The New York Herald Newspaper, January 17, 1871, Page 3

wesuet YORK HERALD, TUESDAY, JANUARY 17, 1871.—TRIPLE SHEET. érald Special Report of the Great Struggle. Vonclusion of the Battle of Le Mans. Disastrous Repulse of the French Assault. Angee [ANIMATED SCENES ON THE BATTLE FIELD, Attack on General Chanzy’s Headquarters. Heroic Resistance of the French. THE CARNAGE FRIGHTFUL. & Patal Night Assault and French Panic. THE BATTLE LOST AND WON. Reorganization or the’ French Army. TELEGRAMS TO THE NEW YORK HERALD. ~~“ Lonpon, Jan. 16, 1871. I give b»low the continuation of your correspond. nts report of the second gay’s battle of Le Mans:— t fede carter NYY RESUME, Pee [The first part, which was published in the HERALD of yesterday, gave an account of tne preparations made by the French w receive the Germans, Admi- Tal Jourequiberry’s corps, on the right bank of the Buisne river, was first driven from its position; but the advance of the Germans was checked by the French reserves of artillery, which came up ata timely moment. A fierce attack was also made on ihe line of the French across the Chartres and Paris Railroad, reaulting in the French centre retiring for ® short distance to the rear, where they madea stand. In the afternoon the Germans endeavored split Chanzy’s army in two and get between it S$nd Le Mans, but they failed. At four o'clock, how- ever, che German tactics changed. They massed heavily on the French right ‘aid endéavored to gain possession of the village of Brette. To prevent this, ‘the French advanced to disiodge them.) — THE FRENCH REPULSE AND RETREAT. Continuing, the HBRALD correspondent says:—A Yarge vody of French infantry advanced in good order gerogs the plain, but were compelled to retire with heavy losses before a murderous fire from both artillery and musketry. The contest for the pos- geanten of Brette was kept up at this point till dar k, ‘wten an order reached the French to fall back upon Le Mans, & COBRESPONDENT’S EXPERIENCES. My own personal experience of the battle com- menced at one o’clock, when I reached the heignts ‘on the French left, The day was not cold, although ‘the ground was still covered witn eight inches of snow, which was melting beneath the rays of a hot sun. The air was clear and crisp and the clouds plue and golden. At an early hour tne streets of Le Mans, which were not more than five miles from the battle field, were thronged by excited crowds and numerous wagons filled with ammunition and suppties, ready to start for a place of safety inthe rear in case there was an unfavorable result to the fight. AN ANIMATED SCENE. &t noon I succeeded in receiving transportation to the front, and, reaching the bluffs east of Le Mans, obtained the first view of the battle on the French left. I passed on the road numerous am- munition trains belonging to the artillery going backwards and forwards in what appeared to be aigorder. Numerous groups of stragglers were also een, some wounded, going to the rear, although these seemed to be accompamied by an unneces- sarily large number of unwounded men. Many am- Dulances passed to and fro, some going to the front, others returning with loads of suffering creatures. One poor fellow nad fallen down on the roadside from loss of blood. He had been wounded through the arm above the elbow. I gave him some brandy and got him ‘nto a passing ambulance, DODGING BALLS. Along the line of the railroad every avallabie point was commanded by a strong force of intantry. ‘The Prussians were less than a mile distant, and balls occasionally rattled against the branches of the tall trees growing on the side of the road. Asa general rule self-preservation seemed to be the pre- vailing sentiment of tne soldiers as well as civilians, judging from the fact that every time the evidence of jeaden visitors was heard the ground would be covered by prostrate forms. AVPRARANCE OF THE BATTLE FIPLD. Before two o'clock I reached a mountainous emi- mence four miles east of Le Mans, where I had a good view of a portion of the battle field. Partly up the eminence I passed a farm house, deserted by tts domates, which had been struck by a cannon ball. ‘The crest of the clevation was occupied by a strong force of Gardes Mobile and six batteries of artillery, but they did not seem capable of