Year: 1870

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ENGAGEMENT NEAR LANTENAY-THE COUNTY,


SOUTH OF DIJON-HoT FIRE FROM TIE GER


MANS DTsGRACEFUL CONDUCT OF THE


FRANCs-TIREURs - GARIBALDI AND sTAfF


LEFT ALMOST ALONE IN THE RETREAT


(FRoM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE


AUTUN, Nov. 2S.-ThOroughly to understand
the battle Of the 2eth 1t is necessary to mention that Ln
tepay lies half way up the southern side OF range or
wooded hills lying south west by south OF DDon In tho
valley OF the Ouche the south and southeast OF Ian
tenay, the railroad from Paris to Dbon the ver
and the Canal de Bourgogne. Beyond arc
other hills running almost parallel WIN
those behind Lantensy, and bending round
towards Don which point they are due south OF s
town. The whole Of the ground from the end OF the
village OF Lantenay to the summit Of the hill on the de
Of which 1t is built Is covered with wood On the TOP
OF the Hill immense plain on an incline, then mob
low on the right hand side OF which Is large wood
running north After the hollow the ground again rises
| and bends round toward the wood on the right In
abost the center OF the rising ground is hollow in
which lies the little village Of Prenois, which more
correctly speaking in the hollow and runs
up to top of the rising ground Beyond on the right
second hollow, bordered by wood ON the right anu
beyond the whole is high ground.


When reached the summit OF the hill behind Lante-
nay the troops OF Riccio were coming up the ROAD
At they had all arrived, and were drawn up at the
side of the wood. From the plateau we could distn-
gush the enemy plainly enough TO draw up on tho
rising ground Immediately behind the village OF Prenos
From battery OH the hills behind beyond the Valley
Of 0uche, the enemy INDEPENDENTLY fent 10
attract our attention from the movement In the dree
ton OF Prenos had ridden out 10 two mounted scouts
who we're observing the enemys movements from tho
extremity OF the plain Suddenly the left OF the VII
lage we saw two or three spots the horizon We
first took them for scouts, who had been sent ous
TO recOnnOitre, but minute or two afterwara t"T
changed into q black two or three inches long,
This was evidently German column advancing. "o
waited for a few minutes until saw the black Dno
getting bigger and bigger, and then rode back with be
scouts to inform the general Garibaldi breakfast
ing with his of the remains OF leg Of mutton He
Immediately mounted his horse and proceeded TO draw
I'D his troops in line OF battle The artillery was
placed on rising ground the left. Francs
tireurs were sent into the wood on the rghf, ana
| the column ordered to advance. The Garibaldiass
OF the Tanara Legion we're, believe, on the left
the FYancstreurs the right, the Genoese In the cen
ter and the Garde Mobile behind was 80 far In frons
with the staff which moved about all day between te
skrmishers and the bulk OF the army, that 1t was I'M
possible to distinguish the different uniforms Of our
troops Our batteries opened fire little after l. and
answered by the Germans from the rising ground
behind Prenos The German cannon balls whisted over
our heads but did very little harm, and our right
wing continued to advance in excellent order Pro-
sently an aidde-camp dispatched to the rear,
to order an advance Of tho whole line. At this
moment the General and his staff were on
the right considerable distance In front Turning back


few minutes afterward to the order had been
cuted exclaimed, 1t is pleasant to an army OF
the Republic advancing like that" At about Iio the
enemy fired few howitzer shells, none OF which, how
ever, reached Suddenly the General, who had been
watching the German column through fcldg glase,
turned TO his STAFF and exclaimed, "They are retreat
ing and then calling the captain OF the 9TH Chasseurs
dAfrique, he said, Go and lyOu cannot pick up
fe eglers."


We had now advanced the verge hollow,
and from the high ground above we had admirable
view OF tie charge below. The cavalry, 80 In number,
accompanied By Col Canzio, Garbaldis sonn-law, and
Capt. Troni, gsoped after the enemy who were run
ming away the high ground beyond Prenois To eet
at them, however, 1t necessary 10 pass by wall
close to the village, and behind this the Ger
had placed 90 or 80 men to protect their retreat
When the cavalry had arrived to within few
yards of the wall, they were received with
three voeys OF musketry. Not one OF them turned
back They merely changed their course, and gaoped
up the wall. Unfortunately il toe high for the
horse to jump and while they turned to get round at
the other side the Germans behind it managed to escape
The most extraordinary thing was that Che discharges
only killed eight horses and wounded three few
minutes later the Garibaldans, led by Col Tanars and
Major Erbe entered Prenois and were received with loud
aud repeated cheers. Five minutes afterward
We were far ahead gslloping by tho
few dead that were scattered here and
there the battlefield. We the verge
OF a second hollow. Before the last hi gh ground,





east Before the left second village, and on
our right wood extending TO the top Of the rising
ground bordered, the hollow. The Germans evil
IDENTIFY getting away fast they could, for We saw
nothing more OF them. But with the coolness and
good generalship which is characteristic OF wen
disciplined army, they defended the ground, and
covered ther retreat on every favorable occasion.
Our left which o long way ahead, stopped
while our right backed up by the Garde Mobile,
was ordered to advance along the side OF the wood
prevent the,enemy attacking in that direction
for as could not the road they had taken
undecided as whether they had turned TO the right
gone straight ahead Presently, however saw that they
had established battery the high ground before
which opened a rapid hre upon advancing columns
Nothing, however, stopped our advance Our cannon
answered theirs from the incline the opposite side Of
the hollow, and after IL minutes firing saw thsir
artillery make of. When reached the top OF the
rising ground we found ourselves upon the road from
Paris DUon where waited while the remainder Of
the troops up. II raining hard. Tie Gen
era who had been horseback all day, tired tho
more his horse had fallen with him early In the af
ternOon carriage procured at ighborng house.
the General accompanied by Colonel Canzio, got into st.
and, surrounded by the officers Of his star placed him.
self at the head Of the column. Three spies, dressed ~
peasants then sent forward with instructions to
tell the enemy that we were advancing along the road
in force with cavalry and artillery. We gave them Q
quarter OF an hour TO get ahead and the column was
then set in motion, few cavalry scouts being sent In
'front.' and the General and his stan ct the head Of tho
column.


Before marching, however, Garbald had asked the
Italians who were front whether they preferred 10 ,o
~ Don TO content themselves with having driven the
enemy back TO the gates of town. The few words
which he addressed TO them answered By ess OF,
"T0 pusHl 70 Du0pl siss b asaR@P' We "a ARosSpeSl