Gilpin observer., 1914-09-10
RANKS ARE. FILLED up AS
ENEMIES ARE MOVED DOWN
BY r. M. ToMLINsoN.

WIN q nOncOmm1SS1Oned Ofncer De-
longing to regiment named after an
eastern county of England which has
been in the front of the fighting al
most continuously night and day. And
very hard fighting, too.
Our only rest was when we were
on the march retiring" ne said. This
German attack is certainly extraor-
binary. You can throw them down
and NOW them down, but still they
come on, and directly the gaps are
made In their ranks fresh men fill
them up. There seems to be an mex
haustible supply of fresh troops. 1t
is impossible to oppose successfully
such a mass of men,"
Allies In Good Spirits.
Still, from my observation and my
talks with men and officers, there need
be no concern in England about the
enthusiasm and confidence and good
spirits of both the British and French
forces. They do not minimize In any
way the power OF the enemy, but it is
strange that the rapid and irresistible
rush of the Germans. which in Eng
land may appear intensely alarming.
does not worry the French or the Brit
ish soldier
They believe themselves well placed
and are surprisingly quiet and conf
dent, and are patiently working away
and watching and waiting for their
day, which is to come Nothing that
has yet happened in the campaign has
made any of them in the least despond
ent.
Success for General Pau.
Let us see what seems to have hap
pened since my dispatch from Amiens
last Monday. On that day the staff of
the famous general commanding the
extreme left wing of the allies (Sir
John French) was at -.
From the north the Germans seemed
to be advancing in great force. On
the other wing General Pau had had
a fine success near Guise, where he
handled severely the Tenth Prussian
army corps and the Imperial guard
in fight lasting throughout Saturday
and Sunday last. l was informed that
he circled them and smashed them
into the Disc.
On Monday the Germans were
forced to retreat with heavy losses,
but in the center and left center of
the allied forces the British were not
SO successful. The concentration of
Germans was against these points and
there was great fighting last Sunday.
Regardless Of Human Life.
But knowing this and more than
this. I am not any more alarmed than
are the French and British officers and
men / spoke with in the course OF my
unpleasant journey close to the fight
ing line. They know they are only
beginning. but they are still intact
and the men who have been working
hard and skillfully to stem the Ger
man torrent are quite confident that
success will ultimately be theirs.
Huge masses OF obedient men are
flung by the German commanders, re-
gardless of the loss of life. in fierce
and desperate effort to burst through
to Paris quickly. and though such
enormous masses must necessarily
force back all opposition, the allies
opposition meets them resolutely and
calmly and with intelligence and mill
tary science.
When the history of this war is writ
ten it will be seen that wonderful as
the German advance has been. the re-
tirement OF the allied forces has been
equally magnificent. 1t is hardly pos
sible to understand why such reckless
masses OF men and guns land it is be-
lieved that nearly all the German
army is in France), continually push
everything human. however well
armed and skillfully handled. which
stands before It.
Still II has not overwhelmed the
allies. II is almost Incredible. but II is
true
Town Is Deserted Suddenly.
When ! arrived at this little rail
road junction at noon. after a trip
to Paris and back. ] was told that.
on Monday the French cavalry were
seen on the hills to the south and
southwest, and that fighting had been
going on to the east. l2 miles away.
From what | had heard of the prog.
ress of the German advance up till
last Saturday, judged 1t would be
useful to visit the little town of -.
down the road.
| found as peaceful a countryside
as II 1t had never heard OF war. The
sight of a strangely beautiful cathe-
dral standing apart from the town was
restful enough, but there was soms-
thing uncanny about the shut and 81.
lent houses. Not an inhabitant was
to be seen. and then the cold truth
struck us that the town had been
evacuated.
Crossing bridge by the railway
station. French dragoon laughed
when he saw our startled looks at what
rested below and against the bridge
supports.
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