effective service. ‘The battle flela below, stretching out for miles before me, had the appearance of a chessboard, the white squares being the open fields of snow and the black ones the patches of woods. As far as the move- ments on the battle fleld were concerned it seemed impossible to understand which side had the ad- vantage. The heavy smoke here and there told where the artillery was doing murderous work, and occasional movements of infantry were seen, look- ing wonderfully insignificant from the distance. ATTACK ON CHANZY'S HEADQUARTERS, Despairing of gaining any definite idea of the resulia there, L obtained information of the position of Genoral Chanzy’s headquarters and hastened to find tim, reached the position at half-past three clock and found General Chanzy, attired in red pantaioons, with a jaunty hat setting off to advan- tage his slngalarly handsome counggpance. Reve I remained. At four o'clock in the evening the Ger Maus advanced by cokumns, covered by a heavy Diagram of the Batilefield:--Positions of the Opposing Forces lan LY, y »y YQ d % 4 y iii Germans---The French Lines of Retreat. CHANZY’S BATTLE FIELD AND LIN OF RETREAT. ‘rhe map published above gives a clear idea of the positions of the French and German armies during the second day’s battle at Le Mans. The open blocks, forming an irregular semicircle, with their flanks resting on the railroads running nortb and south of Le Mans, represent the French line of battle. The figure 1 describes the position of Ad- miral Jourequiberry’s corps, which rested on the right bank of the Hatsne, a small river running parallel with the railroad to Chartres and Paris. Jourequiberry’s corps formed the left wing of tLe French army. Near the Huisne the first severe assault was made, the Germans succeeding, after a desperate struggle, in gaining an important position near the river, somewhat depressing the French line, although It remained intact, as the French did | not retreat any considerable distance, but merely fell back and took up a new position in the rear of that previously held by them. The scene of this en- counter is indicated on the map by the letter ‘«A.”” General Colomb’s corps (the Seventeenth) formed the centre of the French army and !s represented by the figure 2, It covered the plateau of Anvours and seems to have held its position throughout the day, altiiough several severe assaults were made upon It. The fighting here, however, which is indicated by the letter “B,”’ was not as sanguinary as on the | other parts of the line. General Jouffroy’s corps (the Twenty-first) formed the right wing of the French army and ts repre- sented by the figure 3. Here the fighting was ex- ceedingly desperate and the carnage frightful. It was here that the Germans massed in immense num- bers after dark, as reported by our correspondent who witnessed the engagement, and by a sudden ‘advance to waver. only momentary. attacked the French infantry which occupied the | terraced road below the headquarters of General | Chanzy. AN ORDERLY RETREAT. It soon became evident that the French would be unabie to withstand the heavy charges made by their enemy. Nevertheless the struggle was ex- ceedingly obstinate and well maintained till avout five o’clock, when an order was given for a back- ward movement. As the French infantry slowly fell back the artillery was brought to the front, and it maintained a steady fire upon the German line, suc- cessfully covering tne retreat. The Germans, ap- parently in contempt of their partial success, seemed disinclined to pursue the advantage they had gained in the day’s fighting. General Chanzy ac- tively superintended the retreat, which was never disorderly at any ume, HOPEFUL OF THE MORROW. Inaeed the French still neld the strongest posi- tions, and it was believed that the day was not 1rre- coverably adverse to them. They had been forced back from their original line of battle, but that was all, There had been no rout, no disorderly breaking of brigades or even battalions. I have reason to knew that General Chanzy did not despair of final success. He expected a flerce struggle, prolonged through several days, and hoped to renew the natue under better auspices to-morrow. Thus, after a bloody encounter, lasting until dark, in which the carnage had