The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1914-09-11
BY PHILIP GIBBS.

session OF the town on August rs, the
front OF the allied armies was In q
crescent from Abbeyille. south Of
AmIsns on wooded heights. and
thence In q irregular line 10 south OF
Mezieres.
The British forces. under sir John
French, we're at the left OF the center.
supporting the heavy thrusttorward
Of the main German advance, while
the right was commanded by General
Pau,
A Million on tho Move.
On Sunday afternoon fighting was
resumed along the whole line. The
German vanguard by this time had
been supported by a fresh army corps,
which had been brought from Bel
Eium.
At least 1000, 900 men were on tho
move. pressing upon the allied forces
with a ~feroGity Of attack which has
never before been cQualed. Their
cavalry swept Gro q great 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
under cover OF 1t, not like an army,
but rather like u moving nation-~l do
not think, however, with equal pres
sure at all parts Of the line. 1t formed
itself into a battering ram with a
pointed end and this was thrust at
the heart OF the English wing.
impossible to Resist.
It was impossible to resist this IN.
slaught. II the British forces had
stood against II they would have been
crushed and broken. Our gunners
were magnificent and shelled the ad.
~yancing German columns 80 that the
dead lay heaped up along the way
which wal leading down to Paris; but.
~ one OF them told me:
ut made no manner OF difference.
Az soon as we had smashed n 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
Of the allies was In the shape OF a
"v'; the Germans thrust their main
attack deep into the angle. This po-
Hition remained tho same until Mon.
day, or rather had completed itself by
that date, the retirement OF the troops
being maintained with mastery skill
and without undue haste.
River choked With Dead.
Mean while General Pau was sustain.
ing 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
iful meadows, was choked with
corpseB and red with blood.
From an eye witness of this great
hattie, an officer of an infantry regi-
ment who escaped with a slight wound,
I learned that tho German onslaught
had been repealed by a series of bril-
liant bayonet and cavalry charges.
'Ths Germans" he said, had the
elite of their army engaged against
~, 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 Francs
depended upon him and was ready to
sacrifice his life. II need be. with Joy.
tul enthusiasm.
Gave Great Punishment.
"They not only resisted the enemy's
attack, hut took the offensive, and. In
spite Of their overpowering numbers,
gave them tremendous punishment.
They had to recoil before our guns.
Hundreds Of them were bayoneted
and hundreds we're hurled into the
river. The whole leld Of battle was
outlined by dead and dying mea whom
they had to abandon. Certainly their
losses were enormous, and ! felt that
the German retreat was n full swing
and that we could claim n real victory
Tor the time being"
4 Pau Compelled to Yield.
Nevertheless the inevitable hap
pened, owing to the vast reserves OF
the enemy, who brought up four divi.
sions, and General Pau was compelled
to give ground.
On Tuesday German skirmishers
with light artillery were coming south
ward, and the sound Of their field
guns greeted my ears. Presently l
saw the figure Of n French Dragon.
with his carbine slung behind his back.
He was standing by the side of a
number Of gunpowder bags. A little
farther away were little groups OF sol
diers at work by two bridges, n over
n stream and one over a road. Fhey
were working very calmly and could
Q what they were doing. They were
mining the bridges to blow them up
mt a given signal.
As | went farther saw the streets
were strewn with broken bottles and
Uttered with wire entanslements, art
fully and carefully made.
Trap for German Army.
It was obvious that there was very
ri.t business being done and that the
soldiers we're waiting for something TO
happen. At the railway station quick.
Nv learned the truth. The Germans
we're only q few miles away in great
force, At any moment they might
come down, smashing everything IN
their way.
The station master, a brave old type,
and one or two porters, had demand
cd TO stay on to the last.
I'VE are here" he said, as though
The Germans would have 70 reckon