Evening star., 1898-10-08
,I,t operations strictly marked out, beyon,

| me dTlillery was maSsed in two divisions
"iiicn with motor car infantry escort and
d IONS rohsiaerable force of cavalry, were in
| tended to be used principally along th \
| creSts OF two small ridges that ran north
anu south through the position which. it
was expected, the kaiser's army would
| occupy about 10 O'clock
Soon after dawn some intermittent fir
ing 10 the north announced that the Ub-
! M M,hn scouts We're endeavoring to drive in
''!T TnaI frehG9 d;1 cavalry outposts.
! hnt "9 not accomplish their object,
put the french horsemen We're handled
50 carefully that they gave no sign OF the
presence OF an army in tfreir rear.
s,' Spoh, 100 these minor conflicts were
Jact.d - IN the sustained roar of the ex-
e peCtSa t Herman assault on the outskirts
VI ShslohS toward the northeast
1y clock the French pickets brought
e 4eHiite news of the German advance guard
very to the west. o--A
AZ 0 CLOCK MontsalOy led a cavalry re-
tunnalsSahce tiShce in that direction, and dis
ulctly saw the Germans in dense col
village. ioa"iis ~ inc
but the alert German staff noted the I'm.
Wohted asslGuity of the French m,1nfed
paIrois and the appearance OF Moots.iov
ana MS troops led to a counter reconnaIs
of Uhians N WV 'Sliiieiits
ms compact little body rode forward so
salahtly that It was necessary to ston
- ~ SOIiie u'Splay OF force. They
Eol Fellre Until several guns opened fire IN
thefn. ana a French cavalry briga ie GAL
! loPed out in the hope of cutting them eff.
me kaiser would not believe that any
notable opposition could be expected from
inns inns quarter, but the symptoms wera SO
dangerous that he unwillinsiy ordered
general halt. while two brigades of In
,y' .antry' Supported by four batteries and
''''pp sebefs. marched south to dispeI the
mystery that hung about the proneedinos
on the German left flank.
II took q good hour for this openine
Phase OF The battle to develop itself The
fahoVerlan infantry, beautifully handled.
ana mancuverng with fauitiess efficiency
pressed the attack right up to the banks
OF the Marine. and did not retire until
crushed by vastly superior French force
Al ?:lo the country in front of Vansittart
Was allVe with the kaiser's troops. Bat
teT1es OF artillery were taking up position
at the verge of a plateau beyond the Marine
ard shells were screaming through the air
III every direction where body of infantry
or cavalry could be discovered by the Ger
man guards.
The supreme moment of action had ar
rived. Fansiltart simply waved his hand
10 lie Breton, who commanded the leading
brigade. drawn up in t1e street of the
small hamlet ensconced in the leafy hol-
low close to the French center.
lie Breton signaled response, II )dded TO
the driver of the first car, and the vehicle
moved slowly 20 the front Quickly getting
pace. it dashed across a bridge over the
river. nearly coming to grief in the eager
ness of the driver to turn a rather sharp
corner
Five other brigades stationed across the
Marne, but near to Chalons, started al
most simultaneously, and within ten min
utes from the time cf NanSittartS quiet
signal 600 motors, containing 5000 SOL
CIers. were rushing toward the German
columns at a pace exceeding twelve miles
an hour. or more rapidly than similarly
large force of cavalry could possibly get
over the ground.
The kaiser and his staff had rd5en to the
crest Of the ridge. where the German guns
Were at work and we're momentarily eX-
pecting the bold stand SO Gar made by the
French 10 Wither before the vigorous as
saut nov III progress. when the first of the
motors with its two attached carriages
dashed into sight across the Marine.
What on earth is that cried VIII
helm. with field glasses glued to his eyes.
"A running steam engine." laughed an
aid.
"A charge by the commissariat!"
Perhaps new sort of military steam
roller
Whatever it is, it is full of soldiers!"
With machine gum
Another of Vansittarts lodges. eh?''
The concluding comment drew the en-
peror.
If it is one of Vansittart's lodges gen.
tlenen. it will need all our skill to coun-
teract it
In silence the distinguished officers ,pres-
ent steadily watched the progress of the
motor.
With even keener interest Vansittart and
those near him also watched it, for they
alone knew what expected of this new
and terrible engine of warfare.
Almost before a shot was fired at it the
motor was within 200 yards of the advanced
firing line. The officer in command of
scattered company. seeing this strange OBJ
ject darting rapidly toward him from the
French position, realized that. whatever its
powers, 1t must have hostile intent. So he
ordered his men TO fire a voley at it.
Several bullets struck the motor and the
cars with resoundng clang. but the angle
of impact was SO acute that the missiles
glanced OFF harmlessly.
And now the Frenchmen commenced fir
ing IN return, wildly, ii is true, owing to
the impossibility of taking accurate aim
but several Germans dropped.
II was different when, with tremendous
clatter and amidst clouds of whring dust,
the motor swept through the fighting line
and supports, to come within short range
of a couple Of battalions drawn up In close
order.
Here the French fire began to tell with
awful effect. The machine gun mounted
on the left front of the leading car. pour
ed torrent of projectiles into the German
ranks. and as it passed them on the flank
had destructive influence which could
never be obtained under ordinary condi-
tions.
The leaden shower beat upon the masses
OF soldiers with the directness of rain
Stofiil on d nelu OF corn. Whole sections of
companies were crushed to the groupd-a
half battalion was demoralized in a few
seconds.
Accompany of infantry stood on the road
way Itself The men bravely emptied their
magazines at the steel-clad monster rush
ing toward them with the speed of a train
iheh they realized that In another instant
the numbering, crashing motor would be
upon them Human nature could not with
s'aho thls modern car of juggernaut Of
ncers ana men rushed dismayed to the
neoses and sought to save their lives by
flight. e" ''
one after another of these fearsome
structures came painting up the slope each
SplttlnS IRE and smoke and deadly buIIets
eacn crammed with frantic, cheering in
toxlcated French soldiers, half frenziad
with the consciousness of Irresistible force
gwen to them by the motor. and bareIy
abie to obey the impassioned appeals az
their ofhcers to steady themselves and FIRE
WIN anything like self-control into rho
ranks of their opponents. Wv
me lirst man to apprehend the full scope
oI the motors in such battle as thar thev
were now engaged in was Vansittart H.
turned TO his STAFF and said:
90 some of You. and warn the rsser,,es
10 ne In immediate readiness. Also sand
me tth and Sth motor brieades To the as