been fearful on both sides, nothing de- cisive had been gained by the Germans. All their successes had been negative, and the French oMcers and soldiers remained hopeful that the close of to-morrow would see them victorious over their enemy. A FATAL NIGHT ATTACK. But an event occurred which made a total change in the prospects of the French, It was an event common enough in the history of war. Had it artillery Ace, agaiust the Chateau des Chartres, a | ¢ailed the result would have been disastrous to the pretty country place near the headquarters. Here, for the first time, the French battertes hitherto in the reserve opened fire and apparently took the Mormaus youupletely by surprive, for i caused thelr Germans. It succeeded and shattered the hopes of the French. Darkness had fallen upon the battle field, or, rather, { should say that day had gone; for the evenime Was not very Gark, One cuuld see The irresolution, however, was With characterise German ob- | stinacy the Germans again pressed forward and | and unexpected attack changed what had been an indecisive though bloody battle to a disastrous de- feat for the French. The letter “©” indicates the | point struck by the Germans, who are represented on the map at this part of the line in two long col- umns of solid blocks. All the solid blocks represent the German forces, From the wording of our correspondent’s report we are inclined to the opinion that the Germans ad- vanced in massed columns (the old Prussian squares) and not in acontinuous line of batue, This is apparent from the fact that on some parts of the French line there was little or no fighting. All the main efforts of the Germans seem to have been directed against the French left centre and extreme right. They fatlea, however, to make any serious impression upon the left centre, although they | forced it back. It was not, in fact, until after the | rout of the extreme right and disorderly flight of | the Gardes Mobiles of Brittany that the centre and left of the French army was compelled to make a | rapid though orderly retreat. | Nevertheless, the announcement made by Prince Frederick Charles indicates that either the extreme | left of the French was pierced or that in the retreat | upon Le Mans, after dark, a portion of Jourequi- berry’s corps was cut off from the main body of the army and forced to retire in the direction of | Alengon. We have endeavored to locate this dis- aster by the letter ““D,”? which will be found in the rear of the French line near the railroad te Alengon. It is more than likely that the French column was cut off more by the rapid pursuit of the Germans | than by any deliberate purpose of theirs. As we remarked a few days ago, the tactics of | Prince Frederick Charles comprehended the crush- ing in of the two wings of Chanzy's army, primarily | | | | | to prevent the French retreating either south to | Angers or north to Alengon, and secondarily, to | cut off all their lines of retreat if possinle. the vast fields of snow, dotted here and there by | dark objects—the bodies of the victims of the day’s | struggie—while the patches of woods rose up | | grimly from the midst of the white fields, Snd- denly, and Without thelr preparations attracting | attention, a strong force of Germans renewed the | battle. Making toward the French right at La Til- lere, the most important position held by the Army | of the Loire, immense masses of infantry, supported | by alarge force of cay Iry, advanced with the ut- | most rapidity, scattering in ali directions the French forces opposed to them. A GENERAL RETREAT. The attack was not anticipaied by the French. ‘The suddenness and rapidity with which the move ment was executed took them completely by sarprise, and but little resistance was offered. At the onset the Gardes Mobiles of Brittany were seized with panic and fled in great disorder. ‘rhis completely destroyed the French line of battle, as their whole force on the right bank of the Huisne was compelled to make a rapid retreat to save itself trom capture. THE FUTURE PROSPECT. It is Impossible at this writing to describe tne effect of this unforeseen disaster. 