THE DEAD 0N THE FIELD OF BATTLE.

Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 735, 10 November 1870, Page 2

THE DEAD 0N THE FIELD OF BATTLE.

A special correspondent visited the field of battle at Forbach immediately after the battle was over, and thus describes what he saw :

Proceeding up tho hill I found the Prussians lying thick, while every here and there the gray coat and red trousers of the Twenty-fourth French Infantry appeared. On the top of the first ridge there were little heaps of French and Prussians mixed, while on the second ridge the French uniforms lay thickest. Upon reaching the brow of the hill a heartrending sight met my eyes. It had evidently besn the last stand of the Twenty-fourth, for their uniforms, mingled with the Prussians, lay to tho number of seventyfive in a very small space. Facing the road, with a smile on his face, lay the major of tho French regiment, in one hand he clasped a Bergeant's, and in the other a lock of hair, wrapped in ft bit of paper. Both the s?rgeant aad he must have been shot at tho eame time. The woods to the left were, as I anticipated, filled with wounded, whose piteous cries were heartranding to hear. On the crest of tho hill the Prussian uniforms lay very thick. I counted moro than 150 to about 30 of tho French. This was the bard fought for point, and where all tho slaughter took place—l say advisedly slaughter, for it was nothing less. The unfortunate men were still being carried

into Saarbrucken at twelve o'clock to-day. I leave you tn imagine their sufferings all night loug without a drop of water. All branches of the service seem to have suffered, for I picked up a lancet and some surgical instruments close tfo the body of a doctor who had evidently been shot while attending to a wounded man. Here I saw a French soldier of the.line, his face still bearing a stern, determined look upon it, even in death, while close by his side lay the protector of his Fatherland, with his face to the enemy and his helmet in his hand.