WAR INTELLIGENCE.

Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 766, 21 January 1871, Page 2

WAR INTELLIGENCE.

By the arrival of the Charles Edward with Han Francisco papers, we are enabled to furnish further details of the war than were published on Sunday lust. It appears that the French army of the Loire advanced against the Prussians on November 29, while at the samo time the armies north and west took action concurrently with sorties from Paris.

The Garibaldians at the North-East, marching on the night of the 26th from Pasques, were vigorously attacked by the outposts of the Prussians. The Garibaldians were repulsed with great disorder, abandoning arms, &c. General Gerder, on the same day, overtook the rear guard near Pasques, by taking a circuit around Ploinbieres. The French loss was 350 killed and wounded. The Prussians lost 150. It is said Menotti Garibaldi commanded 2000 men.

The following despatch, relative to the engagement, was sent by King William to his Queen, on the 28th:— " Manteuffel, with a portion of the First Army, defeated the French south of Amiens. The French loss was 4000 in killed and wounded, and 700 prisoners. The Prussian loss in unimportant." At the north of Paris, there was a battle all nay on Sunday, November 27, between Villers and Ailly-sur-Noye, near Amiens. The French maintained their positions up to half-past four, when Villers was abandoned before the superior forces and artillery of the Prussians.

The French were beaten at Boves, but at Uevey they maintained their positions ; 3000 Germans were engaged. Another account says:—The French claim a victors' at Moreuil, yesterday. The battle lasted till darkness interfered. The German army were beaten and driven in to their entrenchments before Amiens. The French army of the North were greater in numbers and better armed. The losses are obscurely given in thousands. Prussian Hussars rode down and cut to pieces a regiment of marine infantry. The Prussian loss was severe.

At Evreux, due west of Paris, the Prussians were driven towards Villers by the Mobiles, who retreated in turn upon the Prussians receiving reinforcements.

On the same day there was sharp fighting in front of the army of the Loire, in the south of France, between Montargis and Pithiviers. The French were successful, taking many prisoners and one gun.

The New York " Tribune's" correspondent at Versailles reports demonstrations against Bougival on the night of the 28th, from Mont \ r alerien, and auother against Montrelout next morning from the same place-. Also, a serious attack was made upon the Prussians at Croissy, at nine o'clock on the morning of the 29th, but the assaulting columns wore repulsed with many killed. Two hundred and fifty prisoners were taken ; the loss on the German side was small. A Bavarian corps was also engaged. A heavy fire was also kept up by the French from Villejuif.

While fighting was going on in the immediate neighbourhood of Paris, the army of the Loire was also heavily engaged. On the 28th the right wing, having repulsed during the previous day several attempts of the enemy to turn its dank—advanced to Gien and Montargis, and thence commenced a movement toward Pithiviers, in combination with the advance of the ri<dit centre of the army at Artenay to the same point. While these movements were being made, detackmpnts of the enemy were in every case driven towards Beaune. Here, at two p.m., the enemy massed forty thousand men. The French attacked the Prussian position from the South, capturing two guns. At nightfall, the Germans seemed to be retreating further north. Another account of the same affair says : —The main body of the French attempted to force a passage toward Fontainebleau, by a heavy attack. They encountered the Tenth Prussian Corps at Beaune, reinforced by the Fifth Infantry and the Pirst Cavalry divisions. The French were repulsed with heavy losses in dead, wounded, and prisoners, especially the latter. The army of the Loire was consequently withdrawn. Accounts from Versailles of November 30, say: —It appears that the greater portion of the army of the Loire were eugaged against the Tenth Prussian Corps" at Beaune. Their defeat was complete. One thousand killed were left on the field by the French. 1700 wounded prisoners have already been taken, and the number continues to increase. The Queen of Prussia received the following despatch from King William: Tuesday, November 29—Frederick Charles reports a complete defeat of the army of the Loire in tho battle of Monday, in which the French had the 20th Corps, and probably the 18th and portions of the 15fch and 16th Corps engaged. One thousand French were wounded and 4GOO taken prisoners. G-eneral Aurelles (De Paladines) is reported wounded. The German loss was one thousand, among them a few officers.

A lively fires was maintained all night on the*29fch of November, from the forta around Paris, and in the morning the garrison made soi-tios at various points on the tfeineand Marno. Tho Prussian positions were attacked at 11 a.m. and a sunguiuary battle to».k place, in which tho Wurtemburg troops were mainly engaged, snpported by portions of "the Twellb,

Second, and Seventh Corps. The fighting ended with night. King William telegraphed to hia Queen on the 30th, the following :—- The Sixth Corps yesterday repulsed a sortie near l'llay. Over 100 French were captured, and there were several hundred dead and wounded. Sorties on the positions of the Wurtemburgers and Saxons were made at Corbeil, Champigny, and Villers. The positions were taken by the Trench and retaken by the Prussians. Sorties at the same time were made northeastward at St Denis against the Fourth Corps, but were all repulsed I remained at Versailles as a central point.

