Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-08-31
ATTACK OF GERMANS
Continued from Page One)

The battle began on Sunday at
Mons, during which day, and part of
the night the German attack which
was stubbornly pressed and repeated
was completely checked by the British
front On Monday, the oath the Ger
mans made vigorous efforts in superior
numbers to prevent the safe with
dlaWSl of the British army and 10 drive
1t into the fortress of Maubeuge.
This effort was frustrated by the
steadiness and skill with which the
British retirement was conducted and.
as on the previous day. very heavy
losses, far in excess of anything suf-
Tered by us, were inflicted on the enc
my who, in dense formation and in
enormous masses marched forward
again and yet again to storm the Bri-
tish lines.
The British retirement proceeded
on the 10Th with continuous fighting.
though not on the scale of the pre-
Vious two days. and by the night of
the 25th the British army OCCUPIED
the line of Cambria, IAndrecics and
lie Cateau. tCambrai is a fortified
town in the department of North. 80
miles southeast of Lille on the River
Scheldt. La Cateau is Ii miles east
by southeast of Cambrai).
1t had been intended to resume the
retirement at daybreak on the 26th
out the German attack, in which no
less than five army corps were enpap-
ed was so close and fierce that IT was
n0SGihla n
ton until the afternoon.
The battle on this day, the 2sth. was
OF most severe and desperate char.
aeter The troops offered a sunerb
and most stubborn resistance to the
tremendous odds with which thev wers
confronted and at length extrfcated
themselves, in good order, though with
serious loss and under tn eheayies,
artillery fire. No guns were taken nv
the enemy except those, the horses Of
which had all been killed or which
We're shattered by high explosive
shells.
General French estimates that dur
ing the whole of these operations from,
the 23rd to the 26th inclusive. his loss
es amounted to 5000 or 5000 men. ON
the other hand. the losses suffered nv
the Germans in their attacks across
the open, and through their dense for
nation, are out of all proportion I'd
those which we have suffered
"In Landrecies alone on the 25tb as an
instance, German infantry brigade adj
Vanced In close order into a narrow
street which they completely filled Our
machine guns were brought to hear IN
this line from the end of the street Tho
column was swept away. A friehtful
panic ensued and 1t is estimated that
500 or 800 dead and wounded Germans
were left in this street alone. Another
incident which may be chosen from MANY
like it was the charge of the German
Guard Cavalry division upon the British
18th Cavalry brigade, when the German
cavalry were thrown back with great
losses and in absolute disorder These
are notable examples of what has taken
place over practically the whole front
during these engagements, and the Ger
mans have been made to pay the ex-
IRENE price for every forward march
they have made.
"Since the 26th, apart from cava,rv
fighting the British army has not been
molested. 1t has rested and refitted aft
er its exertions and glorious achieve
ments. Reinforcements, amounting 10
double the losses sustained already have
joined. Every gun has been replaced
and the army is now ready to take mart
In the great encounter with undiminished
strength and undaunted spirits.
To-day the news is again favorable.
The British have not been engaged but
the French armies, acting vigorously on
the right and left, have for the time be-
ing brought the German attack to a
standstill.
''Sir John Frenehe also reports that on
the 2Sth the British 5th Cavalry brigade
fought in brilliant fashion with German
cavalry, in the course Of which the 18th
Lancers and the Royal Scots Crews
routed the enemy and speared a large
number in flight.
"It must be Remembered throughout
that the operations in France are vast
and that we are only on the wing of the
whole field of battle. The strategic po-
sitions of ourselves and our allies are
such that where a decisive victory for
our arms in France probably would be
fatal to the enemy, continuous resist
ance by the Anglo-French armies upon
such a scale as TO keep in the closest
grip the enemy's best troops can, If pro-
longed, lead only to one combustion"