THE BATTLE OF FORBACH.

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 737, 8 October 1870, Page 3

THE BATTLE OF FORBACH.

The French centre was assailed by a part of the army of General Steinmetz, which had now begun its advance towards Forbach, to the west of Saarbruck. Early on Saturday morning the Prussian army, 150,000 men strong, met General Frossard's second corps d'armee, three divisions, commanded by Generals Verge> Battaile, LaveaviueTipet, and a division" of cavalry commanded by General Litchelisß. Two divisions of three batteries each, with General Gagneur in command, were also in the field, and with the mitrailleuses worked by the artillery present in the action. The battle lasted all day. The French soldiers had to sustain the tremendous shock of superior num. bers. Several times during the day they ore said to have taken the ofFensi ;e, notwithstanding the immense slaughter made in the ranks. One correspondent in telegraphing from Metz, on the 7th inst. what he had seen at Forbach, where he was present, says the carnage was fearful. " Whole regiments were disappearing on both sides in the middle of the smoke, and when a glimpse could be got half the sol.liers had fallen bravely. The losses are enormous on the Prussian side ;

they are terrible on the French. The corps d'armee of Generai Frossard is nearly destroyed. The Prussians were completely victorious at 8 o'clock p.m. Forbach is a heap of ashes." Meanwhile, the victorious Prussian's are steadily advancing, and we learn that the French army is retreating from all points upon the Moselle, pursued by the German cavalry. Great stores of provisions, two pantoon columns, and several railway trains have fallen into the hands of the Germans, as well as the fart called Petite-Pierre. It is clear the French are outnumbered, and by clever strategy broken in pieces.