As it is, I am very much afraid that in a very few weeks William will date his telegrams to Augusta from the Tuileries.
_December 3rd._ I wrote to you in a great hurry last night in order to catch a balloon which was to have gone this morning, but whose departure has been deferred as the wind was not favourable.

I am now able to give some more accurate details respecting the affair of Friday, as I have had an opportunity of talking with several of the officers who were on the staffs of the different generals engaged.

After the Prussians at 4 A.M.
had surprised the whole of the French line from Brie to Champigny, they pushed forward a heavy column between, the latter place and the Marne, thus outflanking their opponents.

The column advanced about half-way up the horse-shoe formed by the bend in the river, and would have got as far as the bridges at Joinville, had not General Fave opened fire upon it from a small redoubt which he had built in advance of Joinville, with forty field guns which he rapidly placed in position.

Reinforcements were then brought up under General Blanchard, and the column was at length forced back, fighting hard to Champigny.