The Anderson daily intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1915, 1914-10-10
Make Their Attacks Singing and
With Drums Beating Says
One Correspondent.
THRILLING STORY OF BATTLE
description OF the Retreat Of the Ger.
mane TO the Aisne and the Dee,
perate Fighting That Accom-
panied and Followed Il.
BY HERBERT TEMPLE.
European Manager OF the Information

-f.-.r+ a. NSWS SCTNtCe.
London.-German troops are dying
TO the music Of their regimental bands
Ia the valley of death along the Aisne
by day and night.
Their losses are colossal, says an
English correspondent who sends his
story from La Ferte-Milon, south OF
Soissons.
Describing a counter-attack made by
the Germans. he says:
They came on singing, with their
orums beating behind them. Even at
mSht they had their bands to play
them on to attack.
We met them in the holes they
had themselves dug, and. as French
sold.ai~who told the story, said: 'ycn
know, In fight like that We had
them at disadvantage, for our bay
onets are longer than theirs, only all
these straps about our chests and
shoulders get in our way and him
der our movements. The Germans
are better off in that respect and 80
are your soldiers, as they can use
their arms freely. Tho Germans
would break for while and 60 back,
but as soon as we sent them back
another lot would come on. and SO II
went, time after time"
Sees Waste OF Battles.
The same correspondent sends this
soul-stirring story of the battle that
had entered its second week:
From the battlefield of Marne
worked my way northward through
Chantilly and Senlis to Cropy-en-
Valois to this valley of death. Il came
by night through lands wasted by the
feet OF tens OF thousands of armed
men and by innumerabie wheels Of
the worlds greatest armies.
1T was q strange. terrible experi-
ance. AL along the route Z ssw
hs2th and destruction. I saw dead
men and dead horsos, villages In ruin
and railway rolling stock scattered
over bare fields. A great water tank,
hurled from its base. was lying dere-
lict amongst ruined hay stacks. 1
saw q transport wagon, its wheels
smashed, leaning dizzily over the
bodies, OF the brave men who failed
to save 1t from destruction. and who
refused to leave 1t.
Il have seen on this road sights
that convince me that the retreat
was not only swift, but precipitated
to point Of actual panic.
Reasons fer Retreat,
''It was Aisne or destruction. II fs
necessary to realize that inst as the
"llied army, on It's way from Mons
to Paris. was in danger Of the Ger
man fanking movement which threat
ened to overwheiai Il, SO was General
von Kluck's right flank, In its re-
treat from Paris to Aisne. in extreme
danger. To avoid annihilation, he fed
to a position Of tremendous strength
toward the west. It was absolutely
essential to his safety to gain the
position OF Aisne
"one must not il sight Of the su.
preme fact OF TIE present situation
that just as the junction OF the Ourcq
and Marne at Meaux made that town
the key OF encounter last week, SO
the junction OF the Disc and the Aisne
at Compeigne has endowed the lat.
ter with cardinal Importance. Once
across the Aisne. the German army
had the River o!se on Its right, and,
for the moment, the danger OF being
out-fanked was averted.
This was the position on Sunday.
September IS. the Arst day Of the
great frontal battle.
"on the right the army was pro-
teoted 5jyi the forests ca Aisie aad Sy
the. River oise. which descends ell.
most due south from Noyon. II was
and is an extremely strong position
and one capable OF only q fransa! az,
tack.
Is Open Attack on Sunday.
1T was clear from tho outset that
these fortified positions must be
fought for and taken. no matter how
great the effort or how terrible the
sacrifice. Happily, the time afforded
General Won Kiuch's army for prep
aration was short, due 10 the fact that
the allies. although tired by the long
pursuit of the 9th. 10th, nth and 18TH,
lost no time In opening the atteck
on Sunday,
Sunday proved to be n day OF tfe-
menious Importance. With the az.
cept!on OF one small structure ands
q railway bridge girder, all the
bridges across the river near this
point had been blown up. Il was oh
yious that pontoon bridges must be
constructed. and, 90 work, out this
aim. an artillery duel .was begun with
the Germans. whose position was such
that they commended the river dur.
Ing a greater part of its course In
that section =, .;sss ,is, {, (. 4, 81
Great Artillery Duel.
The artillery batt,a thst began
early Sunday and lasted thronghoat
The greater portion of the day. was