1t may—I can almost say it will—compel the evacuation of Le Mans, if it does not result in the breaking up of General Chanzy’s army. A council of war is now in session in Le Mans. If the secona French Army of the Loire is lost all hope for France 1s gone. Chanzy’s Army Reorganized—Quite a Differ- ent Story—Another Battle Expected. LONDON, June 16, 1871. It is announced that General Chanzy’s Army of the Loire has been reorganized and 18 about to re- sume operations. ‘The positions hela by General Chanzy’s forces are very strong. QUITE A DIFFERENT STORY. Despatches from Versailies state that Prince Frederick Charles announces that Chauzy'’s army is broken up, disorganized and retreating in three directions. Twenty thousand prisoners haye been taken. The battle was a decisive victory for the Prussians and a crushing defeat for the French. ANOTHER BATTLE BXPECTED, A Bordeaux despatch dated to-day states that General Chanzy reports minor engagements witn the advanced guard of the enemy yesterday, and that he expects a general attack to-day, MORE FIGHTING ON SUNDAY. Another despatch from Bordeaux of to-day’s date states Ghat the Gertoans attacked General Chanzy yesterday. ‘fhe army resisted well, except in the ventrer DREUX CSBLOIS _ | Nons captured. LES AUDELYS palais ? RAMBOYILLET ¢ gp ee 3 im thjs latter design he falled, We show on the map the-toad taken by the main body of the French #rmy, which we estimate at 80,000 men. As will be seen it goes to Laval a considerable place, being west- northwest of Le Mans. The column cut off we esti- mate at 30,000 men. Its line of march is toward Alengon, almest due north of Le Mans. We doubt, however, if the Germans can prevent this column forming a junction with the main body of the army now near Laval. By arapid flank march on May- exne it ought, without dificulty, to become reunited to the extreme left of Chanzy’s new position. But atanyrate there will be nothing to prevent its re- treating to Fougeres and thence marching eastward to Laval. It will be noticed that in our estimates of the French retreating columns we give Chanzy a total of 110,000 men remaining. This, of course, inciudes stragglers and disorganized regiments, no matter how numerous they may be. According to our cor respondent Chanzy went into action with 000 | men, of which the Germans have captured 20,000, and if we estimate the killed and wounded at the me number it will make his total loss 40,000. This 1s scareely too high an estimate. Our corre- spondent reported the French losses on the first day at 15,000, and, considering the greater magnitude of the second day’s battie, we can hardly | exaggerate in estimating their losses at 25,000 more. What is worthy of note is the small number of can- Twelve pieces of artillery 1s all the Germans claim to have taken. It mdicates either a cautiousness on the part of the French amounting to | timidity, or admirable management of the guns. Chanzy is said to have had four hundred pieces tn | his army. We have had no reports whatever of the German | losses, excepting the bare statement that they were heavy, It is safe, however, te place them at one-half of the French losses—20,000 men, OPERATIONS IN THE NORTH. The Germans Executing 2 Fiank Movement. FAIDHERBE ADVANCING ON AMIEN Longwy Menaced with Bom- bardment. PREPARATIONS TO BESIEGE THE KORTR TELEGRAM TO THE NEW YORK HERALO, LONDON, Jan. 16, 1871, A despatch from Havre says there Is constant skirmishing near that city. THREATENING THE FRENCH LEFT WING. It is reported that the Prussians are taruing te left wing of Generai Faidherbe’s Army of the North | and menacing Cambrai, PAIDHERBE ADVANCING. A despatch from Lille says the army of General Fatdherbe is datly receiving reinforcements and 1s advancing. supported on its right by the divistons of Generals Pauisee and Devoy and on the leit by thatof Gen- eral Favre. The division of General Robin remains at Bapaume. FIGHTING NEAR LONGWY. The Prussians menace a bombandmeni of Longwy and the women and children are fying into Bel- glum and Luxembourg. Tnere was quite a heavy fight on Savurday near Longwy, In which both In- | fantry and artillery were engaged. PREPARING TO BESIKGB THE FORTRESS, A degpatch from Brussels, dated to-day, states that the Prussians have destroyed the bridge over the Chiers, between Longwy and Arion. The matertal for the bombardment of Longwy is being rapidly concentrated in the interior, It encamped during