Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1914-09-30
BY PHILIP GIBBS.

front OF me allied armies '5aS in a
crescent from Abbeville, south OF
Amiens on wooded heights. and
thence In irregular line TO south OF
Mezieres.
The British forces. under Sir John
Wrench, were at the left OF the center,
supporting the heavy thrustforward
or the main German advance, while
the right was commanded by General
Pau.
Million on the Move.
On Sunday afternoon fighting was
resumed along the whole line. The
German vanguard by this time had
been supported by fresh army corps.
which had been brought from Bel
GUM.
At least 100000 men were on tho
move. pressing upon the allied forces
with 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
under cover OF il, not like an army.
but rather like moving nation-I 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.
IL was impossible TO resist this on
slaught. If the British forces had
stood against it they would have been
crushed and broken. Our gunuers
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 mad 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
W.; the Germans thrust their main
attack deep into the angle. This DO
sltion remained the same until Mon.
day, or rather had completed itself by
chat date, the retirement OF the troops
being maintained with mastery skill
and without undue haste.
River Choked With Dead
Meanwhile General Pau was sustain
Ing 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.
| learned that the German onslaught
had been repealed by series of bril-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. IL need be. with JOY.
full enthusiasm
Gave Great Punishment.
They not only resisted the enerny's
attack, but 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 were hurled into the
river. The whole field of battle was
outlined by dead and dying men whom
.ney had TO abandon. Certainly their
losses we're enormous, and felt that
the German retreat was in full swing
and that We could claim a real victory
:or the time being"
Pau Compelled to Yield.
Nevertheless the inevitable hap.
pened. owing to the vast reserves OF
the enemy. who brought up four dvi-
sions. and General Pau was compelled
to give ground
On Tuesday German skirmshers
.ith light artillery were coming south
ward. and the sound OF their field
guns greeted my ears. Presently /
saw the figure OF n French DRAGON.
with his carbinc slung behind his back
He vas standing b. the side Of a
number OF eunTowder hays a little
farther away were little groups Of sol
diers at work b. two bridges, one over
q stream and one over road. They
we're working very calmly and I could
SEQ what they were doing They were
mining the bridges % blow them up
at Il giy IN signal
A ] went farther ] saw the streets
we're s,'ewn with broken bottles and
Uttered with wire cntanglements, art
fully ard carefully made
Trap for German Army.
1t wg5 obvious that there vas very
grim business being done and that the
soldier were waiting for something TO
hapI ell A. the railway station quick.
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