Year: 1870

I y


And this is the Thiergarten in a few
black dots and crooked marks, but the
real green and bIOssoming is quite an
other thing.


THE GREAT BATTLE OF GRAVEL.


LOTTE.


Last week we publ he'd an account
of the great battle of Thursday, Aug.
18th, telegraphed to the New York
Tribune by an eyewitness of the terri
BILE conflict. The following is the
concluding portion of the same dis
patch giving some further interesting
| details Of the hattie:


ANXIETY AT HEADQUARTERS.


But to go back now to the move
ments of the King and those with him
at headquarters. The Kings face as
he stood gazing upon the battlefield,
had something almost plaintive in it,
1 He hardly said a word, but noticed
that his attention was divided between
the exciting scenes in the distance and
| the dismal scene nearer his feet, where
| they were just beginning what must
| yet be long task-to bury the French
who fell in Tuesdays battle. On them
he gazed silently and, 1 thought,
sadly.


Count Bismarck could not conceal
his excitement and anxiety. If it had
not been for the King, the Count
would clearly have gone forward
where the fighting was, His towering
form was always a little in auYance of
the rest.


When the French completely gave
up their hold upon the road up to
Gravellotte, the horses of the Head
quarters party were hastily called,
and the entire party, mounting, with
the King at their head, dashed down
Then shouts and cheers arose, and fol-
lowed them wherever they passed.


A CAVALRY CHARGE.


A little after O'Clock a strange epis-
ode occurred. From the region where
Steinmetz was supposed to be, a mag
niicent regiment of cavalry galloped
out. They paused a moment at the
point where the Conf1ans road joins that
to Metz. Then they dashed up the
road toward Metz, This road between
Gravellotte and st. Huberts is cut
through the hill, and on each side of it
rise cliffs from 40 to 60 feet high, ex-
eept at the point where it traverses
the deep raVine behind the village
When it is remem hered that at the
time the ou1mindtfng point E0 which
that road ascelldS was held bV



that only half the regiment survived
What the survivors accom- plished do
not know. nor could learn the name
and number of that regiment which
seemed To meet it's fate under the eyes
of the King. The situation hardly ad-
mitted asking many questions, but
their plunge into that deep cut on the
hillside, where the next day 1 saw so
many of them and their horses lying,
was of that brave. unfaltering kind
which is so characteristic of German
soldiers, among whom stragglers and
deserters seem to be absolutely un-
known.


MYSTERIOUS RE-INFORCEMENTs.


I must record also what seemed an
inexplicabIe thing. The army of
Prince Charles was fighting hard, and
suffering, it was only too plai,t, heavi-
ly. From this army, division after
division had been taken and Vainly
sent again = the French center. A por-
ton of the Princes numerous reserves
had been diminished to an important
extent in the engagements of the 14th
and 10Th insts. Moreover, consider
able portion of his army required rest,
and two divisiOns-One certainly
were in need of reorganization before
thew could again become efficient on
the field of battle. Yet, at one time, it
seemed that every division and bri-|
gade and regiment was likely to be
called into &C ion. The losses in the
centre and massing of great forces for
a fresh attack ON the French right
flank, left the Verdun road itself at
one time almost uncovered-the very
road for possession of which the P. us
SLAMS were fighting. At a moment
that for these reasons seemed critical
there appeared on the field occupying
ground before held by portion of the
forces of Prince Frederick Charles, a
= -
to position under the eyes of the King.
yet neither the King nor any of his
staff could account for their appear
ance. hey passed the point which
in the morning had been the Ro, al
Headquarters. Their march was be-
gun at the time I have mentioned, and
their advance did not cease till dark.
But the mystery that hung over them
was not dispelled. Whose, was this
new army ? Whence did it come


Instead of advancing, the French
now cOntented themselves with the
mere occupation of the ground to
which earlier in the day they had heep
driven back. At no time did they Sc
riously strive to regain the western
most line of hills which had been
theirs in the morning At no time did
they recover or seek to recover by any
vigorous forward movement the
junction of the roads at GraVellOtte -
From to the weight Of the battle
tended more and more to the north of
the road. There was a luli, the mean
ing of which the French failed appar-
emily to interpret. By z they NAV
have believed Ihemselve partly victO-
rious. They were still perhaps in con-
dition to renew on the morrow the
struggle that had gone on all day for
that fated road from Metz to Verdun.
If they had not gained the road or the
battle, they had not clearly lost the
tuf u "A
both.


A BLAZING HOUSE ILLUlnNEs THE FL


MALE.


A little before 8. large white house
on the hight beyond tiravellotte
caught on fi e. It seemed through the
gloom to be a church. Its spire grew
into flames, aud a vast black cloud of
smoke arose, contrasting strangely
with the white smoke of the BATTLE
More and more picturesque grew the
whole field. AS evening fell the move
-ments of the troops could be followed
now by the lines of FIRE that ran flick
ering along regiment rs 1t went into
action. Tongues of fire pierced
through and illuminated the smoke
out of the caunons' mouths, and the
fuses of shells left long trains OF fire
like falling stars. No general likes
lighting by night in ordinary circum-
stances, for chance takes then the
place of skill nut the Ranking move
ment on the French right had been re-
solved on by daylight, and it was the
necessity of moving troops to a great
distance over difficult ground which
delayed its execution and brought
, about a renewal of the battle after the
day was done.


A NIGHT ATTACK.


To leave the French in their posi-
tions during the night, would have
been to imperil the plan on which the
! PFussian commander had resolved. So
/ from 8, or ~ TO y, the decisive blow
WIS struck. When the battle of GRAY
ellotte had actually ended, we knew
that the Prussians held the nights be-