Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1871-02-02
LIE MANS.
The Hate Opcrntions-The Defeni-its
Probable Consequence.

e. To clearly understand the recent OPP
erations in the vicinity of LIE Mans, 1t
is necessary to go back to the situation
of both armies fortnight ago. At this
time the forces under Prince Frederick
Charles occupied line stretching from
the vicinity of Dreux, passing before
d Chartres to Nendome. Detached corps
at Orleans and along the Loire protect
ed the German left wing, while the Ger
man Army of the Loire, IN the vicinity
of Glen, kept watch upon the French
Army Of Bordeaux, which was reported
advancing from Bourges.
N Undoubtedly at this time the French
had the advantage in the situation
Their line was shorter and more com
pact than that of the Germans. Chan
zy's army occupied Il line extending
IL from Negent-le- Retron to a point south
e of LeMans, completely covering all the
railway COMMUNICATIONS with the sea.
n The northward movement made by
Chanzy, after the French defeat at Or
leans, had thrown the Germans COM
pletely on the defensive. 1t had COM
PEELED them to extend their lines i'm
mensely, thereby necessarily weakening
it at all points. When Chanzy, after a
most fatal delay, determined upon
taking the offensive, he had one or two
movements to select from. The first
was to extend his right wing and take
Vendome in flank, and by forming
junction with the army of Nendome
and Orleans, and retire northward.
This would have necessltated their
forming a new line, which would ex-
tend from DreuX to Chartres and Plth-
4 iyiers.
The next movement was to continue,
4 or rather resume, the flank march north
{ ward, flank Charities and advance on
z Versailles This, as will be seen at a
glance on the map, involved the aban-
4 donment OF LIE Mans and its railroad
& facilities, and the compulsory depend
ence upon the single railroad line to
Cherbourg for supplying Chanzy's
large army with food aud ammunition
In addition, it must be admitted that a
d flank march upon Versailles in the face
n of watchful enemy, rendered possible
s the isolation and subsequent capture
4 of the banking column by sudden adj
vance ON the French centre from Cha
teaudun. Still, it must be borne IN
mind that all great flank movements
are full of danger MacMahons flank
march to Metz was badly executed, hut
its conception was admirable general
ship If the French army had sue
eeeded in crossing the Meuse river 1t
would hal been impossible for the
Germans TO have prevented the escape
of Bazaine's army. In fact every NIL
itary movement promising great results
IS attended with GREAT risks
Thus we consider that Chanzy S
movement should have been northward.
Once north of Charities the chances
would have been ten to one in favor of
his raising the siege of Paris. Prince
Friedrich Charles, failing in piercing the
French centre, would have been unable
TO give battle except at most decided
disadvantage. Besides which the great
length of his line would have prevented
his concentration between Charities and
Dreuz in time to foil the French flank
ing party.
Chanzy, however, adopted the plan of
advance on the left flank of the German
army. He threw forward flying columns
to occupy the attention of his enemy
along their whole line, while his right
wing pushed on through st. Calais in
the direction of Vendorne. Had he be-
gan the advance ten days earlier he
might have been successful, but the re-
suit could only have been the withdraw
al of the German left and the concen-
tration of the entire German army on a
shorter line, and one which more eff
fectually covered the besieging army
before Paris. Practically but little i'm
mediate benefit would have been de
rived from the success. Ultimately
much good might have followed; for it
is reasonable to suppose that had the
first flank movement succeeded, Chanzy
would have followed it mp by a second,
directed against Dreux. What the
French general seemed most SOLICITORS
about was the covering of lie Mans.
He appeared to forget that the tempo
rary abandonment Of the place would
be more than compensated for by a
successful march upon Charities.
By the time Chanzy began moving,
the Germans, heavily reinforced, were
again in condition to resume the often
sive. Before the French column had
struck the flank of Yendome Prince
Frederick Charles threw his left wing
forward and drove it back. The Grand
Duke of Mecklenburg commanding the
German right wing, simultaneously ad
vanced upon ogent-le-Retron, and it
very soon became apparent that the
German plan not only embraced the
capture of lie Mans, but also the pre-
ventingof Chanzy retreating northward,
III the direction of Cherburg. Whether
the French line of retreat northward
has been cut off yet we are unaware,