On the other hand, the French have had their small
reverses. The recapture of Dreux by the Germans under the Duke of Mecklenberg on the 17th was really a repulse of the advanced posts of Keratry's Breton army. But Dreux was only held by a force of Mobiles without artillery,—the Germans say by 7,000, and the French say by only 3,000,—while the German force was overwhelming. A small engagement in the neighbourhood of Chateaudun followed on the 18th (yesterday week), in which the Germans say they lost one officer and about 100 men, while the French lost over 300, besides 200 prisoners. On the 21st, again, the Duke of Mecklenburg's troops, still advancing northwards in the direction of Le Mans, had several small engagements with Mobiles, in which they captured one gun. At the last account, two German corps, one coming from Chartres and one from Dreux, had united at Mamers, and were only about twenty-five miles north of Le Mans, The force from Dreux had beaten Mobiles at Verneuil, who retired after hard fighting. Le Mans was threatened,—some of Keratry's forces, however, being encamped at Conlie, about
fifteen miles north-west of Le Mans, and the Army of the Loire itself occupying Le Mans, it is believed in force.
Previous page
