The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1914-10-07
PERMISSION
TO STAY AND FIGHT
Exhausted by Three Days in Trenches French seI-
diers Beg Commander to Let Them Stay
and Take German Position.

From The Battle Front, Via Paris.
Oct. 5-The allied armies, after hay
ing permitted their adversaries, as
they thought, exhaust themselyes BY
continued attacks, today took most
vigorous offensive. The British and
French encountered such q strong re-
sistance, however, that their most ad-
vanced detachments on the western
wing, were compelled to fall back.
Only at this part of the long battle
line did the opposing troops actually
come in close contact.
Many picturesque villages, around
which hundreds of thousands of men
occupy positions, have suffered severe
ly in the recent fighting and probably
still more before the struggle Is over:
The country where the fighting Is
going on is fiat and under cultivation.
In many places it is boggy and there
are scattered coal mines. The allied
armies are extending continually to-
ward the north and bending eastward
toward the Belgian frontier, thus
compelling the Germans, in order to
prevent the crumbling up of their
main army, to move large forces from
the center and so keep pace with the
allies whose positions menaces the
invaders along the whole line. The al
lies plan, it is thought, may compel
the Germans to release the pressure
on the Belgians.
The rapidity with which the French
change position is considerede re-
markable. Two entire divisions Of in
fantry marched nearly thirty miles
Saturday and twenty eight miles Sun
day. The Germans, however, by means
of their aviators who are fitting con-
tinually over the lines despite numer-
Gus casualties, discovered the move
ments and brought up reinforcements
to meet them. AS the Germans oc-
cupy the inside Of the circle, they xrd
able to reach an appointed spot with
much shorter marches.
1t was this that enabled them to
force the guards Of the allies to cede
a small amount of ground until furth-
!er assistance came.
At one point on the alliessfront, q
French regiment, after three days In
the arenches, on being ordered to the
rear for rest, sent petition to remain
until the German position facing them
was taken.
This was granted and the men ad-
vanced. Although. they met with such
a terrific fire from the machine guns
that an advance of 300 yards took 8
hours, they captured the position and
a number of positions. They tehm-'
selves suffered severely.
French cavalry executed a daring
raid back fthe German lines where
they blew up a railroad tunnel and o.
capped.
British lancers and French troops
performed a British exploit at another
point. Getting between the Imperial
guard and their artillery ammunition
train by a long, dashing ride, they cut
off the supplies, destroying them so
that the guards big guns were rem
dered temporarily useless.
General Jean Rousseau, OF the
French cavalry, died today Of wounds.
Audacious espionage carried on BY
the Germans has caused the stan OF
the allies to deal severely with all
strangers found within the lines.
When two Irishmen, arrested yester-
day, had proved their identity to the
satisfaction of the ofivers, they were
asked to go to the headquarters build
ing where an automobile was drawn
up with two officers, apparently
French occupying the front seat. Be
hind them we're two supposed gend-
armes with marched civilian be-
tween them. The staff officer SAID:
"This is the reason for our severity.
These five men are German officers
who we're captured today near tne
firing line"