The New York herald., 1871-01-15

followed 1t up by second, directed against
Dreux. What the French general seemed most
solicltous about was the covering Of De Mans. He
appeared TO forget that the temporary abandonment
OF the place would be more than compensated for by
asuccessful march upon Chartres.
BY the Ume Chanzy began moving, the Germans,
heavily reinforced, were again in condition TO re-
sumo the offensive Before the French column had
struck the flank OF vend6me Prince Frederick
Charles threw his left wing forward and drove
It back The Grand Duke OF MecKlenburg, com.
nanding the German right wing, simultaneously
advanced upon Nogent-le- Retron, and it very soon
became apparent that the German plan not only
embraced the capture OF lie Mans but also the pre-
venting OF ChanZy retreaJing northward. In the
direction OF Cherbourg. Whether the French line OF
retreat northward has been cut OFF yet we are
ware, but the fact that In the recent battle at LIE
Mans the French laced eastward, and nor southeast
makes 1t very probable that it has been.
After the Germans had advanced beyond St. Calais
and Nogentle Retron Chanzy's chances Of relieving
Paris depended solely upon his winning great VIC
tory. Strategy could do little then. unless he had
evacuated lie Mans and made forced marches to
Montague, from which place he would have threat.
ened the German right and compelled 1t to change
front nnder most dlsadvantageous circumstances.
But Chanzy himself would have to change front In
tneSpen neld to make any such nank movement,
ana In doing so he would have run imminent risk Of
being badly beaten In detail.
The last alternative OF the French was to fight
pitched battle So far as we can Judge from the
dispatches Chanzy erred in continuing to fall back
before the Prussian advance He should have en-
deavored 10 pierce their centre before they had
reached Montfort. Instead of doing that he con.
tinued retreatng, evidently upon the supposltion
that as his forces retired upon q common centre
they would become more compact and better able to
resist the Germans in general engagement The
result proves the error Of any such supposition.
Prince Frederick Charles does not appear to have
attacked the French all along the lines. His two
wings seem to have done all the work, while his re-
manned comparatively inactive. In other words, he
massed on his wings and drove In the French north
ward and southwark.
The battle OF LIE Mans was fought some seven
miles from the city, and took place near Montfort
as we suggested probable IN an editorial published
some days since. savigne pEyeque, the immedI.
ate scene Of the engagement. is village situated
northeast Of LIE Mans. On the map published above
we give the general positions OF the opposing
armies. The numerous small villages mentioned
III the dispatches are not given as they cluster close
around lie Mans.
By his defeat Chanzy has lost his last chance Of
relieving Paris. The present Indications are that
both his wings have been badly beaten and II this
be the case he will have to retreat westward upon
the seabOard instead or northward, In which event
he would have stood better chance OF doing some.
tning In the future. BY the occupation of LIE
Mans, with the French cut of from Alensop.
the Germans possess all the roads by which
successful advance Paris can be
made IN the future. No flank movements are longer
practicable, and it Is not likely that Chanzy If even
his army remains intact, win venture upon direct
advance. Altogether we are inclined to regard the
recent engagement as the finishing stroke to Paris.
The German movements have been admirable
throughout They have been directed with a ssfli
and an energy hardly surpassed py the movement
on sedan. 1t now remains to be seen whether the
Germans can follow up the great advantage they
have gained