Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1870-08-13


would lie before him. A movement
northwald through Hagenau and Weis-
senburg led him upon Landau and
Mannheim, and involved the masking of
Rastadt but it was in many respects
the best, and exposed the interior OF
France less than any other, since to a
Prussian force invading from the Baden
side, the Vosges formed natural barrier
which comparatively small army could
defend.
Whether this movement of McMahon's |
was to be the main attack, or only di-
version on large scale is doubtful. The
indications are that the principal advance
was to be by way OF Saarbruck, while
the left wing moved across the Lauter
and pushed forward to Landau. Thus
the two halves of the army would be
operating on converging lines. Ihe
Prussians adopted a strategy almost
identical with the French, but, with the
same boldness which resulted for them
so fortunately at Sadowa, they allowed
their two converging armies to disregard
any connection with each other, and
moved up at once to attack the French
ut the two points upon which the
Emperor had apparently designed to
make the attack himself. The first move
meut was Prussian raid upon the rail.
way by which MacMahon communicated
with the French center and left. The
next was the affair at Saarbruck when
Gen. Frossard seized the railway con-
Meeting the forces of the Crown Prince
with the Prussian center and right.
That no attempt had been made to de-
fend this line, and no anxiety was mani
tested to recover it, showed that the
Crown Prince was confident in his own
strength to conduct an independent
campaign. Marshal MacMahon, mean
while, had moved down from Strasburg
and established his headquarters at
occupied the fortified town OF Weissen-
burg, situated directly on the frontier,
at the foot of the east spur of the Nosges.
AS he was reinforced during the recent
battle by portions of Canrobert's corps
from SO far back as Chalons, it is proba-
bly, that the troops had already been
ordered to join him in view of an imme-
diate advance.
Thus at the beginning of the great
battle which ragged from Tuesday until
/ Saturday night, we find MacMahon with
powerful corps of picked men at the
angle of the two lines which formed the
French position, threatening two avenues
of approach into Germany, and covering
the whole valley in his rear On Tues
day, the Crown Prince, with portions OF
the Fifth and Eleventh Prussian Corps,
and q corps of Bavarians, fell upon
, Mo.NI,Ln,5, W. l,r
by assault, carried the nights OF Geisburg
, in the rear, drove in the two advanced
) divisions, and moved several miles into
the French lines, tearing up the road il
the direction of Hagenau, and compelling
MacMahon to move hurriedly to the left
and concentrate in the neighborhood O
, Bitche. BY this brilliant operation thu
| angle of the French lines was driven in
and not only MacMahon's position turned
: but the Crown Prince threatened to take
). the whole French right and center il
flank and rear and roll them up. Boil
4 parties during the night concentrated
4 for decisive battle. MacMahon drew
five divisions from Gen. de Failly's Fiitl
. Corps at Bitche, and the next morning
i, with force reported by the French a
lOO,OOO, uIulC al uItdIh ut w VI VII
4 a little village a few miles northwest o
g Hagenau. The battle lasted until night
- fall, was resumed on Saturday, and end
! ed late in the afternoon with a complet
;, Prussian victory. -Four thousand prison
10 ers, 80 CUNT, six of the famous mitraille
uses, and two standards, We're among thei
'' captured, and Sunday beheld the creates
o of the French Marshals in full retreat a(
II ross the Vosges, striving to recover hi
Il connection with the main body Of til
IS army, and at the sane time to cover tn
q important city of Nancy.
y simultaneously with MacMahon's at
e tack at Worth, on Friday morning, Ger
lie Frossard attempted a forward movemen
L. from Saarbruck with the Second Corp:
Il but was at once assailed by portion c
re the Prussian center, under Steinmetz, an
v after u sharp engagement, with heav
losses on both sides, was defeated almos
as signally as his comrade on the righ
Thus, with the right wing turned an
10 cut off, the center driven in and the rea
Of in imminent danger OF attack the entir
N French army was, and perhaps is, in
ID most critical situation. For two day
Z. MacMahon was entirely unable to con
n municate with headquarters. The En-
es peror had no choice but to fall back, an
u swing his line around toward Nancy, S
e, that it Is now, supposing this maneuv,
e. to have been successfully executed, nea
of ly perpendicular to its former position
~ The Prussians on their part are pressin
ry forward. Their right has moved fro
IA, Treves toward Saarbruck, and is close u
er with the center, ready Tor a movemel
ne southwark along the western slope of Il
It's Vosges to intercept MacMahon,,, viii
m, the Crown Prince is still in the beatt
he Frenchman's rear, and the troops of b
d. den are pouring across the river into II
ed valley from which MacMahon has iu
an been driven
no In this moment of danger the Empt
ee or's conduct inspires the respect even
as his enemies. He acknowledges the fl
to measure OF the disaster, and appeals
NO the patriotism of France to save the cou
an try. Despite the excitement and dis,
de der which is reported at the capital,
gh believe France will answer him with {
he thusiasm.
ne PARIS Aug IO-A Dictatorship Is anticil