The following account was also received in Berlin: There was a great sortie on the 30th against the Prussians on the Wurtemburg front, supported by cannonade from the fcrts. Trochu and Ducrot commanded leading 120,000 men, until eleven o'clock, when they were successfully repulsed by the Seventh Corps. The Wurtemburgers were reinforced, subsequently, by cavalry and artillery. The iittack was repeated at three o'clock again, and repulsed. The Prussian loss is trifling. An account from Versailles says:— The French loss, in dead, and wounded, and prisoners, was severe. They have just asked a truce of several hours to bury their dead. The Wurtemburgers lost forty officers and 800 men. One brigade of the Second Corps lost two officers and 700 men. Tho Saxon loss is unreported. Accounts from Tours, of December 2nd, state that G-eneral Chancey reports successful advances of the French left the day previously. The French carried the first Prussian line, afterwards their positions at Nouneville, Ville Pinte, and Faverolles. The Prussians retreated on Loigney and Chateau Cambrai.

A London special to the " Times," dated Berlin, Ist December, says nearly the whole French forces are concentrated between Blois, Tours, and Orleans. If defeated, a retreat on Lyons is probable. That place is strongly fortified and provisioned. Guerrillas are active in the Loire valley; patrols are shot from every hedge and building ; bearers of despatches are killed by apparent ploughmen ; many priests await trial. Von der Tann defeated the French on the Ist in successive combats, west of Orleans.

French iiceounts of the operations of the army of the Loire speak differently of the above occurrences. We hear from Tours, at midnight, on the Ist, that there has been fighting before the Army of the Loire. The Prussian's right was at Chateaudun, extending through Joinville to Toury, thence to Pithiviers and Beaune-le-Bolande. The second line at the rear, extended from Fontainebleau, via Montereau and Villeneuf aud Troyes, joining the Prussian line on the east. The movement, of the Loire army began on the 30th November. It was prescribed by the Minister of War. General Chancey left the position first, and found the Prussians entrenched at Guiilonville, Firmiuris. and Gouiilers. The fight ended at night. The French artillery was well handled, the losses slight, and the enemy's heavy.

Accounts from Paris to the Ist. received at Tours by balloon, gave particulars of the sorties ou the 29th and 30th, different from those furnished bv the Prussians. They state that the French troops kept the positions they took in the sorties, and were preparing to vigorously prosecute an offeusive movement. Vinoy had positions greatly in advance of Ducrot; the latter was stopped, owing to a sudden rise in the river, brought about by the Prussians breaking away the dam, aud not on account of any resistance offered. The Prussians retook Champigny, but the French agaiu took it. The Prussians, not the French, demanded a truce to bury their dead. The French accounts of the subsequent proceedings of the Loire were as follow. The first is dated Tours, Friday night, December 2nd: —" The forward movement of the armv of the Loire continues and there are frequent encounters all along the line of advance without advantage to either side. In one of them, General Sounds was wounded and taken prisoner. This checked momentarily the advance of the Seventh Corps, which, however, held its position." On the 4th of December, Gambetta on the part of the Government, made the following announcement at Tours : —" The Army of the Loire has discontinued its forward movement, owing to the resistance of the enemy, who has concentrated large masses of troops between Pithiviers, Artenan, aud Augerville. The enemy occupies strongly-entrenched positions, in which it will remain for the present, postpoo ing the advance until a better opportunity is offered. Meanwhile, Ducrot, with the the army which he led out of of Paris, is disengaged, and will be able to act more freely, not finding before him the masses of the enemy which it was supposed were going to meat him, but which are really retained north of Orleans."

Wliilo the fighting had been thus going forward to the south, another great engagement took place to the of P<u:j, the account of which was furnished to the " Times," by its correspondent at Versailles:—"A sortie on the 3rd against the Wurtemburg division on the east of Paris, between tho S(Lie and Marne, resulted in leaving the French in possession of the villages about I3rie-sur.Marne.

The Germans say they must retake these at any cost. The French occupied a line to the right andv left of Ormi:son. They were drive back with heavy loss from their most advanced position. The Wurtemburgers are supported by brigades and,a portion of a corps of die Crown Prince's old corps, and the greater part of the Sixth Corps. Both sides fought hard. The French were led by dismounted officers of high rank, and showed something of their traditional firmness. Had not the Wurtemburgers been very steady while being driven back, and had not the Prussians arrived promptly to their support, the investment line here might have beeu broken. The French merely gained a better foothold for their future spring. Their great want is space to deploy their forces."

On the same day, a sortie was also made north of Paris, where a hard fight took place beyond St. Denis. The French sallied out against. the Fourth Prussian Corps; the sortie was repulsed, and many prisoners were taken by the Prussians. The loss of the French was heavy, including seventeen officers.

