The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-04-12
TIE LATE PRANCO-pRUSSIAN WAR.
Statement Of tho War from Its Declaration to
Its Close-Namber Of Battles Fought and Fort
resses Taken-captures OF Artillery and Other
Observation-Disclosures of Prisoners Taken.
WASH NGroN, April 10, 1871.
The following is an Official statement Of what Ger

WASHINGTON, April 10 1871.
The following is an ofcial statement Of what Ger
many has done during her war with france:-
War was declared by France on the 10th OF July
1870, ana though, on the 2stn OF ia nuary, 1871,
through the capitalization OF Paris, there cessa-
ton OF hssililes, the war was not virtually ever
untll the 10th OF February 1871 therefore lasting
altogether abo 1T two hundred aud ten days. The
first few days OF this time-namely, up to
into service and Organizing the North Germsn as
well as south German armies; in their concenra-
tion ana IN taking their strategic position along the
''Irler Landaun llne, and everything was completed
III the marvellously short time OF thirteen days. As
the strength OF these armies amounted to from
300 to 60 COO men, there must have been trans
ported over the different raurOad Ines on aver
age about A. 100 men per day. and only three OF the
Eve principal roads could be used to any advantage.
To be able TO Judge fairly OF the ilnmen-
sity ana magnitude OF these military and railway
operations the large number OF horses. cannons,
ammunition and other wagons which were conveyed
over these roads at the same time must be taken
into consideration as well as the circumstance that
up to that time a battalion, squadron or battery
was considered as the regular freight OF a train,
ana also that four army corps were carried across
tue whole OF the pre- ;ent empire. and that during
this journey OF several days men and horses had to
he provide with fOod
the successes with which the German arms have
met are in great measure due to this really Won
derui rapidity OF organization and concentration
OF the armies.
Besides the thirteen days spent as mentioned
above, the time passed IN negotiating at Versailles
namely, from Tie ~ tn or January to the 10th OF Feb
ruary--cannot be counted as actual warfare, thus
leaving only $50 days In xnlcn the french empire
was conquered. In these 100 days The German
armies haze hod 100 smaller on, larger fghLs or
conftcts hare 00ght seventeen decisive battles hare
taken t,CenfD-slr J0JesSes or FORTIFIED places, hare
maze prisoners II $50 officers AMI 80 1000 men, ana
hare captured 700 git,ss o. ntfTaiHsuSeS aud 100
eagles ana stands or cOiOrS.
A more minute calculation shows that the Ger
mans, during the SIX months Of real fighting, have
had on an average each month twenty-sx fights
and three decisive batles have taken four fortresses
1850 oilicers and 65,50) prisoners, and captured
LILO cannons and twenty eagles or naRs.
The following Is Il statement OF the work OF each
separate montn:-up TO the time OF the capituation
OF sedan there were fifteen smaller and eight great
battles namely at WeissenDurg, Woertn, SpIcheren,
Courcelles, Nionylle, Craveutte, Noiseville anu
Beaumont sedan.
me following four fortified places were occu-
ped:-SwitZerland Leitzestein Lichtenberg, Mari.
sal ana Vitry.
In the month OF September thirteen lights took
place, and the capture OF the fortresses Of Selan,
LaOn, Toil and S,rasbourg.
In the month Of october thr yseven con fllcts and
the al OF the r0rts Scissor Schleestadt and Metz.
During the month OF November there were fifteen
aud une-a-Rolande, and the fortresseS OF Ver-
dun, Monlbeliard, New Bresach, Hamdlden.
Soicn ~. La Fere and the Citadel Of Amens sur
rendered to the Germans.
In December there were thirty fghts-the battles
at ana near Orleans and on the Hallune, and the
taking of Pfalz urg and MOntmedy.
In January, finally. there were forty-eight fights
ana the battles OF lie Mans Montbeliard and st.
Quentin as well as the surrender or the forts Of Roc
roy, Peronne Longwy and Paris. BellOrt was not
surrendered TIL Fe ruaty.
The siege of Paris lasted from the 19th of Septem-
be. 1370, to the 2Sth Of January, loil-in all 1870
days-dusing which time twenty-five sortes in
force, were made, and though In the above men,
toned revision these are merely enumerated as
fights, yet some OF them were important and bloody
enough entitie them 10 lank among great battles.
There were also three naval battles which are not
included in the above statement, namely-on the
10th OF september by iiddennse on the 2lst OF Sep
ember III the Putzlg Bay, AND on the 18th OF Octo.
Der III the Bay OF Havana.