Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1914-09-02
BY FRANKLIN y. MERRllck {.
( lnternatio nal News Service.

UOuA6S ly4u6 VI ooA6Ae1A - I~tts
Charleroi show the feroclty with which ca
the allied French and British troops
opposed the@ wave OF German troops
that rolled them over and drove them
back to France. 5' WI 2i3 s,ss..
For ten hours the tide of battle.
ehbed and flowed at Charleroi, the
town being taken and retaken$ i've t
times before the allies withdrew.
Part of the city was wrecked, &c
cording to reports received by the war
office. The villages of Marchiennes,
Monceau, Chatelet and Landelies were:
burned. #% 45sF |5.,. - IL II ::,s
"a, al a. ~ Citizens Killed. 81 I
Though the Inhabitants Of the peace
full little villages had been warned
that. the conflict was coming, scores
remained in their homes and pertsheo
in the flames or were killed under the
rain Of shot and shell that swept the
streets when they were driven from rom
the shattered structures.
Fierce hand to hand fighting took
place in Charleroi. The French were
the first to occupy the town, but they
were driven out by bombardmentt
from the German artillery. The Ger
mans then entered by the left bank
Of the river Sambre, but within
short time more of the allies troops
arrived and the conflict was renewed cl
The Germans sought cover IN IN the 9
houses in the lower part OF the toW \
and to dislodgee them the French
were forced to sweep that section with
their artillery. Is, y 5,.s 4. II
&t VI Wounded Fill Towh. Il
The lower part OF the town was s't. soon % On
IN flames and the Germans we're
forced into the streets. Back and forth
through these surged the contesting
soldiers, fighting desperately for VIC
tory. The dead lay thick when the
French were finally forced to: with With
draw. Els, s,5a5 FIX 5s2 y III 4
For three days wounded soldiers s7
have been pouring into Maubeuge.
The monastery and nunnery there are
filled. The inhabitants have given
up their homes to the wars victims. x
On Sunday the Germans drove the
French troops through the town 5o q!
Charleroi, back to the second de-
fensive position on the line defined by
the towns Of Avesnes. Rocroi and Nc
zieres. s S -i55Ea
Recaptured BY French:
The French artillery from the
heights now turned a furious cannon
aiding on Chartered, which had been
bombarded previously by the Germans
from the other side. The German po-
/ ition was SO weakened by the deadly
accuracy Of the French gunnery that q
counter attack by the allies was or
dered and at daylight on Monday the
entire line advanced, charged the Ger Ger
man position and recaptured Charleroi.
The conflict probably was unequaled
in history in severity and casualties.
The Germans must have succeeded N
bringing up reserves, for early On
Tuesday they made a successful coun IN
ter attack along the whole battle line
and retook ,Charleroi, driving the
French back to an, intrenched position,
which they held until the morning OF
the second day. Il ;s 81
Retreat tag Good Order. 4:
The retreat was made In good or
der. the main forces Of the French re-.
naming intact. "A j 4 ,,:5
Va Both armies suffered terrific losses.
The battle has not yet finished. i
The German catapult. is hammering
at the French and British allies again,
trying to batter It's relentless way to-
Paris. There IL desperate fighting
along the Belgian frontier at several
points. and French victories are re-
ported at two places, Charleroi and
Conrtrai, though nothing Official has
been given out. I!
m 'rurcos Charge Battery. 4
At the beginning Of the combat. the
French made a sortie in; . medieval
manner, with the object Of surprising
the enemy. The latter we're found in
number far exceeding the French ex-
5pectations, and the attempt to rout3
them failed. IS "! r. sg.
Then the Turcos, in the face OF a
whitening fire, charged a German bat
terry at the point Of the bayonet, Five
hundred OF these brave French SOL
charge. Only 100 returned. Il
Their sortie had no effect against
the steady German advance, which
continued to creep step by step
through the outskirts Of Charleroi. i
Il Before the railway station the Ger
mans fought for two hours In an effort
to capture the !Abridg heir losses
were enormous, but the bridge was
captured. 4 81 s;r i
i 7 i'%5 Frencl, Beaten Rapidly. q
ss5s After the Teutonic advance over
'whelmed the bridge, the Germans
gained ground rapidly, taking in sue
icession the villages Of Marchiennes,
.Landelis and Montignies and the coun-
try as far. as Walcourt. &
Later the French artillery opened
Ere on Charleroi and the French in
fantry advanced under this cover. The
tide Of battle appeared to favor the
tri:color, but not for long. ,.s (
French infantrymen declared the
roofs became SO damned with dead
that the victims Of battle remained
standing where they were shot, and
were used by the living as breast
works from. behind which to fire on
the enemy. ssa aI g..
The last stand Of the French was
along the line between Thuin and Met
tet. 6 20 &&.Gs5. ILL.,
!. At nightfal1 the fighting ended, both
sides tired beyond endurance. Mon
day morning the French returned to
the attack, entering the town in the
BULLETS CAUSE NO ~ i