Las Vegas optic. (East Las Vegas, N.M.) 1908-1921, 1914-11-28
SOUGHT TO TAKE FLIERS
BUT THE TRIcoLoR FOUND IT.
SELF FACED BY A DEADLY
MACHINE GUN
THE ASSAULT GOES AHEAD
ONLY TEN MEN IN ENTIRE AT
Z. TAcKlNG PLATOON ESCAPE
UNWouNDED

tn
Paris, Nov. 2S.--The French war
Eoffce supplemented its official state
Iment today with an account Of the ex-
Ipioits of squadron Of dragons dur
ling the early part Of September.
During the night of September
H." the account reads, lieutenant
of dragons who had become isolated
with his squadron In the midst of
the German lines and had taken re-
Ifuge at farm, learned of the pres
ence of a park of German aeroplanes
on the road leading from Viviers to
Factory, between Soissons and Com
peigne. According to the gossip of
peasants, the aeroplanes had landed
about o'clock in the evening and
had been joined about 10 o'clock by
an automobile convoy, consisting Of
from seven to nine machines which
had kept company with them during
their flight
THE lieutenant decided upon an i'm
mediate attack 1t was then hair past
two in the morning. It was proposed
that two platoona on foot should ar
Ipfoaeh th
shots A mounted platoon would huri
itself upon the automobiles and charge
with their lances those who sought
to escape. Another mounted platoon
was to remain there in reserve.
eThe two platoons on foot approach
ed within 40 metres Of the automo-
biles and when challenged opened
fire. Scarcely had the fire ceased. in
conformity with orders, than the
mounted platoon charged 1T gallop
shouting vive la France. Unfortun-
ately the Germans we're only partial !
ly surprised, and a rapid fire gun
Opened fire. Three French officers
were killed and the platoon literally |
annihilated. Not one of the troops
reached the autos.
Seeing this, the lieutenant in COM
mand Of the two dismounted platoons !
also ordered an assault. The Ger
man machine gun was silent. the gun !
ners having been killed. The dis
mounted troopers opened fire at dis I
tance Of Is yards. The Germans, who
we're crouching along the edge Of the
road, repied with great courage.
eWhile this was going on, detach-
ment aof engineers threw themselves
on the machine guns With sure blows
from pickaxes they destroyed the mo /
tors and the running gear Of the Ger
man machines Three automobiles
which contained a supply Of gasoline
caught fire and threw glare over the
scene.
Before closing the engagement, for
The French losses had been great, the
courageous commanding officer want
ed to engage the automobile in the
center Of the group from which the
orders to the Germans had been is
sued. While the reserve platoon was
drawing back with the comparatively !
few men remaining It, the French lieu,
tenant followed BY only three cavalry !
men, made his way up to this auto j
mobile and found himself face TO face !
with Two men, one Of whom vas an |
officer The officer fired on the group
Of four men with an automatic pistol
The three cavalrymen fell The lien-
tenant received a bullet through the
arm, but not before he had been able
to discharge his revolver against the
chest Of his adversary, who sank to
the ground The other German in
the automobile landed on the French
lieutenant heavily with the butt Of
mnsket, and the blow sent him spin
ming into the gutter Here he lay
semi sonscious for q few moments
but recovered and with the assiataucs
of another wounded man dragged him
SELF out Of dancer into q field of beets
aour losses vote u4narnas 0f fhn