Litchfield enquirer., 1870-08-25
THE W AR.
Continued @uccess of the
 Pruesians!
BAzA1NH cooPHD UP IN METZ.
THE GROWN PRINCE NEAR
 CHALONS.

THE GROWN PRINCE NEAR | CHALONS.
 After nearly week of constant fighting another terrible battle, and another terri ble French defeat, occurred on Thursday last. The great struggle. this time. was between Prince Frederick Charles and Steinmetz, commanding the Prussian right and centre. and the French Army of the Rhine, commanded by Bazaine, which was endeavoring to retreat from Metz on Cha Ions. The Prussians turned Metz on the south, and endeavored to throw themselves between Metz and Verdun, on the Chalons road. To prevent th1s, Bazaine had taken position at Gravelotte, few miles west of Metz on the road to Chalons. Here he was attacked by the Prussians on Thursday and after a terrific battle of nine hours duration, right wing was forced back, involving of course his return to Metz with the Prussians firmly posted on the road between him and Chalons which lies about 85 miles from Metz on the direct road to Paris and just about half the way to that place. The loss was very heavy on both sides-estimated in despatch from King William at 40,O0O-and Bazaine seems in effect to be surrounded on all sides. The best account of Thursdays battle is to be found in the Tribune of Monday, which we give entire.
 The dispatch was written on the field and telegraphed from London. Sun- day night. The battle began at g A. M. BATTLE OF aRAvE1oTTE.
 "Until noon it was an artillery duel. The French lines being stretched along the hills, covering two roads leading from Metz to Verdun, having on their right flank 8 farm house known as La Villette, with a walled garden, held in great force sunken road, that led straight from Gravelotte to the centre of their position.
 1 "On the Preach left the road wound over the crest of hill on which twelve earth works had been thrown up. Eight mitrail. leuses, beside artillery, were posted so as to command every approach to this strong position, and their guns swept the valley stretching from Gravelotte eastward, by which the Prussians had to advance
 "Behind this line of strong defence lay the fort St. Quentin, making the position apparently one of impregnable strength and completely protecting the French rear.
 'The position first held by the Prussians was east of the French, facing toward Metz occupying southernmost road to Verdun, and reaching over the chain of hills lying between Gravelotte and Resonville. The result of the artillery contest was to con- pei the French to abandon their most ad- vanced positions and the line by which they hoped to cover both roads was pierced and driven back.
 "At noon the Prussians were able to push forward their artillery, the French guns proving unable to resist the Prussiau fire. The Prussian batteries shortly after noon were in position on either side of Gravelotte, so that neither of the roads which at that point branch off to Verdun, north and southwesterly, were any longer open to the French army. By two o'clock the French batteries commanding the Yer dun road from the north and east were si. fenced, and the Prussians had advanced SO far from the south of that road as to occu- py the farmhouse at Malmaison, 8 little northwest from Gravelotte. Twenty min utes later the French fire so slackened and wavered that the Prussian batteries were once more pushed forward and took new position in front of Gravelotte
 "At 3:2O the Prussian cavalry went into action. They advanced under a hot fire from the French guns. The attack was made in considerable force by the Uhlans, both cuirassiers and hussars, but they were first without infantry support, and could make no serious impression on the position, still naturally strong, and held in force by all arms of the French. At 4 p. m. @ portion of the third Prus. sian corps had come up. The infantry regiments were formed as fast as they came into position, from which 8 serious at- tack was to be directed on what appeared to be the key of the French lines. The thirty third regiment of the Prussian line was launched against the same posi- ton which the cavalry had failed to reach. It moved forward with the ut most determination, but the French by this time had re-enforced their defence more strongly than the Prussians had their attack, and steadily maintained their second line which they had occupied. AS the dlferent divisions of the PruSslan army came into position, they attacked for lcibly, but were repeatedly driven back . with repeated loss. The struggle lasted with varying fortune on different portions of the lines until 8 o'clock. Up to that
 hour, the French held their ground. "At o'clock, the Prussians massina } heavy forces on their left, attacked and . carried La Villette hamlet, covering the
 French right. This once in Prussian
 hands, enabled them to enfilade the French , lines and take in reverse some of their 3 outworks.
 "The ground which had been held So
 obstinately and so gallantly during nine ! hours, the French were thus compelled to abandon. and were driven back upon Metz
 and under cover of its outlaying forts, thei1 last hold upon Verdun road was abandon 8 ed, their communications destroyed to the . east and to the west; and the French army
 of the Rhine, after losing three pitched battles since Sunday. was shut up in tn. D fortress, which they had chosen for tho e base of their operations for the invasion O iGermany.
 The eighth Prussian corps. numberin, n0N