Omaha daily bee., 1914-08-10
FRENCH TAKE MUELHGUSEN
Invading Forces Enter City with
Population Of About 100000.
ENTHUSIASM GREETs REPORTS
Paris Hears OF Invasion of Father
land with RcJoicinG-No Mem
ton of Losses H.
Made.
BULLETIN.

BULLETIN.
BRUSSELS, Aug. S,-->Cvia Lon
don, Aug. 0.-(5;35 a. m.)-The
minister of war announces that the
Germans suffered 10000 casualties
and the French $4,000 in the battle
Mt AItkirch which resulted in the cap
ture Of the Alsatian village by the
French troops.
PARIS, Aug. s.-CS:05 D. nj
II is officially reported that French
troops have entered Muelhausen.
Muelhausen is the second largest
town Of Alsace-Lorraine and lies
sixty-one miles to the south, south
west Of Strassburg, the capital. 1t
became free city of the German
empire in 1919; in the fifteenth
century 1t entered into an alliance
with the Swiss which lasted until
1898 when the city became French.
1t was taken from the French in
September, 1870. and was coded to
Germany with Alsace in 1871.
Muelhausen is garrisoned by
full infantry brigade, comprising
about 5000 men, and a full cavalry
brigade of about 21,500. 1t has a
population of about 1OO,O0O and is
the principal seat of cotton spin
ming in western Germany.
Capture village.
French troops today entered AL
SAGE and captured the village Of Alt
kirch near the Swiss frontier, seven
teen miles west of Basel.
The official report of the French
invasion of Alsace today says the
French troops crossed into Alsace
and delivered fierce attack on the
German forces at Altkirch. The
French troops took the village, a
place of nearly 5000 inhabitants.
The German forces retreated, pur-
sued by the French troops in the
direction of the great fortress of
Muelhausen.
The Alsatian natives were so de-
lighted at the arrival Of the French
soldiers that they tore up the from
tier post.
Received EnthusiasticaIBy.
News Of the first French victory of the
war. the capture of the village of
AltlSirch In Alsace. which probably was
much more important than the official
announcement, was received with extraor-
binary enthusiasm.
Shortly after the war office issued the
bulletin newsboys tore through the streets
waving leaflets with the huge headlines:
Victory for the French in Alsace."
| Observers in Paris were prepared to hear
that the French had been obliged during
the first days 5of the fighting to give
way before the German advance. The re-
| joicing was all the greater. therefore, be-
cause the first important engagement had
been fought in German territory and the
French had obtained a footing In Alsace.
Tho capture Of Altkirch appears to have
taken place two or three days ago. The
| French army has now penetrated the
enemy's country considerably further.
No Mention of Losses.
There was no official mention of the
losses, but they are believed to have been
heavy
( Military authorities had been convinced
that tho French army would assume the
offensive at the first opportunity because
during the last eight years the word de
tenslve" has disappeared from the French
text book on strategy. The instructions
in tactics have been always to 80 for
ward.
1t is officially announced that officials
OF Alsace-I,orraine are to be enrolled in
one Of the foreign regiments being organ
lied 10 help France.
Immediately upon signing for the
duration of the war such volunteers be-
come OF French nationality and may then
be transferred to any regiment. The
personnel of the Russian embassy at
Vienna has been conducted to the Swiss
frontier and is coming to Paris.
The Belgian government has given
orders to the Belgian state railway man.
agement to place itself at the disposition
OF the French military administration. the
same as Belgian.
Arrive Before NightfalI.
An official report OF the capture by
the French OF the village of Altkireh. in
Alsaee. says that the French advance
guard arrived before the place before
hightfall Friday. The town was defended
BY strong earthwor'<s and occupied by
a German brigade.
The French In about equal number. car
ried the breastworks in a fierce bayonet
charge. The Germans broke. abandoning
the trenches and the town. A regiment
OF French dragons pursued the retreat
ing Germans In the direction OF Wall
helm and Tugolschen, inflicting further
heavy losses.
French Advance stops.
BERLIN. Aug. S--CVia London)-Ger-
man frontier guards In upper Alsace were
attacked by the French marching from
the direction OF Beufort The advance OF