The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-02-01
CLANCY BEFORE DEFEAT.
The Army OF the Loire In
Splendid Condition.
3he Prussians Within Ten Miles
Of lie Mans.
PROSPECTS OF A GREAT BATTLE.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE LOIRE,
LIE MANS, Jan. 10, 1871.
Probably the most eventful campaign OF the pre-
sent war win be at white heat in less than ten days.
when the whole OF Chanzy's army will have entirely
recovered from the disasters inflicted by the enemy
upon the left wing OF the Army OF the Loire.
GENERAL CHANzY
himself Is now III, suffering from sore throat and
rheumatic pains In his limbs, which, however, only
lncapactate him for field service. At the etat major
he attends every day ana assiduousIy watches every
detail. am convinced that he Is a great man, O
severe dlsciplinaran, wachful OF his advance posts
70 cautious as not to be surprised, willing to profit
by mistakes and ready to compel obedience TO every
order. Under his command the mobiles have be-
come soldiers and machines They no longer smoke
In the ranks, but even If wadlng through slush and
mud they keep in column and can be whirled into
line OF battle without delay. The daily exercise il
severe, thorough, rain or shine, and the officers
have been selected with great care General
Chanxy guards his railroad communications.
He has better organized system of sup
plies and provisions than l ever saw IN
the Prussan army, though traversed 1t from ter
minus to terminus; and he has not only the hardy
Bret0ns, but marines In great numbers Turcos, q
dashing scout service composed entirely Of Alge.
rians Oficered by the French, Including the
Francs-tireurs The artillery is constituted Of all
Held cannon known to war, and the primers are ex-
ploded by the best gunners Of the Geet. Horses
here are magnificent and the amateur can see more
nne Arabians, splendldly marked and uly
formed, than at any other point Of the Continent.
These horses have great endurance and they never
nag. Chanzy ls very popular and has the confidence
Of his army. which set down, all comprised, az
100000 men.
LIE MANS
o. present Is one vast general headquarters, filled
with rolling STOCK military stores, soldiers officers
ana gendarmes The army Is encamped around
twenty miles. Soldiers do not make free because a
France is q republic. They are excluded from
tne cafes and enjoy no more liberty than regulars
dld under the imperial regime.
THE WHOLE ARMY Is BEING FED
upon the richest food TO bring up their lighting
klogrammes Of bread distributed, with large ra-
tons OF wine. This morning saw / 900 Of the
choicest beeves ever beheld IN France This vast
ana LIBERAL commssartat amazes every one. find
nothing but Chassepots Sniders hemingtons or
snutfD0xes among the soldiers.
THE ORGANIZATION
e IKE the economy OF household, and all the SOL
oilers need Is to fight well before the enemy. Long
trains battalons for the front, exclled newsbsys,
anxiety for the and the terrible dln Of the cor
ne Tb Keep apd tns CITY IN aad roar
Tney are the best formed and most military looking
q the whole command but imagine do not take
y $4,000 strong, and 1t was too powerful an I'm
peral influence not to be disintegrated for military
uses,
COMPLAINTS AGAINST LANDED PRoPRIEToRs.
Great complaint is made against French landed
proprietors that they receive the Prussans warmly
70 their Chateaux and their own soldiers cOldly.
BALLOON NAVIGATION.
u. ButOl processes to have solved the problem Of
balloon navigation to perfection, and will employ it
IN General Chanzy's army. He uses no basket ap-
pended, but IS concealed In an untitled open cham
per In the body OF the balloon, which assumes the
BEGINNING OF THE GREAT BATTLE OF THE 9TH.
The Prussans on the eth, attacked the French at
forced t1e line to Melville. The French then took
the offensive and re0ccupied all the positions, en-
tering st. Armand In the night. The enemy retired
on vendome, leaving large number Of wounded
and prisoners on the neld, ana appears to have
enemy has reoccupied the position Of La Fourche
and again menaces Nogent-le.Rotron.