Sunday at Albert, | “Points Struck By the FONTAINBLEAU® Re, It must be remembered that the French fought strictly on the defensive almost throughout | the engagement. Once only did they assault the Germans, and that was when they attempted to dislodge their enemy from their position in the woods, opposite the village of Brette. It is, there- fore, natural to suppose that as the assaflants—re- peatedly repulsed, too, before finally achieving vic- tory—the Germans must have suffered in killed and wounded to at least an equal extent as the French. From London and Bordeaux it 1s stated that Chanzy has succeeded in reorganizing his army and taking up a new position. Chanzy himself tele- graphed that he expected another general engage- ment yesterday. Granting that these reports be correct he will have 110,000 men to 80,000 Germans under Prince Frederick Charles, whose force at the opening of the second day’s battle at Le Mans our correspondent estimated at 100,000 men, Thus Chanzy will still have a superiority tn num- | bers, not 8o preponderating as it was on the 12th, but stil very markea. The preponderation however, can be hardly appreciable when it 13 con- sidered what a vast difference exists in the morale and discipline of the two armies, The French, how- ever promptly they may have been rallied, must naturally be dispirited, while the Germans, flushed with recent victory over superior numbers on & battlefield selected by their enemy, must be in the highest possible spirits, We have received no despatches whatever to indi- cate the present positions of the contending armies, although we suppose they must be tu the neighbor- hood of Laval. If another battle was fought yes- | terday or is fought within the present week it will dcubtless result im the defeat of the French, who | can scarcely ve expected to achieve victory now | upon the heels of the terrible disaster at Le Mana, “BOURBAKI'S ADVANCE. | Manteuffel in Command the Germans. of THE !RENCH PRESSING FORWARD SEVERE BATTLE NEAR HERICOURT. Lonnon, Jan. 16, 1871. The commana of the German Army of the Vosges: is assigned to General Manteuffel. This army will comprehend General Von Werder’s forces, which are to be greatly augmented. FIGHTING NEAR HEKICOURT. A despatch from Prantral, dated the 13th, reports severe fighting all that day between Hericourt and Croix, inthe Department of Haute Saene, which had not ¢eased at a late hoar in the evening. The re- sult was unknown. Large reinforcements are stated te be coming from the North to the German Army of the East. BOURBAKI NEARING BELFORT. | A Bordeaux despatch dated January 16 states | that General Bourbaki continnes to approach | Belfort. He was fighting yesterday and occupied | Montbeliard, ‘The battle was resumed to-day, | Miluary Nentrality—Danger of Belliverent tion of the Border soil. | BRUSSELS, Jan. 16, 187k. | [have been assured, ov what I regard as verygre- | spectable authority, that it is exceedingly probable | that 50,000 Belgian troops will be concentrated upon the French border in case General Faidherbe is forced back to the frontier. Neutral and Friendly, but Not Mediatory in the War. BERLIN, Jan. 16, 187i. The semi-ofticial Prassian statement is made that “the rumor that Austria has offered her services as @ med'ator between Prussia and France ts at least | premature, ~ AUSTRIA. ~ | PARIS BOMBARDED, Herald Special Report frong the Besieging Army, Desperate Sortie on the Saxon Lines on Sunday. THE FRENCH EVERYWHERE REPULSED, Fort Issy Destroyed and Mont- rouge Breached. FIERCE AND ENCESSANT BOMBARDMENT. Narrow Eiscape of Von Moltke. TELEGRAMS 10 THE NEW YORK HERALD. LONDON, Jan. 16, 187. The correspondent of the London Times tele graphs from Le Vert Galant under date of yesterday the following intelligence, which I forward specially forthe New YoRK HenaLp:— ANOTHER SORTIE REPULSED. Early this morning (January 15) the French tn large force issued from Bondy and Grosslay under cover of a furious cannouade and made a desperate attack on the investing lines held by the Saxon troops, extendiag for a consideraiie distance, Tacy advanced on Mont Avron and other points, AC the same time there was another sortie from be+ tween Fort de l'Est and St, Denis upon Le Bourget, The French were repulsed everywiere an | driven back