF that com pany Of Zouaves. lie told me- In great
glee, that he had only got out OF the military college
of st. Cyr fortnight before, and that his father
into regiment of Zouaves. II shall See the
very cream Of the fight" said the lad-he could
hardly be more than seventeen-'and very likely
get my promotion on this very lled OF battle. Had
the peace continued should have had six months
more TO remain AZ college" He was Corsican, ne
told me, and had all the fire ol his people He took
some cigarettes pressed upon MIN ana made me
promise would dine with MIN after the fight was
over. Poor fellow, he was destined never to eat
another meal. When was assisting that evening
to move the wounded came upon hun. The whole
OF the wer part OF Ills body was reeking, CORY
mash OF flesh. Hts sunerings must have been FEARFUL
one OF tile Prussian Catholic chaplains was admins
tcrlng TO HIM the last consultations OF religion, and
had barey finished doing before the boy died. In
addition TO the wounds OF which speak, he had lost
both his eyes in gallant attempt to take Prussian
battery.
MAC MAHoN's ACTION.
But 10 return to the question, why did MacMahon
@ accept Dsttle a. al W0erth when ne was numerically
strength OF the Drown Princes army. From 9 colo
mel OF French cavalry on the eve OF tile
fight and from French star officer about
an hour before the battle commenced learned that
at the French, that Is at Marshal MacMahons head
quarters they were under the conviction that the
Prussan army before them consisted OF six divis.
ions OF the central army OF Germany under Won
Seinmetz, ana that 1t numbered about eighty thou.
sand men OF all arms. On the other hand they,
the French officers said that the French army under
MacMah0n consisted OF the remains OF General
Douay's division that had been beaten OF Wis., |
semoourg; OF General Abel Ducrots division,
uque's division, none OF which had been under
fire since the campaign began, and which CON-
Strasoourg, some sixteen thousand picked men OF
Zouaves and Turcos besides several other regiments
that had fought in africa
To these mad to be added division from Marshal
Canrobert's army that joined IN the nghS and two
regiments that had been pushed on from Strasbourg.
To be briei, the French officers the morning Of
the fight said that their forces under MacMan0n con-
sisted OF about 90 600 men, in winch was the very
cream Of the imperial army, and that they had to
meet, az they believed, about 80, 900 Prussians. 1
never heard men more thoroughly confident Of sue
inc of ine battle. :.At iast was the universal ex
preston, 'at last we shall meet the Prussians upon
something like equal terms and the ChassepOt will
make up the little balance bet Ween u.s."
Did MacMahon know the real truth9 II he did
why dld he not fall back upon Bitche at once Why
did he not al any rate attempt in the early morning
what he was obliged 10 do In the evenings he
might have. The Prussans did not intend to give
the loss OF 20 600 men In killed, wounded and prison
saved the loss OF thirty pieces OF cannon, saved
honor Of his army, saved the disgrace of q rOut
and as l believe, have saved the crown Of his
master.
steeplc OF the village church that the French
utterly broken, and That even the rear guard could
not be rallied, turned TO French surgeon (wnO
was lett behind at WlssembOurg. and had come on
with the Prussans to look alter his own wounded),
and said as shut up my glass; "There is the end
Of the French empire" and believe such will prove
TO be the case.
OTHER REASONS
But was there no other reason than that OF supe.
numbers which contributed TO the defeat OF the
Prussans? lfyOu had sat with me yesterday week
at the window OF the Hotel &c la Maison Rouge IN
Strasbourg and seen the divisions OF Generals
Raout and Lartique march out their way 10 the
seen, as now see from the window OF the Hotel
Crosse in Carlsruhe, brigade Of Prussians and one
yon Womb be able to answe No gog 70
uon as well as can.
Yes; there was an0ther reason why the
Prussians defeated the French at Woerth
and why, In my humble opinion they viii
continue as rule to defeat them And the reason
Is the same why l have seen In India mere hand
full OF English troops put to fight whole nordes OF
the enemy. The reason Is comprised In two words,
and those are superior discipline. Why 1t should be
so / don't know although have theory which |
shall brOach presently, but in their army matters
the French utterly despse and tney CORY In the
fact that they do despise. small matters 1t is not
In their navy tits not so In their civil admnlstra-
tion as every unfortunate traveller who has to ask
for his letters or get his passport use tell his
cost 1t is certainly not so in their matters OF pri-
vate life or OF commerce, in both Of which they
much more given to looking alter details than either
Americans, Germans or Engllshmen. But in their
military administration, from the buttoning OF u
soldiers coat to the finding OF him IN bread and
meat, they VIII not look 10 the petty details OF the
profession and they glory In 30 doing, or rather in
NOT