Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1870-09-15

AAcAl Vi VIZ NltRuCI. At
flooded the low meadows in the
valley before coming to the railway bridge
at bazeille, IN order to stop the Germans
from advancing on the town in that direc-
ton. With their usual stupidity-for one
can find nc other word for 1.-THE French
had tailed 10 destroy the bridge at Baaelle,
and II WAS of immense service 20 the PruS-
slams throughout the battle.' The Prus-
slams actually threw up earJhworks on the
| iron bridge itself, to protect it from the
French, who more than once attempted,
early in the day, to storm the bridge, in
lopes OF breaking the Bavarian commuui-
cation between the regiment and the left
bank of the Meuse. This they We're una
! bic to do, and although their cannon shot
has almost demolished the parapet, the
bridge itself was never materially dam
ged.
On the projecting spurs Of the hill
| crowded by the woods of Lamariee, OF
which have already spoken, the Bava-
rians had posted two batteries OF six.
FOUNDER ritied breech-loading steel krupp
guns, which kept up duello till the very
| end of the day with the siege guns of Sc.
dan across the Meuse. Still further TO the
right flank, or rather TO the east for Oh.
line was circular one, a crescent at first,
with Sedan in the centre, like the star on
| the Turkish standard, was an undulatlng
plain, Above the village Of Bazeille, ter
minating about mile and half from Sc
dan, at the woods near RubeCoust, mid
way, that IS to say, in line from Bazelle
north, there is ravine watered by a tiny
brook, which was the scene of the most
desperate struggle, and OF the most fright
iul slaughter Of the whole battle. This
stream, whose name have forgotten, if it
ever had one, runs right behind the
town of Sedan from the woods Of Flei-
gruse, on the north. Behind the town
runs hill dotted with cottages and fruit
laden orchards, and crowned by the wood
Of Lagarrene which runs down to the val
ley Of which have just spoken. Between
this road and the town are several French
camps, their white shelter-tents standing
out clear among the dark fruit trees. Ia
the camps one could see, throughout the
day, huge masses of troops which were
never used, even during the height of the
battle. They stood as Idle as titZ John
Plrter's at the second battle Of Bull Run
We imagined that they must have been
undiscipNued Gerdes Mobiles whom the
French generals dared not bring against
their enemy. To the Prussian lett of these
camps, separated from them by woody
ravine was a long range of hills, one being
like one of the hills Of Long Island. This
hill, on which was some OF the hardest
lighting Of the day, formed one of the
keys to the position of the French army
When once It's crests were covered with
Prussian artillery the whole town OF Sedan
was completely at the mercy of the Ger
man guns, as they were not only above the
town, but the town was almost within
musket range Of them. Still further to the
left lay the village OF lily, set on fire early
in the day by French sheels. South OF
this, the broken railway bridge, blown up
by the French, to protect their right, was
CONSPICUOUS Object. Right above the rail
way bridge, on the line to Meziers, was
wooded Hill, crowned by the new and most
Aideous chateau, as he calls il, Of one
Monsieur Pava. 1t was here the Crown
Prince and his staff stood during the day.
having rather o more extensive but less
central view, and therefore less desirable
than ours, where stood the King, Count
Bismarck, Won Room, War Minister, Gen.
Moltke. and Generals Sheridan and
Foisythe, to say nothing Of your cores
pendent.
Having thus endeavored to give some
faint idea of the scene of what is, IL all
probability, the decisive battle of the war,
/ viii next givean account Of the position
Of the different corps at the commence
ment OF the action, promising that all
movements were Of the simplest possible
nature the object Of the Prussian generals
being merely to close the crescent OF troops
with which they began, into circle, by
etiecting a junction between the Saxon
corps on their right, and the Prussian
corps on their left. This junction took
place about noon, near the little village OF
Oney, on the Bas Eillarine, behind Sedan,
of which | have already spoken. Once
their terrible circle formed and we'll SOL
dered together, it grew steadily smaller
and smaller, until at last the Notifications
Of Sedan itself were entered On the ex-
treme right were the Saxons-one corps
d Qypaee, with King Williams guards;
also q o9rps d dr7aee in reserve behind
them. The guards had suffered terribly
AT iglhNHilbllCy Wht4S NV ALNN N~4S @A4A-
perial Guard and the King would not al
low them to be again so cruelty decimated.
Justice compels me to state that this ar
rangement was very far indeed from being
pleasant to the Guards themselves, who
are ever anxious to be in the front OF the
battle. The Guards and Sazons, then
about rs, 900 strong, were all day on the
RIG at bank Of the Meuse, between Nube-
court and La Chapelle, at which latter
VILLAGE Prince Albert of SaXony, who was
in COMMAND of the two corps, which had
been formed into little extra army by
themselves, passed the night Of Thursday
The ground from Rubeco1ic to the Meuse
was occupied by the First Bavarian corps
The Second Bayaylap corps extended their
front from near the Bazellle railway bridge
10 a point on the high road from Doucherry
to sedan, not far nom the little village Of
Torcy, below The hill on which the Crown
Prince was plac,a. The ground from
Torcy to lily, through the large village OF
Floing, was held by the First and Third
..v,-.r l.ip,r,tt,f, "a DVtTpp E'rey-