The Evening Standard of Thursday announced in a special despatch
from its Tours correspondent that General D'Aurelles had advanced at the head of the Loire Army on Wednesday (9th November), and dislodged the Bavarian force under Von der Tann from Orleans, the Germans being reported as losing 500 killed and wounded in the engagement. This statement, incredu- lously accepted at first, was yesterday confirmed officially from Versailles. The German report says that on the advance of the Army of the Loire along the north bank of the river by Beau- gency, General Von der Tann at first took up a position outside Orleans to oppose it. "The strength of the enemy having been ascertained, the General- withdrew fighting towards St. Beravy." (He has since reached Toury and joined the cavalry force of Prince Albrecht.) Another official report (also from Versailles) adds that General Von der Tann, "who had evacuated Orleans," reports that no advance of the enemy was observed on Thursday. No statement of losses was made in the German account ; but the French statement of 500 killed and wounded is so moderate as to render it pretty certain that there was no street fighting in Orleans. Von der Tann retired before superior strength.
