Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1914-10-20
CAYALRYNEN
SURPRISE FOE
French Force, by Brilliant Move
Opens Way for Passage Of
Allied Infantry
THE FIGHTING IS LESS SEVERE.
Siege of German Positions South Of
Ypres is Becoming More
Desultory.
The FIGHTING IS LESS SEVERE,


isl, Oct. 16, 1900 a. m.-Infantry
and cavalry have been doing more
fighting during the last few days
than for several weeks.
Two thousand French cuirassiers
have distinguished themselves by a
daring feat in swimming the river
Lys, where it flows deep and swift.
They completely outwitted the Ger
mans, who were awaiting them on
the other side with machine guns
and heavy artillery.
The French horsemen made a long
detour during the night. One man
swan the river with rope; then
dragged over cable which he at
tached to a tree. The others, hold
ing the rope, crossed singly with
their horses through the swirling
waters.
Arrived on the opposite bank, the
French drew up in line and charged
the German flank at Merville, driv.
ing the enemy back and opening the
way for the passage over the river
for a division of allied infantry
which later occupied Estaires.
The present war differs from all
previous wars, in as much as no one
knows just when battle begins and
when it ends. What is now known
as the battle of the four rivers, the
Scarpe, the Somme, the Disc and the
Aisne, may be regarded as ended
and fresh stage of the operations
begun with the fall of Antwerp and
the renewed appearance of a strong
allied army in Belgian territory.
where it has made it's presence felt
by the capture of Ypres.
Meanwhile the siege of the Ger
man positions further south has be-
come merely desultory. Some parts
of the line, where perfect hail of
shells was a daily occurrence five
weeks ago, now are enlivened by ar
tillery fire only at rare intervals.
At one very important point yes.
terday only thirty shells were fired
through out the twenty-four hours
The infantry on both sides, howev~
er, is kept constantly on the alert,
although the allies have found it
possible to reduce the strength of
the troops actually on the firing
liue.
The remainder of the very strong
allied forces at these various points
are kept in reserve within measur-
able distance, ready for any emere
gency. The cold and wet have made
trench work very trying, but the al
lies are well provided with blankets
and waterproof sheets. The soldiers
also are combating the cold by
means of sheets of parchment which
they wear under their uniforms and
which help to keep them warm.
Many of the advanced German
trenches appear to have been aban'
doned and the allies were able to
make much Roadway yesterday |
where previously they had met with
furious resistance. The idea pre-.
walls that the Germans are prepar..
ing to retire at the center and con.
;entrate their energies further north |
where it is supposed they intend to
make another attempt to break the
allies line
1t appears evident that the COM
handlers of both armies have been
AWAITING reinforcements where they
are most needed, and, in the mean
line are feeling each other out.
There is reason to believe that these
fresh forces have arrived and have
'een assigned to their places SO that
| rapid development may be expect
ID.