The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1914-09-16
By PHILIP GIBBS.

T. @Ae SAS
session of the town on August %, the
front Of the allied armies was in a
crescent from Abbeville, south Of
Amiens on wooded heights, and
thence in q irregular line to south OF
Mezieres.
The British forces, under Sir John
French, were at the left of the center,
supporting the heavy thrust-forward
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 a fresh army corps,
which had been brought from Bel
gium.I
At least 1000, 900 men we're on the
move, pressing upon the allied forces
with a ~ferocity of attack which has
never before been equaled. Their
cavalry swept across a 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
numbers and their columns advanced
under cover of 1t, not like an army,
but rather like a moving nation-I do
not think, however, with equal pres
sure at all parts of the line. It formed
itself into a battering ram with a
pointed end and this vas thrust at
the heart of the English wing.
impossible to Resist.
It 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
of the allies was In the shape OF q
''V"; the Germans thrust their main
attack deep into the angle. This po-
sition remained the same until o
day. or rather had completed itself by
that date, the retirement Of the troops
being maintained with mastery skill
and without undue haste. ,
H River choked With Dead.
Meanwhile 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
tiful meadows, was choked with
corpses and red with blood.
From an eye witness of this great
battle, an officer Of an infantry regi-
ment who escaped with a slight wound,
1 learned that the German onslaught
had been repealed by a series of bril-
liant bayonet and cavalry charges.
THE Germans" he said, had the
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, If 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 to recoil before u guns.
Hundreds Of them were b~ayoneted
and hundreds were hurled into the
river. The whole field of battle was
outlined by dead and dying men whom
they had to abandon. Certainly their
losses were enormous, and felt that
the German retreat was III full swing
and that we could claim a real victory
for the time being"
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 outh-
ward, and the sound OF their field
guns greeted my ears. Presently l
saw the figure Of a French dragon,
with his carbine slung behind his back.
He vas standing by the side OF a
number Of gunpowder hays. A little
farther away were little groups OF SOL
diers at work by two bridges, n over
q stream and one over a road. They
we're working very calmly n coulo
see what they were doing. They were
mining the bridges to blow them up
at a given signal.
As I went farther l saw the streets
we're strewn with broken bottles ana
Uttered with wire entanglements, art
fully and carefully made.
Trap for German Army.
It was obvious that there was very
grim business being done and that the
soldiers were waiting for something 10
hanpen At the railway station quick
" learned the truth. The Germans
we're oaly a few miles away in great
force. At any moment they might
come down, smashing everything IN
their way.