The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-09-20
DES0LATE SCENE
ALONG THE MARINE
Battlefield Presents Picture Of
Devastation After Second
Days Fighting.
BODIES HARD TO FIND
Underground Makes Victims
Difficult TO LOcate--Seyeral
villages Destroyed.
BODIES HARD TO FIND

LONDON, Sept. io.----The Times prints
the following despatch from ts correspon-
dent at sezsnne, IN the Department OF
the Marne:
~The territory over which the second
day's battle Of the Marine was fought is
now a picture OF devas alton. aboinina-
,lor and death almos. too awful to de-
scribe.
gwen now many sons ot the father
land are sleeping their last sleep IN the
open FIELDS and IN bitches where they
fell, or under hedges where they crawlcd
after being caush, BY rife bullet or
piece Of shell, or who're they sought shell
ger from the mad rushes OF the French
tlreurs, VINO have never lost their natural
dextcrity with the knife and who at close
quarters frequently throw away their
rifles and fight hand to hand
THE German prisoners are now being
used or the battlefield In searching for
and buryng their dead comrades. over
the create. part of the huge battlefield
there have now been buried at least those
Who died in open trenches on the pla,eaus
or on the hEhruads. The extensive FOR
ost area, however, has hardly been
searched for bodies. although hundreds
OF both French and Germans must nave
sought refuge and died there. The dit
hculty OF hniiug bodies Is considerable
on account OF the underground.
"I.ong lines oc newly broken brown
earth mari; the graves OF the victims.
Souo OF these burial trenches are $50
yards long. The dead are placed shoulder
10 shoulder. ana often In layers Tbs
sives some idea OK the slaughter that
took place in this battle.
The peasants, who are rapidly COM
Ing hack to the scene. arc marking the
grave trenches In crosses. and plant
irg flowers above or placing on them
simple bouquets OF dahlss, sunnowers
and roses.
Some Of the hottest Aghtlng OF tho
prolonged Battle took place around the
beautiful old chateau Of Monde n,ent on
u hill six miles east of Sessnne. This
relc OF the architectural art of Louis
XIV. occupied a position which both sides
REGARDED as stra;egicaily important. To
the east It looked down into a great de-
ciivity In the shane Of an immense Greek
lamp with the concealed marshes of st.
Sond ct the bottom Beyond are the
downs and neaths Of Epernay, Reims
and Champagne, while the heights Of Ar
come stand out boldly IN the distance
TO tho west Is a rich agricultural coun-
try.
TIE possession OF tie r.dge OF Non-
dement, was vital to c tnur :he attackers
or the defenders. Thc conflict here was
OF furnace intensity for four days. Tie
Germans drove the French out In u tor
rife ASSAULT and then tho French guns
were brought TO bear. followed by hand
10 hand fight ms on the gardens and
lawns OF tn chateau ani even throITn
ne breschei walls. tn French dyh "
held the building for few hours only
% retire before another Determined Gor.
nan attack. On the .Ourth day the
swept the Germans out svain with shea
ire under which the walls OF the cha
teau, although two or three feet thick,
c:ampl,u Ike ,iper."
The correspondent continues that the
battlenelds gave many evidences Of the
magnificent equipment OF the German
army. Shrapnel shells piled in many
pyramids stood on the field where they
nad been abandoned in the retreat and
innumerable wicker panniers, constructed
to hold three of the shells in such "A
way that thorc could be no movement,
were scattered about.
He adds:
THE villages OF Dyes, Villeneuve,
Chstllon and Soizy-auN- Bots we're all
bombarded and completely destroyed.
Some fantastic capers were played by
the shells. such as blowing away half q
house and leaving the other half intact (;
going through window and out by the
back wall without damaging the interior.
or going few Inches into the wall and
remaining fast without exploding.
"E!ileneuve which was retalSen three
times, Is. including its nne Old church.