Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1914-12-02
FRENCHn0THERs
FIND THEIR SONS
IN GERMAN ARMY
|Sympathlzing With Allies,
Women Of 9AIsace Suffer
Poignant Grief at Turn TAX
zen by the War. SEQ " :
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tss-ceiated Press Correspondence
Thann. Nov. rs. - Elsewhere tn
iishung has been as violent as her
IN the Vosgea, but here. as nowhef'
else, IL the poignant distress of moth
ers with French sympathles havini
sons Fighting In the German ranks
The two nations which shared The
Alsatian population after 1879 ar,
now settling cousin against cousin, un-
Gle against nephew. and In many
other cases brother against brother.
One OF the sIx-inth shells that the
Germans were sending from Germany
over the Engelburg into this old Al
satan town crashed through the roof
OF a modest dwelling on the bank of
the Thur. A column OF black smoke
shot up through the hole and a cloud
of dust and smoke poured into the
street through a big hole In the front
wall. The neighborg brought out a
woman covered with dust, stained
red by stream that flowed from a
cash In her scalp. She clutched piece
Of pasteboard In one hand. While
some OF the rescucrs washed the red
stained dust from her face. she watch
ed others bring out her husbands
lifeless body.
''If you could see what they have
done TO your father" she cried bitter
~ gazing at the cardboard, 'and what
has become Of your home, you'd turn
your guns the other way" What she
was looking at wis a photograph Of
her two sons In the uniform Of the
Prussian infantry.
Younger Generation Indifferent.
While those who adopted French
nationality have escaped all German
Influences. the younger generation on
the German side OF the frontier has
unquestlonably become more indiffer-
ent TO the mother country. The re-
suit is Il situation which Is illustrated
by the foregoing incident
The material sufferings OF Alsace,
from the Vosgea TO the valley of the
Rhine, resulting from the alternate
occupation by Germans and French,
have been briefly related in dis
patches. The fighting around Thanh
was particularly severe; all the way
down the valley of the Thur. along
eighteen miles of alternating ridges
and gulleys. every inch of ground was
stubbornly contested; the possession
OF 1t proved to be costly for both sides.
The French are now Installed here
for the second time since August 18TH.
They had pushed as far as Colmar
about the time Of the taking of Null
hansen, but were forced back again
when the occupying FORCES were weak
ened to. reinforce thd iarmics 10 the
north. Tbe Germans recaptured Ger
nay. and 'thcn began a systematic, in
cessant bombar1mcnt Of this ancient
town
In two months $50 slx-inch shells
have been thrown into Thanh and 800
into the vineyards TO the north. Sixty
bousos have beeh entirely destroyed
and many others partially demolished.
Many OF the streets are blocked by
the debris OF cfnmbling houses. Yet
the inhabitants have stuck to the
town. occupying themselves, with the
aid of the French soldiers In restoring
such houses as ID is possible to re-
pair. The cathedral of Saint Theo-
bault-a real jewel of architecture,
with. some famous stained glass of the
fifteenth century-2has thus far es-
capped damage, though dozen shells
have fallen near 1t.
Heroic Feut Achieved.
1t was a little TO the northwest OF
Thanh. up the valley of the Thur. that
the Second battalion of ehasseurs-a-
pied (light infantry accomplished
one of the heroic feats of the war.
The story of 1t Is told by Leon Genton,
o veteran OF the. Moroccan campaign
with seven medals pinned on his
breast, who engaged .hsla volunteer at
the outbreak of the war,
The Germans had taken Blamont
and Badonviller. and when the chas- |
seurs came through IL was to hear the I
story of the shooting of the mayors Of
both these towns The Seventeenth I
nhasseurs from Lsneville, had al
ready CHASED them from these posi-l
lions and the Second battalion Joined \
In the pursuit down the valley. 1t WASH
At the period of the war when things I
turned badly for the French. In LORI :
raine as we'll az in Alsace the Ger
mans countcr-attacked with strolg I
and the French Were /
obliged to fall back. The heavy ar
illcry posted behind a ridge covered
by vineyards was In danger and the I
Second battalion was ordered to hold +
he vineyard and protect the retreat
,f the artillery at all cost They had
~ iilift " Qlh tfttfiiG0ffNc III AiOtbAh6
o conceal their position excepting
he leaves they tore from the grape
lines, but they held the position under
IN intense fire at a distance of only
700 yards.
AT 3 o'clock in the afternoon the
leavy guns had been hauled safely
way and the order came to retire
rhe officer who brought the order
'ould find no officer TO whom to de-
liver ii, What was left Of the com
,any of $50 chasseurs was In charge
C corporal. when they stood up to
'e counted after crawling back
through the vineyards out of the
angc of the enemy's fire, there were
My fifteen left of the ESQ, all of the
fifteen were wounded, They were
oaded into tmprovised ambulanees,
ONE OF them taken back on gun car
iages as far as Seraville. Here an
array OF Officers awaited
hem, General de Curieres de Castel-
au, a distinguished appearing man
nth gray mustache and goatec, step
-