New-York tribune., 1914-12-21
FRENCH DRAGONS TAKE
POSITION At GREAT COST
Special Correspondent Gives Graphic Description OF Most
Bloody Charge Near Verdun-Colonel
Followed to Death

perately. Above the thunder Of the
hoofs the war cries Of the dragons
filled the air. For over a mile huge
cloud Of dust arose over the PLAIN.
The horses. half crazed by the cries
of their riders, became frantic under
pitiless spurs. The din, even from
distance, became terrific. The sa-
bTcs, waving in the air, we're brought
down to the knees ready TO slash, as
the yelling thousands bent low over
their mounts neck.
Centre Hammered TO Pieces.
Five hundred yards from the Ger
man squares the four columns merged
into one and the enemy's batteries
unmasking, began TO pour hellhre into
the lines. From the squares the
crash Of a volley, four times repeated
brought down the first charging ranks,
Horses toppled over, burylng their
riders, the whole smashed 20 the
glound by the ranks behind. Still
they kent on. The centre hammered
70 pieces by the 77-millimetre shells
first weakened. followed by the two
wings caught as II in a maelstrom and
whirling about in disorder. The en-
tire French line stopped, broke and
fell back 200 yards from the squares.
The inevitable and foreseen destruc-
tion of the first squadrons was wit
messed silently from the hilltop.
Horses IN the throes of agony, hoofs
in the air, were blocking the ranks;
unhorscd men, bending low, were run
ming after riderlcss mounts. The teld
was already strewn with the dead and
diving, while horses, dragging by their
stirrups their helpless masters, were
frantically galloping around the surg
ing mass, instinctively seeking their
place in the lines.
Back a thousand yards the squad
rons gathered again, and again charged
forward. The huge wave thundered
once more against the German squares,
met another hail of shells and bullets,
hut rushed on. Drunk with the smell
of powder. crazed by the awful losses
Of their first attempt, five thousand
men and horses, trampling those who
had fallen before, pounced upon the
squares.
Men Unco=sciOus of Acts.
Sabres cIeaved helmets and breasts; /;
bayonets were buried TO the hilts into
horses fanks. the beasts, neighing
their terror and suffering, rising on
their hind legs, somersaulting back
ward. crushing men underneath. Men,
unconscious Of their acts, slashed
blindly with hut a broken blade, and
we're swept to the ground as By gigantic
hands.
The squares, crushed under the i'm
pact, folded up and seemed to melt,
but twelve hundred men managed 10
reach the trenches. The two French
wings kept on, turned the trenches
and rushed the batteries, while the
centre, dsmounting. sheathed sabres,
unstrapped carbincs and on foot
charged for n third time the dtches,
from which, after hand-to-hand fight.
the Germans fed in disorder. The
wings reaching the batteries cut down
the men who defended them heroically,
but were outnumbered.
As the bugle sounded the rally
the colonel of the --th appeared, sup
ported by two men. His horse, a huge
bay, was on the ground, vsinly trying
20 rise, while from the gaping tear in
his side the hilt Of a bayonet pro-
truded. The officer, a bullet through
the lung, tried TO speak. A flow of
blood rose to his lips, choking him,
but with last effort, raising his hand
20 his forehead, he saluted the flag Of
his regiment, which. torn and black
ened, was being CARRIED back to the
general, gasped olce or twice and fell
back dead