New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-01-28

,a.n that CITY and Chalons It isnow known that Ma
polcon's second plan Of campaign necees's'cu s'os
ment Of the whole army to OhAlons ana was rosoveo
to abandon Nets to Of its regular garrison ms
sssn WAS sn,pected by Germans and their entire
49, vr.s srosed 10 intercept the French retreat The
Crown Prince halted in his pursuN OF IMAGINATION, ana
aeayed in the vicinity OF Nancy In case no should be
antoa Prince Frederick Charles made forced marches
70 En-. Mosele which designed passing south Of Nets
At Mousson The army Of steinmetz pressed closely
an Raxanes rear retarng its withdrawal to Mcts. and
attacking only whom 1t prepared to retire. On Aug H.
tho army Of Frederick Charles appeared az
PonsA- Mousson severing the railway there. and
cutting In two the Sixth Corps OF Canro-
bert which was advancing to Bsxaine's aid
Thus appraised Of the German desisns the French NJ
tempted to retreat The retirement began on sunday
August Ia and continued without interruption tom Won
stenmetx until the guard under Frossard ana Lad
mirault attempted to withdraw Won steinmeA on inc
north and east OF the town. and ono corps OF FREDERICK
Charless army fell upon them with ell their vgcr, do
termined a. Won stenmets afterward reported to mail
them 10 tho spot" They werc repeatedly and bioody re-
pulsed In no combat the had the slaughter OF tho
Germans been ss terrible; and Napoleon rightly claimed
the result a. victory for the French arms But while
Internationally tactical success for the French. tho
strategic design OF the Germans had been gained Tho
French guard not only prevented from passing
the Mosele until nghtfa but achievements had to DO
returned from the corps which had already
assistance The French left in fact detained In its
entire army Of 10000 men marched day and nish'
seisc its lines Of retreat
Won seinmets's sacrifice was p necessity 1t was not
made In vain.
During August Is the passage OF the Mo'sie was
finally accomplished by both armies But the column Oh
Basaine moved with such difficulty that by mgntia Vi
tho had reached only Mare 10 Tour on the Verdun
road and Doncourt the Etaiu road. neither place
more than twelve miles from Nets Here 1t bvouacReo
on the night Of sh with front extending from oso
10 roed and along the verdun road - far toward mo
a. Graveotte The Germans. meantime, had accom-
plshed much greater distance and moving from fohE
AMousson had reached the verdun road west OF Mars
In Tour Their advance corps were actually on inc
sborter Of Bazaine lines retreat and the morning
of August 10 attacked from the direction OF Chaons
The battle Of Mars Ia Tour opened by calvary
attack by the Third Prussan Corps, evidently with the
design OF delaying the French until the German infantry
shoud come up 1t successful In far that 1t threw
rrossard who held the advance, into confusion "hen
after considerable delay the French reformed and pre-
pared brush the cavalry away was to IND the In
fantry Of the Third Prussan Corps barring their passage
Other Prussan corps arriving and engaging, gcnera
battle fought without pan and designed less to drive
than to delay the French ragged from Mars la Tour along
the verdun road to Resonvie. ltwas finally enoed Dy
charge of the Tenth Cavalry Corps upon the right OF
the Frenoh at Mars Ia Tour which was forced back In
some confusion toward Metz.
Won steinmetz, discovering that the enemy had
rereated the night Of the th Of August crossed the
Mosele north Of Metz, and moving westward, beyond
Donoour attacked that position from the direction OF
Etsin severe conflict ensued from dawn until dusk
of the 10TH whom the French fell back toward Nets and
Joined the rest Of the army ut Grsvelotte.
BY these battles" Victories" Bagaine insisted on
declaring themthe French retreat had been frustrated
they compelled to abandon their advanced posi-
TONS and fan back toward Metz and the Germans were
firmly established their best lines Of retreat to
Chaons 1t only remained for the French to gain one
Nadp vicfor tn Ia
Basns had been forced by the operations OF the 10Th
to assume the defensive and though clearly his escape
depended on the immediate resumption OF the struggle
with force before tho full strength OF his enemy
could come up permitted the l7tho'pass without at
lacking He disposed his army fully l2s 900 strong from
Graveoe to Metz facing west and south. His position
was admirable for defense but afforded no natural ad
yaptages for offensive movements though 1t was neces
gary new II ever, that he should take the
initiative On the day, Aug IT, the whole enec-
tive force of Won steinmetz and Frederick Charles
reached the verun and Etan and by dawn OF Aug
Is there were probably 100000 Germans In line In front
of Bazsnes chosen position. The plan Of batteas finally
delivered to the left and center OF BazaDe
along tho verdun road with three corps Second Sev-
enth, and Eighth, while i've others Third. Ninth,
Tenth Twelfth and King slGuards made grand hank
ing movement north and west Of Graveotte and forced
the French right back toward Metz Though begun ut
daylight Aug 49, the turning movement was not COM
pleted until noon and was O'Clock before the Datte
opened with vigor. The extreme right OF the french
was strongly posted hamlet called st. Privst and 1t
was late the afternoon that this was carried
after repeated assaults by the Guards. Immediately
thereafter the corps attacking the French center car
ried the outskirts Of Grsve0tte. and here soon
after occurred one Of the most murderous contests
ever witnessed Every direct assault the fatal nights
beyond the town failed and 1t not until the forces
which had carried st. Privat pushed forward and by
dankpg forced the French from their first line Of works.
that the Germans, attacking from Gravelote, found
foothod the hights When, at last. the French re-
tired slowly and sueny under OF the forcations
Of Metz it o'clock at night, and only the burning
villages farmhouses Lit up the terrible scene. In
this desperate battle the French Losses said to have
been 10000 men, while the must have lost ut
onefth The advantages otherwise were In
disputably with the Germans. Bazaine hopelessly
shut up Metz. His army could not hope to escape
without immense sacrifices Remaining, 1t had alter
native but surrender, unless o relieving arny came
TO its aid Apparently this was impossible; but Mac
Mahon who. no longer pursued by the Crown Prince,
had reached Chalons attempted TO to Bazsines aid
and as to relate. the GROWING disaster Of
the campaign befel him.
THE SEDAN CAMPAIoS.
When Marshal MacMahon, reaching Nancy
August H. found the advanced columns of the Prussan
Crown Prince still interposed between him and Bazaine,
he instantly continued his retreat to Chaons where the
highways from the vosges converge and form the mag
nncent Marpe Valley route through the champagne
country to Pars had communication at this time
with Bazaine, either French commander seems to
have understood indeed no one familiar with the
topography the country could fail TO comprehend that
the retreat continue to ChAlons. But when Mac
Mahon reached Chaons, August 49, Bazane was yainy
strueeDg at Mars Tour and before MacMahons Corps
could BIO reorganized and united with the Sixth OF Can
robert the Seventh Douay brought hastily from Bel
fort and the newly formed Twelfth OF lie Brun Tin all not
le than lse 900 menu Bazane had been beaten at Grave