Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1914-10-08
BY PHILIP GIBBS.

i
session of the town on August rs, the
front of the allied armies was in {
crescent from Abbeyille, south %
Amiens on wooded heights. and
thence in a irregular. line to south o.
| Mezieres.
The British forces, under Sir John
French, were at the left Of the center
supporting the heavy thrust-forwarc
of the main German advance, while
The right was commanded by General
| Pau.
A Million on the Move.
On Sunday afternoon fighting was
resumed along the whole line. The
German vanguard by this time had
been supported by fresh army corps
which had been brought from Bel
| GUM.
At least 100000 men were on the
move, pressing upon the allied forces
with a ferocity of attack which has
never before been eQualed. Their
cavalry swept across greas tract of
country. squadron by squadron, like
the mounted hordes of Attila, but
armed with the dreadful weapons of
modern warfare
Their artillery was in enormous
numbers and their columns advanced
under cover of it, not like an army,
but rather like moving nation-I do
not think, however, with equal pres
sure at all parts Of the line. 1t formed
itself into battering ram with a
pointed end and this was thrust at
the heart of the English wing.
impossible to Resist.
1t was impossible to resist this on
-slaught. If the British forces had
stood against it they would have been
crushed and broken. Our gunners
were magnificent and shelled the ad-
vancing German columns so that the
dead lay heaped up along the way
which was leading down to Paris; but,
as one of them told me:
1T made no manner OF difference.
AS soon as we had smashed one lot,
another followed, column after column,
and by sheer weight of numbers. We
could do nothing to check them"
After this the British forces fell
back, fighting all the time. The, line
IF the allies was in the shape Of
w.; the Germans thrust their main
attack deep into the angle. This po-
sition remained the same until Mon.
day. or rather had completed itself by
tbat date tho rafiroYpopt ~ tho troopc
being maintained with mastery skill
and without undue haste,
River choked With Dead.
Meanwhile General Pau was sustain
tag a terrific attack on the French cen
ter by the German left center, which
eliminated on (date omitted. The
River Disc, which runs between beau
tiful meadows, was choked with
corpses and red with blood.
From an eye witness OF this great
bnttle, an officer of an infantry regi-
ment who escaped with slight wound,
I learned that the German onslaught
had been repealed By series Of bril-
liant bayonet and cavalry charges.
hC no Sdlut nav LhC
elite OF their army engaged against
US, including the Tenth army corps
and the Imperial guard but the hero
ism OF our troops was sublime. Every
man knew that the safety of France
depended upon him and was ready to
sacrifice his life, II need be, with joy
full enthusiasm.
Gave Great Punishment.
They not only resisted the enemy's
attack, but took the offensive, and, in
spite of their overpowering numbers.
gave them tremendous punishment.
They had 70 recoil before our guns.
Hundreds of them we're bayoneted
and hundreds were hurled into the
river. The whole field of battle was
outlined by dead and dying men whom
hey had to abandon. Certainly their
losses were enormous, and | felt that
he German retreat was in full swing
and that we could claim real victory
or the time being"
Pau Compelled to Yield.
Nevertheless the inevitable hap
Dened, owing to the vast reserves Of |
he enemy, who brought up four divi- |
lions, and General Pau was compelled |
% give ground.
On Tuesday German 'skirmishers |
With light artillery were coming south
ward, and the sound of their field |
runs greeted my ears. Presently | |
Jaw the figure of French dragon,
With his carbine slung behind his back.
lie was standing by the side OF
lumber of gunpowder hays. A little
arther away were little groups of sol
liers at work by two bridges, one over
stream and one over road They
we're working very calmly and could
ZEE what they were doing. They were
mining the bridges to blow them up
t a given signal.
As l went farther / saw the streets
we're strewn with broken bottles and
Uttered with wire entanglements, art.
ully and carefully made,
Trap for German Army.
It was obvious that there vas very
rim business being done and tbet the
oldlers were waiting for something to
appen. At the railway station quick
' learned the truth. The Germans
7ere only a few miles away In great
iohf |