in confusion to their works. Fort Issy Destroyed and Montrouge Vaal Aifair—Fort Breach Dash at Clarmart— Matiers—Yierce Bombardment Breached~A Valerieu—Tue eral Narcow Escape of Von Molt':e. LONDON, Jan. 16, 1871, Thave received the following despatch from the New York HERALD correspondent at Versaflles, daied January 12, yiving an account of the operas tious around Paris. Your correspondents writes:— FORTS BREACHED AND RUINED. From half-past one till five o'clock yesterday afternoon she bombardment continued vigorously, | with but two intermissions of ten and twenty-five ‘The results of the German fire have thus far been great. The destruce Fort Issy has been virtually achieved, and Fort Montrouge has been breached +o completely that froma point near Sceaux can see rigat through to the enceinte of Paris some dis- The barracks of the fort have been Fort Montrouge will be fue minutes respectively. tion of tance beyond, utterly burned down. riously shelled to-day. A FATAL AFFAIR, French were engage® in bringing troops across the rallroad bridge to thet left bank of the river, near Bas Meudon, several shetls struek the bridge while It was crowded with. It broke down, precipitating the soldiers Many of them were crushed Yesterday while the them, from a great height. to death, FORT MONT VALERIEN. The French battertes at the village of Boulogn® kept up @ steady fire during the greater part of yese terday. Fort Mont Valerien ceased firing at two o'clock yesterday afternoon, out resumed an hou later and has kept up an intermittent fire ever since. THE FRENCH DASH AT CLAMART. At Notre Dame de Clamart, during tue French dash at the old breastworks yesterday, one officer and twenty men of the Sixth Bavarian infantry were taken prisoners. A Bavarian lieutenant wag bayonetted three times and died Jast night from the elects of his wounds, which were very severe. GENERAL MATTERS. After breakfasting with King William yesterday General Manteuftel teft Versailles for bis new com- mand in the east of France. Owing vo the extreme elevation of the guns inthe German batteries sure rounding Paris, many of the gun carriages have been seriously strained. LATER—FIERCE BOMBARDMENT. At this hour—four o’clock in the afternoon of Jane uary 12—the heaviest flring we have yet had is proceeding. It is directed mainly against Fort Montrouge, the bombardment of which has been ate solutely unceasing for the past twelve hours, NARROW ESCAPE OF VON MOLPEE. General Von Molike had a narrow escape from deatn to-day. When returning from a visit to the batteries on the southwestern side of Paris a shell from one of the French forts burst close to his car- riage, covering himself ana his aids with mud, ice and frozen earth. THE WEATHER. ‘The frost conthitues to make the roads almost imy passabie to horses and vehicles. There have been, however, very few cases of frost-bites. Inay, Vanvres and Montrouge Silent—Vigorous Sorties on the German Line—Repulse of the French at all Points. LONDON, Jan. 16, 1871. A despatch from Versailles says the bombardment ot Paris continued on the Lith, Forts Issy, Vanvres and Montrouge were silent. VIGOROUS SORTIES. Another despatch received from Versailles, aate® on the night of the 13th, says that vigorous sorties have been made by the garrison of Paris in three several directions. ‘The French simultaneously ad« vanced against the Prussian guards near Le Bour- get and Draucy, northeast of Paris; against the Eleventh German corps, near Meudon, southwest of Paris, and against the Second Bavarian corps, near Clamart, algo to the south of the city. g REPULSE OF THE FRENCH. ‘The fighting in each instance was spirited, byt resulted everywhere in the defeat of the French, | who, repulsed at all points, retreated rapidly within, their works, a portion of them in great disorder. Progress of the Bom ardment-Laudatery Order from ‘Trochu=King William to Leave bcd aaa Lonpon, Jan, 16, 1872, Vhe Patl Mati Goiwecte has spectal despatches from: Paris to Saturday. THE BOMBAKDMENT, ‘The bombardment Was slowly maintained against Fort Nogent and Romajnville all day Friday, but was general on Saturday. The French accuse the Prussians of using petroleum shells. TROCHU LAUDING BIS TROOPS. General Trocha in his order of the day renew@ CONTINUED ON SEVENTH PAGE Mont.