New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-01-28
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"o'sn"'' '" "ooi ARMS ana maintain an army IN Wn1co
all cin1ens owed service by law. Tic regular vreDcb
army was large, but practically t had no reseryes for tho
Gardes Mobiles were unframed to the use of arms mo
standing armies Of Germany comparatively small
mere skeleton organizations their reserves Of tho
andwehr were ample and trained TO the NE Of the best
weapons Of Hence to the Rhine only est French
army moved, but from Germany and its Allied states
marched whole nation
MILITARY BLUEDERs
These were initial which materially Affected tho
whole campaign, for they begot Others Among tho
gravest was halt In the advance, and false dsposon
Of the French CORDS
Napoleon's campaign based, a. he himself tells u.s.
on the suppOsition that Southern Germany could
tached In fact a. we'll sentiment from the Northern
Confederation. His plan was Ito 10000 At
Metz 100 900 at strasbourg and at Chalons and To
cross the Rhine near Haguenau." Had this campaign
been carried out with vigor by July 10th, might
have been, 1t would have proved comparatively
full The German armies would have been caught In tho
OF musternR the Rhine fortresses would have been
found poorly prepared for defense only the Badeners
then the upper and only Won stcnmetE on the
lower Rhine. The disaection OF the South GermaDa II
any existed among them, would have been encouraged
by the temporary success Of the invaders- Tho
passage of the Rhine would have given An ex-
cuse to Austria and Italy TO impose neutrality ON
South Germany Napoleon says he hoped they would.
bnt know that they would not have vepured To
oct at all His would have beeD therefore, only
temporary, but the campaign across the Rhine eonIo'
nevertheless been made before the end Of Jny,
had Napoleon halted rresolute on the discovery OF
his initial diplomatic blunders BY the end Of the third
week july corps Of the French army we're Ia POSI-
ton to make the contemplated advance. The Fir-t
Corps under Marshal MaeMahOn, was concentrated at
strasbOurg, with its supports at Bitche Benor ana
Besancon forming the right column. The Third Corpe
under Marshal Bazaine, and two others. was al hez
with Frossard thrown forward TO It, A'ald and I'i-
mirvault notwithstanding the left wing The center
at Chalons and Nancy under Marshal Canrober.
The advance corps thus spread out Ike geat fan ef-
tended along point from Tbicnve to Beliort, dis-
lance of more than $50 miles. Between the night at
Srasbourg and the left at Metz connected OILY by tho
two advanced corps Of De Fay and Frossarc, % oss
Of the most difficult country Of France inter,eDed s
false position OF the French army, Insignificant e
intention advance had been persisted III after the frst
dsappointments, became glar1ng military tlnnder
when delay had given the German army tme 10
organize and occupy Baden and Rhenish Bavaria
1t was the manifest duty Of the French Commander
to move with his large standing army before the German
could he assembled, armed, and organ
lied Having volunteers to recruit from, no trained
reserves call upon the French had every hing 10 1870
and nothing to gain by delay Delay was all the Ger nais
asked. IF Napoleon will give MS until JAY - san
Won Moltke, July l6. he will never pass the me-
II Won Moltke-who had confidence in the ND airy
system which he had elaborated and more JUS ajro
citation of German public sentiment, than any OF hs ~
sociates excepting, perhaps Count Bisnarck-ws 100
sanguine regarding German energy, he was 80 too
appreheDsivc Of French dariu:. Eapoloon, i'own
cautious and, now appears fuli ofri>g'in2s " MS
own strength, gave the Germans Il tionger tn; IL
was not until Aug. that he Mad Isl fist deG"nStra
ton at saarbruck. II this ias LODI, affair Lax: spy
higher purpose than to the tocks anc { rinoe
Imperial it to deceive the &c marE into ; BELIEF
that the Paatinate, and not Bae, WIS to h. Lat lii
vaded But 1t cannot be considered having ils I'M
pOrtance for 1t followed by no whatever,
and the French again really Saked the offensive
The BATTLES IN THE yosGEs.
On Aug the whole Of the German armies wer Ia pos'
ton near the frontier from Treves to the Rhine
and along the upper Rhine On the next day the left wing
under Crown Prince Of Prussia, threw itself In over
whelnng force and by surprise, upon the single division
OF Gen. Douay holding advanced position At Wessen-
burg on the Lauter, Its junction with the Rhine.
Tie attacking force numbered 10000 men. The French
half that number and they were surprised at
their morning meal The principal defense of the town
was stormed and the French fed in confusion TO NOM
tain pass the vOsees Worth During the night of
Aug and the succeeding day the Crown Prince crossed
the Iauter and the Rhine with not less than 10000 men,
and prepared to advance Aug by the valley routes.
to Strasboug where MacMahon was thought to be- But
the French Marshal, instead Of withdrawing his AL
vanced divisions strasboure concentrated them in
their new position at Worth, and established line from
Haguenau to Worth holding the passes Of the Vosees ana
threatening the right flank Of the Germans II they
attempted to march strasbourg. He succeeded IN
concentrating about at these points DE Faily
at Btche, failed to come up In time, elss MaeMabon
would have confronted the Crown Prince In naturally
strong position with fully 10000 men. The
change OF front necesstated by the postOn assumed
by Macyiahon caused considerable delay in the Crown
Princes attack and though the battle began at O'Clock
IL did not become general until after noop. In
two minor affairs Of the morning the French were sue,
cessfui; in desperate attack upon the Fifth Pr"s
hapk Wi sla
In the afternoon the Crown Prince, weakening his cen
ter although the French persisted in attacking there
extended his right and left In heavy flank attacks on
both wings OF MacMahOn's army. Its right was fret
overapped and driven In on the center and eventually
broken Almost Immediately aferward the French LEFT
was fankcd. and panic Selling the whole army u
turned and fed in great confusion TO the mountains.
Just at close of the engagement one division OF De
Falys corps reached the field and covered the retreat
In this battle the French lost 10000 men IN ked,
wounded and prisoners, and 20 cannon, including Elk
mitrailleuses. Pursuit was made next day. Abandon
ing the march toward strasbourg, the Gown Prince
pushed forward toward Nancy, with directions from Won
Mo,tke 10 thrust himself between MacMahoD and Ra~
xaue aud their junction at Meta Forces we're
detached to mask Btche and Pfalsburs and an army
OF Bayarians was advanced TO besege srasbours whh
was now held only by the regular French garrison nh"
Gen. Uhrich.
ON the same day that the Crown Prince routed Mac
Mahon at Worth the armies Of Won steinmets ana r"a
eck Charles made the passage OF the Saar at saarbrk
and surprised and defeated the French at Foreaeh Tho
attack seems to have prematurely made ana was
rcrmtted by Gen. Won steinmetr TO develop into ger"
eral engagement, against positive orders II has oeeh
asserted that IL the design OF Won aoSe 10 .nr"N'
primo. Frederick Charles between that part OF 'ue
v., ,, which had been ADJ anced 70 the Vosses and
The main body at Metz, and capture II; but tLere s
nothing In proof of the existence Of this daring uess"
7, s NOT seem 70 have feasible. for at the nme
only one Of Prince Frederick Chariess aNsiohs hnu
,assaa the saar After defeat at Foreach the eft
I" a.. .,.a...h .rn,x cnnce nfraed toward Metz.