The Washington herald., 1914-10-17
EXPLAINS
CAPTURE OF GUNS
Seven-hour Battle at Com
piegne Began When German
Artillery Opened Up.
HORSEMEN MOVED DOWN
Insh Guard Holds Terrific Charge In
til Remainder Of Defense Comes
Up and Routs Teutons.

London, Oct. IA wounded guards
man. now in the London Hospital. to-
day gave this graphic account Of the
fierce fighting at Compptegne:
In that part OF the field where we
were posted the Germans dropped on US
all of sudden. as though from the sky.
/ I'VE first learned Of their presence
when 8. battery Of guns on the right
sang out dropping shells into q mob OF
US who were waiting for our turn at
, the washtub-that q. the river. There
was no panic so far as / saw. only some
Of our fellows who hadn't had a wash
i for days cursed and swore q lot az the
Germans for spelling the best chance
they had had.
one volIeS seatters Cavalry.
J I'VE all ran to our posts in response
to the call OF the bugles, which rang
out all along the line. and by the time
we stood TO arms the German cavalry
came into view in great strength all
along the left front As soon as they
came within range We poured Q deadly
yolley into them. emptying saddles right
and left, and they scattered in all diree-
tons.
! Meanwhile their artillery kept work
I ing up closer on the front and tks right,
and a dark cloud Of infantry showed up
vancing in a formation rather loose for
the Germans We openerd . on them.
and they made fine target for ou- rife
FIRE, which was very well supported by
our artillery fire. The FIRE from our Ruas
VAS very effective, the range being fodnd
w:tn ease, and we co:-lc see the shells
dropping right into the enemy's ranks.
Here and there their lines began to
vaver and give way, and finally they
T.NA N.eA
infantry appeared on our right front. but
we could not say whether Il was the
same or another body. This time they
we're well supported by artillery, ma
chine guns and strong forces OF cavalry
on both tanks.
Enemy Wins Strategic Race.
IAN came on at smart pace with the
apparent plan Of seizlng hill on our
right. At the same moment our Cd d|airy
came into view, and then the whole
Guards Brigade advanced. 1t was really
a race between the Two parties who
should reach the hill first. but the Ger
mans won easily. owing to their being
nearer by half a mile. As soon as IhE:T
guns and infantry had taken up q posi-
ion the cavalry came along in huge
mass with the intention Of riding dowa
the Irish Guards. who were nearest TO
them.
When the shock came II seemed ter
rife to US in the distance. for the Irish
men didn't recoil in the least. but flung
themselves right across the path Of the
German horsemen. We. could hear the
crack of the rifles and see the German
Norses impaled on the bayonets OF the
-Tont ranks of the guardsmen. and then
no whole force OF infantry and cavalry
we're mixed up in one confused heap like
% many pieces from a Jigsaw puzzle.
Then Their Cavalry FIees.
Shells from the British and German
arteries kept dropping close to the tan
sled mass of fighting men. and then we
saw the German horsemen get clear and
take to flight as fast as their horses
would carry them. Some had no horses
and they were bayoneted where they
stood. While this was going on there
was a confused movement among the
German infantry as though they were
going to the assistance of the cavalry,
but evidently they didn't like the looks
OF things, for they stayed where they
we're
After this little interruption, the
whole Of sls- Guards continued their ad-
vance, the Coldstrsamers leading this
time, with the Scots in reserve. ard the
Irish in support. Taking advantage OF
the fight between the cavalry and in
rantry, the German artillery had ad-
vanced to a new position, from which
they kept up a deadly fire from twelve
guns. Our infantry and cavalry ad-
vanced simultaneously against this new
position which they carried together in
the face Of a CALLING fire.
Capture Much ARTILLERY.
I'm the excitement the enemy man
lged to get away two Of their guns but
he remainder fell into our hands. The
infantry and cavalry supporting the
guns didn't wait for the onslaught OF
our men but ran like mad, pursued by
our cavalry and CALLED by a heavy fire
from our infantry and artillery, which
quickly found the range.
We heard later that the Germans
we're In very great force and had at
tackled in the hope of driving US back
and so uncovering the French left, but
they got more than they bargained for.
Their losses were terrible in what little
OF the fight we saw, and when our men
captured the guns, there was hardly a
German left alive or unwounded. Al
together the fight lasted about seven
hours, and when it was over our cav
airy scouts reported that the enemy