The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-09-22
VAST PLAIN is Uttered
WITH HUNDREDS OF DEAD
CONTINUED From First Pagc.


formed Il flaming. trembling line across
the plain at the moment of assault.
Nearly all tho dead lie with their faces
10 the ground, having been hit In the
head or breast. and they all have those
strange. inhuman, grotcsuuc, sinister at
titudcs to which they were condemned
by death on the battle field.
Some Of the wounded have had time
to settle themselves and quietly await
the end. They appear To be sleeping
In front Of each corpse is Il rifle which
escaped from the grasp OF falling
man. Long hayoncts have mrrowcd
the earth.
The assault began 1T distance of
700 to 500 yards from the first line of
German trenches. II is possible to fol-
lowing its course and reconstruct ii. In
sensible to losses, yelling masses Of
Frcnchmcn advanced 1T double under
AN Internal fire.
German shrapncl had lIindlcd piles Of
straw. the remains OF which were still
smoking. but the German artillery fire
must have been reduced To silence al
most immediately. At 800 yards from
the trenches there are no more coSpscs.
The enemy had He'd
iiAND-rO-uAND STRUGGLE
TOLD BY DEAD BODIES
One crosses this empty space and
meets the dead again, but here they arc
all Germans Along the edges OF
Chambray Road the whole episode OF
tn" hand hand struggle is narrated
by cOrpScs. I'm isolated group of Ger
maus had made a rampant of the road o.
side and remained there firing. They
could not retire. and held out as long
as they could. The last of the dead
mol, ,,.1e fra, 4, -.
spot--aud then the assault passed on.
Pierced hN haNcnctS, the Germans fell
with their backs against tho impro-
viscd parapcts.
Twisted bayoncts and broken rifles
That remain here speak Of violence, OF
Il swift. fierce and desperate combat.
The Germans fell in small squads. A
group Of corpscs lies around the body
OF an officer.
The retreat was protected by the sue
ccssivc sacrifice of little companies.
How tho dead resemble each other.
ThcN can oily bc distinguished by their
uniforms. ON the ground. French and
Germans are the same. Racial charac-
tvristicS vanish beneath the cruel mask
of death
In the eternal truce Of death there
is Il species Of fraternity between
fallen enemies
Each German corpse has u kmapsaclt
though prepared for review Nothing
IS disarrnnrcd. Cartridge belts. seal
hards. equipment of all Kinds. rolled
oNcrcoats, tent canVas-cVervth is
neatly folded. laced and buckIcd All
seem TO form AN integral part OF the
body Even the spiked helmet remains
fixed on the head
ORDER AND DISCIPLINE
SHOWN Bi GERMAN DEAD
Nothing creates tho impression OF a
routed army. II the French corpscs
reveal the irresistible fury of the as
sault the German dead display orde r
and discipline. The German army is
beaten, but not routed. 1t retired quick
~ but mcthodically. not resisting at
tac@s. II withdrew with fury, hut not
in confusion. II discngagcd itself.
BESIDES material it abandoned also
its wounded. hut with them il left he
hind whole sections of Is hospital
corps TO look after them. The French
make prisoners Of the wounded and of
their nurses. doctors and Dispensers
who maintain their rank and author
lily. and all these form q little German
Organization which continues To act
automatically in the midst Of the
French army. isolated and mpertur-
able, with it's rigid salutes and i'm
pcrious commands. just as If nothing
had happened
The retreat continues under the pro-
lection or heavy artillery placed in
the rear guard and so il is still pro-
cc"ding Close pursuit is Impossible
Action OF pursuing cavalry is out of
the question. Patient manocuvcring
rs necessary. Batteries must bc turned
and dislodged. The German infantry
is out of reach. Gaps are made In the
German ranks and small bodies OF
troops are captured. but as whole.
The army Keeps intact. Defeat is not
yet
The Anglo French victory might he
compared with the Jaiancsc victory at
LAO Yang, where the Russians retired
without losing effectiveness There
arc successful battles which do not fin
ish. rho victory is great but II can
not he anything more than magnin-
cent preface TO the end.