The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-08-21

( worthy men hiding among the hilla' may raj
in wifi. Gen. Daubisson md give him definite
The hint was Noted upon-with excellent
effect. 4,
body Of defenders were taken by s~urprise. but
they were able to close the gates and line the
ancient fortihcations on the threatened side,
vigorous use OF the machine guns and tho
carbfnes of dlsmounted troopers soon settled
this effort at resistance. The sappers crossed
into pieces with dynamite, whereupon the Ger
mans surrendered at discretion.
While this husy work wss IN progress Col
across country on "A four miles ride to Obernat,
where a railway and a main road intersected
y In HStEi9 the Frenehmen speedily dismantled
the small arms factory. III terrified towns.
Fearful OF the destruction now being wreaked
upon a colossal scale. remained In their houses.
furtiyeiy peepinG from Gr, dheiT NV TFHn rSnNS .6 a. the
Frenchmen staggered about Mutzig in uni
Io breton did not forget TO station cavalry
yedettes on all the approaches to the town.
N SSth,niSk OF m0 sRssseS Tcc cSme rid nnsi h5 m e tH rs-
port that q troop train was diseharginR an in
fehtry regiment on the further side OF 2 gorge
from Strasburg and Snverne crossed a turbu-
The viad1ct had been blown up long before.
anht the French officer In charge OF the outpost
had sent him to give the earliest warning OF this
Another scout and yet another arrived.
breathless with the news that train after train.
obviously sent from StrasburR. was bringing
German skiImishers had crossed the torrent,
driving the French vedettes before them, and
thar 9 temporary bridge was wa IN, IN process 81 con- on
passage OF guns and horses.
II twas possible at this moment for lie Breton to
retreat toward the Vosges. with the hope OF fall
ing IN with Daubisson's relief expedition. But he
had promised Montsaloy to wait for him until 4
minutes Mutgie Would be- surrounded by fresh
and Infatuated opponents; This. then. vas the
close q the brilliant raid! That night he and
his gallant comrades must be Killed In battle
or shot in squads afterward.
He knew well that quarter would not be given
to a solitary officer or mar once the m
II was hard to be caught like n rat In a trap
at the precise instant when there did seem to
be sone chance of escape. .
There. toward the west, lay the unoccupied
lie Breton summarized the maddeninR situa-
ton in a few. words of emphatic. colloquial
French and set himself to examining the de-
Unfortunately his zealous men had already
destroyed every piece OF modern ordnance,
with all. the ammunition. in the town. Soon a
German battery. undeterred by n steady long
range fire from the walls. was laboriously
hauled into position on a clin barely three
quarters OF a mile distant. and the eager gun
ners hardly gave themselves time to align one
the air and struck n house in the. little market
place. sending fragments OF brick and mortar
You had Better have remained with Daubis-
SON" said Ie, Breton grimly, to Fairfax. who
was recuperating from his fatigue by sitting on
an f@Pi T. p %as tse S sSee enq r s%Gein nTThese chaps
are afraid OF you. Instead OF trying to rush the
PLACE forthwith they will will proceed proceed by set rule;
worth a years life to you"
And you also. monsieur"
oh. no. I'm safe enough: This is too big a
thing for the Times to miss IL. must get
through somehow"
Ike your spirit. my friend" said the Gen
eral. But pray make no mistake. These
Germans will spare no one attached to this
partE :nsra,,, said the other. lighting n fresh
cigar. Il mean to leave Mutzig tonight with
an escort OF French sabres."
Fairfax was undoubtedly anguine Mutzig
was at that moment undergoing a hailstorm Of
lead. Bullets swept through the streets from
the neiehborinG heights and q couple Of shells
of the northern gate. the gupners were adding
to the fusillade by salvos Of shrapnel.
ali possible shelter and conlne themselves to
strictly defensive tactics. so the casualty list
At last the i~nadequacy of the reply from the
wi encouraged the attackers. who were
momentarily increasing in strength. to attempt
a rush at the dismantled gate. But IL the
Frenchmen were Gagged. their claws were still
sharp.
angle, quickly cleared the gate and its ap.
proaches. and the Bayarian regiment that had
the charge left SUFFICIENT killed and
wounded ON their path to form two companies
This sharp repplse showed the Germans that
the assault would not be the easy matter they
had assumed. Achange Of tactics was neces;
sary. The town must be completely surrounded
and a plunging fire from all sides would rapidly
Another battery arrived and started at a gal
lop to a point which commanded the south.
of shells hurtled through the streets before. a
burst OF cheers from the defenders, on that side
made known TO their comrades the welcome
While the German gunncrs were busy cor
brigade suddenly appeared over
the crest OF the hill. and in u few strides the
NJ cavalry escort had been provided or
necessary by the Germans. so the af-
fair was over. with the speed OF a summer
literally ridden down.
AGerman infantry battalion, perceiving the
compliment to the French cavalry. but lie Bre-
ton. needless OF the northern artillery. ran his
machine guns out into the open. and gave the
infantry other occupation than emp
tying saddles ut Q yards.
In five minutes Montsnloy and the survivors
Of the briRade-they had met with some trouble
before they finally blew up a lock in the canal
MutZiR.
This temporary success elated the troops. yet
the most sanGuine among them knew full well
there was no chance Of being. extricated.
All they could do was To sell their lives dearly.
The German lire became nercer ana more ct-
The wretched inhabitants OF the town
suffered even more than the soldiers. Shell
after shell burst among the houses and set
them on fire. the flames driving forth those
who had escaped from the nroiectiles 10 en-
counter greater risk from the bullets that few
In all directions.
Wounded horses screamed with pain and
The number OF burning houses in
creased at such q rate that all Mutzig seemed
to be enyeloped In smoke and sparks. The
still air became oppressively hot and people
tainted from sheer exhaustion and despair;
shTieking women and children raced about
wildly. seekingior some nook secure from the
leaden showers, or collapsed. speechless and
horror stricken. where they CHANGED to fall.
Many thousands OF German infantry had now
re~achedFthe locality from StrasburR. and a de-
termined attack was made upon the, two avail
gates. while fresh artillery took the place
Of the destroyed battery.
Even Fairfax was beginning to think the
Times would miss its most enterprising "spe-
cial." when n sharn rattle OF, musketry and the
deeper boom of cannon ON the west caused the
OF the defending force to beat with trem-
ulous anticipation.
Was II only development Of the German as
sault. or could II be that Daubisson-