THE WAR IN EUROPE.

Cromwell Argus, Volume I, Issue 47, 5 October 1870, Page 3

THE WAR IN EUROPE.

THE EIGHT AT SAARBRDCK. The New York Tribune's special correspondent with the French forces sends the following account of this affair : “ A French officer gave me a place in his car. riage ; at half-past nine we reached the advanced posts, as a lieutenant and captain of the 69th of the line were busy buckling on their men’s knapsacks. They only knew the orders were ‘ For. ward.’ At ten o’clock, videttes of Bartul’s brigade were sent to the front, and the infantry, advancing under cover of a cross fire, followed the road on a parallel line of artillery and cavalry. ■ heights on the other side were reached without serious opposition, overlooking Saarbrucken. and the artillery opened fire at once, the Prussian batteries on the other side of the river replying vigorously. A division of battle, massed upon the road from Forbach to Saarbrucken, moved up, and the attack began in earnest. The Emperor arrived at twelve, and cannonading was brisk all along the line. The Prussian battery, at the entrance of the wood, near the village of Arneval, finding it too hot, limbered up, and moved away. Battalion Ten, of the Prussian infantry, retreated at the same time in good order. Upon this battalion was made the first experiment with the mitrailleur, and with decided effect; the battalion was broken, and disappeared in disorder behind the nearest cover. “At two, the troops in advance gained the ground just held by the Prussians, and occupied it without further resistance; here and there were a few Prussians, dead and wounded ; there was cannonading towards oaariouis, bvt't v;a? growing weaker. “At nine, a strong column of infantry, with cavalry and artillery, leaving Pierchen, took position between the village of Arneval and the slopes of Saarbrucken. This movement was sustained on the left, in front of Forbach, by the First Division of the Second Corps, the other division supporting the right, the whole body being 25,000 men ; the 67th Regiment formed the head of the column of the Second Division, and opened fire in skirmishing order on the enemy, who were well posted in the upper part of the valley in which the French had deployed. “ The struggle was brief, and in twenty minutes the Prussian infantry was in full retreat, but the enemy’s artillery, posted at the edge of the woods in the rear of Saarbrucken, opened on them. The French troops advanced under fire, and established several battalions on the heights above the Saar. The cannonading stretched along the line from Ludwig, a mile and a half to the right of Saarbrucken, to the extremity of the valley of Arnevel, in the rear of the village of the same name. Firing was continued with violence until half-past two, when the enemy’s fire gradually died out. The other forces fell back, and the French advanced and picked up two dead and seven wounded. During the action, the Prussians blew up the bridge over the Saar, which the French are now repairing. The Prussian forces numbered 6000. Sharp cannonading was heard towards Groslindorf, occupied by the Third Division.” From Metz, another correspondent writes : “Wo had six killed and 170 wounded. The Prussian loss is not known, but is reckoned at 250. In the train with me from Saarbrucken were some 114 prisoners, among them 50 Prussian reserves. One is Kell, son of the ex-Grand Ohambeilain, Duke of Nassau. A staff officer, sent by the Emperor, has arrived from Forbach, to question the prisoners, and with an order that they be kindly treated. ” THE RATTLE OF WEISSEKBCRG. The Tribune's special correspondent writes from Mayence as follows : “This evening came a despatch f r om Weissenburg, announcing the Prussian victory and occupation of that place. I have obtained the following details The King on his arrival at Mayence, called a Council of war, and urged that the sooner the existing inaction ceased the better, and pressed an advance. His opinion was adopted, and orders were telegraphed to attack the outposts in the neighbourhood of Landau and Weissenburg. A Prussian force, composed of two line regiments, one regiment of Bavarian troops, and some artillery, in all about 9000 strong, drove the French before them into Weissenburg. The artillery was then brought up, and opened out the fortification of the town, which soon caught fire. Seeing this, and some confusion among the French troops, the Prussians could no longer be restrained by their officers, who were anxious to reduce the town by cannonading. The soldiers rushed forward with the bayonet, to the surprise of the French, who was not expecting any attack for hours to come, and were barricading and entrenching. The Prussians lost heavily, but took 800 prisoners anfrithe town. “ Tlikrgrcatost enthusiasm prevails here, and there is an immense crowd at the palace calling to cheer the King.” The same correspondent writes from Mavence on Friday at midnight“ Half of the prisoners taken at Weissenburg were first marched from the citadel to the railway. They put good faces on the matter, and showed true French gaiety. The large crowd received them well, throwing packages of tobacco and cigars to their beaten foes. The soldiers all belonged tr. the ltf-415 regiment of the line. The officers were allowed to retain their swords, and to be paroled

on reaching Munich. The other 400 that were taken at Weissenburg went last night to Oxford. There were 800 in all. As before, wine and cigars were offered by the Germans, but the French desired to pay for everything. The privates were disarmed, but kept their bayonets, sheaths, and knapsacks. “ I personally know that the French stories of 25,000 Prussians at Saarbruck are false.” Another correspondent sends from Nancy, on Friday morning, the following account of the battle of Weissenburg from the French side - “ While General Douay’s division, composed of the 74th and 50th regiments of the line, the 16th battalion of the Chasseurs on foot, one regiment of Turcos, and one regiment of mounted Chasseurs, were busy yesterday in the neighborhood of Weissenburg, they were actually startled by a terrific discharge of artillery. As the patrols, which had been posted all along the line, had not signalled the presence of any Prussian troops, the men believed for a moment that they were surrounded by the enemy. This was not the case, hut the Prussians, in great force > and well supplied with artillery, appeared on the heights of Schwerger, occupying the whole country nearjthe small 'Bavarian village of that name. General jDouay ordered his troops to a dvance before the enemy, keeping as much as possshle behind Weissenlmrg, which lay just behind them and the Prussians ; but this precaution proved quite useless, because the guns were pouring a tremendous fire upon them, and the troops were falling in great nunhers in the village of Weissenburg itself. The French retreated from their former position, and commenced marching on the right aide of the village. The Prussmu, guns,, were equally effective in Weissenburg the midsi- the troops, several houses were set on fire, and large number of soldiers lay dead or wounded. “ At about 11 o’clock General Vohican’s division was commencing to retire. However, a new attack was ordered. The Turcos led the way, and, bayonets in hand, threw themselves on the Prussian batteries of artillery. AH proved useless ; and had the French insisted on attacking the enemy any longer, there would not have been one of them left alive on the ground. As soon as what was left of Douav’s forces began retiring, the Prussian artillery was after them. The troops commenced running, without orders, crossing, the roads and vineyards until reaching the farthest point of Weissenburg. The number of dead and wounded must be very large indeed. The remaining troops are crazed to avenge the death of their late general. “ The country people seem in great consternation. The roads leading to Hagenau are covered with peasants carrying their goods and cattle with them, and crying over the sad fate reserved for their humble cottages.”