TEE WAR IN GERMANY.

West Coast Times, Issue 292, 30 August 1866, Page 3

TEE WAR IN GERMANY.

CONFIICTS BETWEEN THE PEUSSIANS

AND AUSTRTANS. Machal Benedek's movements were unknown until his troops came in front of the enemy, and then came the first encounter between ths Austrians and the Prussians in a great battle. fought on Atstrian ground, between Josephstadt and the frontier of Silesia." The' Prussians were commanded by the Crown Prince. The various accounts received by telegraph made it uncertain' at what point the Crown Prince intended seriously to invade the Austrian territory. The Prussians were heard of at Oderberg and Oswiecin, at the extreme south-east of Silesia; they were in possession of Zuckmantel and Friedburg, having crossed the frontier opposite Niesse, aud they were also operating further .0 the north-west. The centre of the Austrian line is supposed to have extended from about Turnau to Josephstadt;.and it is' with the main body of Benedek's array that the Prussians have lieen engaged in this the first battle of the German war. The troops engaged advanced through Nachod and Neustadt to Skaliez, which is within ten miles of Josephstadt and, here w& may suppose theywere met ' by the Austrians in force. The battle began at 10 o'clock on the morning of the 27th' June, and lasted tijl sixjn the evening. The Prussians repulsed from Ska!ie£, the Austrian cavalry taking part in the action ; and the Prussians were at the close of the day, according to the Austrian *" ■" --♦'■'•' in full retreat, t£es:rm?nic; u^^- r __ .^tiSpr then* deS4 ana wounded on the '! I I i (Prussian" despatches are to the u[, 3iat on_ (lie\ 2Jf th June the .3rd i,' (I. the. 10tk« Austrian Army-Corps, Renerol Gablenz, after 'an obsti0 igagement, in which the Auslost several thousand prisoners, j,al field pieces, and a large quantity hciateriel. The Austrian loss in -J .and wounded is placed at be>)o and 4000. On the same day, Federick Charles, in conjuncith General Bitterfieldj captured leugiat?;, after a successful en- '" -xent witH the enemy, in which he *. 800 prisoners. The Austrians reed to I'urstenbruck M'ith the loss of

00 men. Thes,e. qnc.oun.ters prove at the Prussians had advanced, consi,r, r "'sbly beyond the frontier; Fiirsten1 to' the Austrians are said ; <j i' e^^« M»? onie twen ty five or milcSy,fS>j3tothe frontier!! on the road i t|x<tiO^'ague, and we may < fiiEM^ !l we mfiin body of the Prus&LaifenTx^ I^^ s0 ar Ou nd* the way ope&aSli^ its invasion of the AustriaiP^™|tdJy- But it is not in this r^fthe-^ylilttwhffc.the Prussians are advane^^A "\VE2Wvcr may have been - th^S^of the battle of the 27th at S]mS|iJ|Ae Prussians appear to be still iiiiu?^|pce between the Silesian frontier and Josephstadt. The Prussian sth Corps, which is said to have been I So successful against the Austrians in battle of the 27th, was again opHtoed 0n the S«tb, to the 6th and Bth + „; 0 ,, n— ° 11l1 der the Ai'chduke cuij,^, „ and is reported to have gainea | advnntages over it H thd " itouiteilf'' tit J"une 29 mrt/|H«kcft ititt>llisfehi«e i'faai Uerliii ttat^d 28tb 7 nnnbuncing th&t in a i'l-esh b'ettfeeil the Prussi^g and >liistrian^- ,deai- Trdttten^ the" v ;mer captured 10 girns a U a took" prisoners. The Ai^^g we re to fall baf^' The same ier ako pnblishe»^ n ac count bf an ag'enieni, tct^,/^ e i^ c jti^hoveiians H Pr n °^in<ncar Langensalza, which '^pq to Hxe been without result.

c ' Prussians lost two guns. A tele ffram of June 20 announces H^o surrender of the Hanoverian army, H? nststin- of upwards of 2.0,000 men. FKfter stated that the "King and I Trown Prince of Hanover, and the I Officers of the Hanoverian army, have I Sd-ed their word not to fight against I pruslia during the present war. By I fhe terms of the sun-endej, the HanoI verian officers retained their side arms, I men were disarmed and sent to I their homes. The war material was I o-iven up to the Prussians." ■ o hQ^ 50 00 Austrian prisoners from I NaC hod, aud 3000 from Trauteuau, ai-e k re porte<l to 'have been sent on June 29 I to Posen. • • We' have given above an account, B| founded: on telegrams from Berlin, of victories on the 2 7th 'and 28th over the Austrians by the annies 'inder the command of the Prince Royal of Prussia and Prince Frederick Charles. Now we publisl the Vienna' telegram, which claims for the Austrian wmy decisive victory ouboth

points. It is distinctly stated that tl\e troops of the Prince Royal recrossed the frontier towards Glatz, "that the army of Prince .Frederick Charles retreated to- Niemes, north-east of Tiernau and Munchengratz— therefore nearer the Prussian frontier on that side— and that the junction of the Prussian armies , was prevented. In a case where representations so entirely conflicting as those of the Berlin'and Vienna telegrams are made, it is of course impossible to say on which side the truth lies. That one of them must be grossly deceiving th public is obvious, unless we*are to suppose that the battle which lasted two days remained undecided, and that each party, therefore, claimed the victory. Not only does each side claim the victory in the field, but the Berlin accounts state thai the Prussians took Munchengratz, while the Vienna accounts state that the Prussians were "driven considerably to the north-east of that place. The following official despatch, dated Vienna, June 29, 8.15 a.m., relates to the battle of June 28 :— Patidubitz, June 29.

The Prussians were yesterday completely defeated by the Austrian forces under General von Gablenz. Leaving behind 1000 killed and wounded, they withdrew to Prussian territory towards Glatz. After occupying Jicin yesterday, the Prussians were attacked by the cavalry division of General von Edelsheim," they were driven out of Jicin and repulsed towards Tiernau. In consequence of this defeat, the Prussians last night evsicuated Meluik, Druba, aud Leipa, and withdrew in great haste to Niemes. The Prussian . losses by General von Eldclsheiin's attack were enormous. The str'ageiic operation of the Austrian army was completely successful. The junction of Prince Frederick Charles with tho army of Silesia was presented. The Austrian loss in the batiles of the last three days is estimated at nearly 2000 killed and wounded. The Prussian loss is at least equal. »