The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1914-11-25
Bio Battle Al Soldau

Big Battle At Soldau
Paris.-A dispatch received here
from Petrograd by the Havas agency
is as follows:
"A terrific battle of uneXampled VIC
lence has been proceeding for four
days around Soldau. The c%annonad-
ing has been maintained night and
day. The Russians are endeavoring
at any cost to avenge their check at
Soldau, and are throwing themselves
at the Germans with indescribable
fury. They have carried position af-
ter position by assault, in spite Of the
internal fire of the Germans.
1.-THE Germans are offering a most
energetic resistance and their fight
ing is alternately offensive and de-
| fensive.
I'm spite Of the ~torrential rains,
which have turned the ground into a
quagmire the Russians are advancing
toward the interior Of Germany.
"They have outraged ten big can
non, none of them damaged"
Allies Gain In West
Observation-Disclosures by wintry
weather and foods, the Germans are
still striving to break down the allies
defense along the franco Belgian from
tier. Although the Berlin official re-
port says it has been quiet there has
been an almost continuous artillery
duel, with occasional infantry attacks,
but apparently without either side
making progress.
The line from the coast to Newport,
which has been receiving less atten-
ton since the Germans began trying
to force the British out of Ypres, again
has been subjected to a violent bonn.
bardment. South Of Dixmude the Ger
mans have been trying, under fire from
the allies cannon, to build works to
check the food which compelled them
to evacuate part of their trenches.
At other points the big guns again
have been busy, and Rheims has been
subjected to another rain Of shells.
From the allies point of view, prob
ably the most important operations are
those south of Verdun, where tho
French troops, for some time, have
been trying further to relieve the
pressure which the Germans have been
exerting on the fortress. They at last
have succeeded, according to the
French official communication, and be-
.ides making some progress on the
heights of the Mouse, have advanced
on st. Mihiel, the only point on the
left bank Of the Mouse which the
Germans have held.
A month Of futile fighting, entailing
losses the extent Of which perhaps
never will be fully known, has not
convinced German leaders that the
French coast towns are unattainable;
and while snow and rain and wind
and cold have, during the past few
days, so tried the troops as markedly
to reduce their fighting capacity,
there is nothing to show that the in
vaders will not try again.
How valiantly the Germans have
been meeting death IN what TO I
has been a hopeless task Is %recounted
by the British army's official eyewit-
ness at the front, Colonel Swinton,
who, describing the recent fighting
around Ypres, said:
Their logged perseverance claims
our whole-hearted admiration" .,
This tribute was not qualified, as
heretofore, by the query whether disci,
pine or sheer bravery prompted the
men so to die for the troops referred
to we're the guard corps, the pick of
the German army, which has, accord
ing to Colonel Swinton, retained the
contempt for death which it showed
in the Franco-Prussian war.