Evening star., 1914-11-14
a night In Muelhausen when a heavy

q night in Muelhausen when a heavy
artillery attack was started against
their position in and around the city. IN
which the heavy guns from Fort Istein,
on the slopes Of the Istein mountain,
participated. In q violent night attack
the French were driven from the city.
Hopes were entertained that the In
yaders might be driven southwark and
forced over the Swiss border. but the
French got safely away under the guns
OF Belfort and were soon starting east
ward again toward Muelhausen.
They had meanwhile dragged artil-
lery to the peaks of the Vosges-even to
the summit OF the Donon, the favorite
climb" for amateur mountaineers in
the lower Vosges. From here their
guns commanded the defile of Schir-
meek. and August IA. detachment Of
German artillery from Strassburg, in
cautiously venturing into the pass. came
under fire from the mountain top ana
was so badly mauled that it had to
retreat. sacrificing fourteen guns.
During the next few days the efforts
tinued. August 10, the 55th French
Infantry Brigade advanced as far as
Weller. fifteen kilometers northwest Of
Sehlettstadt, but was beaten back at
that point. This action was part of a
general movement which also included
an advance through the Belfort gap.
Against the troops coming from Bel
fort the Germans could throw only
landwehr Battalions often checked the
progress of French brigades and dfVl-
sions. and the German machine guns
and heavy artillery caused the French
heavy losses In spite of the bravery
shown by the German troops the
French finally reoccupied the entire
Sundgau and the city of Muelhausen.
French in Full Retreat.
August 81 Prince Rupprecht of Ba-
varia defeated the French in the first
really decisive battle in Lorraine. be-
tween Metz and the Vosges. The
French offensive collapsed, and with
the steep Donon being cleared of the
French on the same day, the Germans
were able to free Alsace of the invad-
ers. August % the French were in full
retreat through the Sundgau. Near Bel
fort, however. they made a stand. and
that they did not succeed in again ad-
vancing north is thought to be due to
the German heavy howitzers, to which
the French could oppose no similar ar
tillery. During the following days the
Germans attempted to clear the iso.
lated small valleys Of the Vosges Of
the French. but the Alpine chasseurs
had buried themselves deeply In
trenches and were not easy to dislodge.
This was especially true of the troops
who had taken possession of the VAL
leys of Gebweiler and St. Amarin, the
slopes and approaches of which were
well protected by machine guns and
artillery.
In the first days of September the
fighting in these valleys grew very hot.
leading to general melees September S
and s. The French counter offensive
was felt by the Germans everywhere,
and was especially strong in the at
through the Belfort gap and through
the Vosges passes. The German troops
in Alsace were few in number. Septem-
Der the French literally poured into
and La Chapelle---two army corps TAX
ing positions In the Sundgau. The Ger
mans were obliged to retreat toward
the Rhine, where the guns Of Iatein
the French. For the third time the en-
tire Sundgau was in the hands Of the
French.
A German counter attack came Sep
tember 9. The Sundgau was taken
back foot by foot, and at Sennheim and
the result Of this the French were
obliged to retreat over the Bussang
mountain road. The 11th, however, the
French again assumed the offensive.
and to stem this advance the Germans
were obliged to put the last available
man to the front. They succeeded in
arresting the progress Of the French.
but an offensive on the part of the
Germans IN Ln6 OlTeCSIOu OI Iall.
ed because the French had taken ref
uee in excellent intrenchments, Of
which the Rebberge and the Thanner
Kopf were the main supports. Some Of
these positions were taken by the Ger
mans with the bayonet September IL.
The day would have been lost, however,
had not German military aviators dis
| covered the advance of a French di-
vision against Burnhaupt. Immediate
ly a large number Of howitxers opened
fire on the advancing troops. while
German infantry was rushed toward
Schweighausen. The effect of the Ger
man howitzers was more than the
French could stand, and their retreat
because a rout. The Germans took
every advantage of this and the French
were nowhere given the opportunity to
hold a position long enough to permit
intrenchment.
Both Sides Gain and Lose.
Following this the French rushed
new troops into the sundgau. directly
! in front of Belfort, and. September IA
and is. this led to renewal of fight
ing. After a first check the French
returned In greater numbers, and a
general engagement on the Altkirch-
| Thanh line resulted. In this the Ger
mans were victorious. Then followed a
Ionp series of gains and losses for