Tiie Government at Tours, received on the 4th, an official report from Paris by balloon, of the progress and residts of the movement made by General Ducrot against the Prussian lines of investment on the 3rd. They state that Thursday was passed in burying the dead and succoring the wounded ; on Friday, the 2nd, the Prussians attacked with great force the French at Champigny and in front of Villers ; after seven hours' fighting, the enemy failed to carry the positions of the French, and retreated, leaving their dead and wounded on the field. Their losses were From 15,000 to 20,000. General Ducrot greatly distinguished himself in the battle of Friday. General Sinitz, in his report, says the troops who attacked the French were Saxons and Wurteuibergers. Their number exceeded 100,000. . Their losses must have been extraordinary, for the next day they were so weakened that they suffered the French to cross the river unopposed. These successes of the French troops created the wildest enthusiasm in Paris.

While fighting had been thus maintained since the 29th of November, with scarcely any intermission, around Paris and along the valley of the Loire, the Prussians steadily kept pushing towards the northern coast in order to open commudieation by sea. On the 4th, the FrencK were beaten in several conflicts north-east of Bouen, the Grormans sustaining little loss, and advanced towards Havre.

The partial successes gained by Trochu and Ducrot, in the sorties spoken of, gave them hopes of something greater. Ducrot's army at the latest date, was outside the walls, occupying a position between Mesley, Creteil, and Charentou. Another grand attack on the Prussians was expected ; and the latest report—but it wanted confirmation—was, that Trochu had cut his way through the Prussian lines. FRENCH REVERSES OIST THE LOIRE. A despatch of King William to the Queen, dated Versailles, at midnight, on the 4th, says:—" After two dajs' battle, in which the army of the Grand Duke of Mecklenburg was mainly engaged, Manstein's Corps captured St. Jean, the railway station, and suburbs of Orleans. Thirty guns and 1000 prisoners were taken. The Prussian loss is moderate; Wrangel's Division suffered moct."

The evacuation of Orleans, which | followed, is thus spoken of by the Tours Government:—" The Frerch evacuated Orleans on the 4th instant, and the Prussians occupied the place at midnight on the same day. The Prussians had demanded the evacuation, and threatened to bombard the city if the demand was not complied with. Before leaving, the French spiked the guns of the marine batteries, and destroyed the powder. The retreat was made iu good order." Subsequent French accounts say:— "Reports of the battle near Orleans show that the Prussians attacked the different corps of the French army separately, aud in greater force, thus repulsing the left wing of the army o/ the Loire, and turning Orleans so tha\ J its evacuation was necessary. Gambetta has issued a circular to the Prefects, saying.the situation of the army is good, and heavy reinforcements of" artillery are arriving, and the French movements will soon be resumed. The Opposition are attempting to circulate false rumor.-, to discourage and demoralize, but you may confidently deny their assertion. Yesterday the right wing of the Army of the Loire had successful engagements near Moutare." General Paladines retreated from Orleans with 200,000 men and 500 cannon. The Government wished him to remain, but gave way to his opinion, lie fought afterwards to the utmost, but was powerless. At 11.30 -the evacuation was demanded or bombardment would be opeued. He retreated in good order and lost neither munitions nor provisions. As showing the magnitude of the battles north of Orleans, it is stated that the German forces engaged embraced the united armies of Prince Frederick Charles, the Third, Nmth, and Tenth "Corps, under the Duke of Mecklenburg, one Bavariau Corps, two infantry and two cavalry divisions—lso,ooo menThe French forces consisted of sis corps, aggregating IGO.OOO men, but were deficient in cavalry. The combat commenced on Thursday, the Ist of

December, continuing with varying success during Friday and Saturday. On Sunday, the successes of the Germans were great?, although purchased at great cist. After evacuating Orleans, tl.e Army of the Loire divided, and one of the divisions marched up the- left bank of the stream to effect a junctiou with the Army of the East, 60,000 strong, intending then to move towards Fontainehleau. This forward movement of the French caused the Prussians to evacuate Montargis. The Germans followed up the French, and daily engagements ensued, with varying success, but victory on the whole inclining to the Germans. But on the Bth, at Meung, the Grand Duke of Mecklenburg won a great battle and took six guns, and 11,000 prisoners ; the Germans are said, however to have purchased the victory very dearly. The Duke of Mecklenburg reports that on the next day he was violently attacked by the French, who were victoriously repulsed with less loss than on the day preceding. These two battles were particularly severe; the French, although defeated, retired only inch by inch. On the 10th, the French having been reinforced, again attacked the Germans, and suffered another defeat. This series of dofeats showed conclusively that the Army of the Loire was not sufficiently strong to raise the siege of Paris —the object of all the fighting within the previous twelve days.