Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1914-10-10
GEN. FRENCH TELLS HOW BR|TONS
HAVE FACED GIANT GERMAN GUNS

John French's headquarters on the
British operations in France. The
text follows:
The enemy is still maintaining him
self along the whole front and In order
TO do so is throwing into the fight de
tachments composed OF units from the
different formations. the active army,
reserve, and laudwehr, as is shown by
the uniforms of the prisoners recently
captured.
Our progress, although slow on &C
count of the strength OF the defensive
position against which we are pressing,
has in certain directions been continu-
Gus, but the present battle may well
last for some days more before a de-
cision is reached, since it now ap-
proximates nearly to siege warfare.
The Germans are making use OF
searchlights. This fact. coupled with
their great strength in heavy artillery,
leads to the supposition that they are
employing material which may have
been collected for the siege OF Paris.
Confident Of the Result.
The nature of the general situation
after the operations of the eighteenth,
nineteenth and twentieth, cannot be
better summarized than as expressed
recently in a neighboring French com
mander to his corps: Having repulsed
repeated and violent counter attacks
made by the enemy. we have feeling
hot tirt
so far as the British are concerned,
the course Of events during these three
days can be described In a few words.
During Friday, eighteenth. artillery
fire was kept up internationally by both
sides during daylight. At night the
Germans counter-attacked certain por-
tons OF our line. supporting the ad-
vance of their infantry as always by
q heavy bombardment. But the strokes
we're not delivered with great vigor
and ceased about a. m. During the
days fighting an aircraft gun of the
Third army corps succeeded in bring
ing down a German aeroplane.
News was received also that body
OF French cavalry had demolished part
OF the railway to the north, cutting, at
least temporarily, one line Of communi-
cation which is OF particular import
ance to the enemy. D..
German Attack Stopped.
"On Saturday, the nineteenth, the
bombardment was resumed by the Ger
mans at an early hour and continued
intermittently under reply from our.
guns Some of their infantry advanced
from cover. apparently with the inter,
ton OF attacking, but on coming under
FIRE they retired Otherwise the day
was uneventful, except fc- the activity
OF the artillery, which is a matter of
normal routine rather than an event.
Another hostile aeroplane was
brought down by US, and one Of our
aviators succeeded in dropping several
bombs over the German line, one in
cendiary bomb falling with consider
able effect on a transport park near
La Fere.
"A buried store of the enemy's
ammunltions of war also was found not
far from the Aisne, ten wagon loads
of live shells and two wagons of cable
being dug up. Traces were discovered
OF large quantities Of stores having
been burned-all tending to show that
as far back as the Aisne the German
retirement was hurried.
There was strong wind during
the day, accompanied by driving
rain. This initiated against the aerial
reconnaissance.
Several German Attacks Fail.
''On Sunday, the twentieth, nothing
of importance occurred until the after
noon, when there was break in the
clouds and an interval Of feeble sun
shine, which was hardly powerful
enough to warm the soaking troops.
The Germans took advantage Of this
brief spell of fine weather to make
several attacks against different points.
These were all repulsed with loss to
the enemy, but the casualties incurred
by US were by no means light.
I'm one section OF our firing line the
occupants of the trenches were under
the impression that they heard mill
tary band in the enemy's line just be-
fore the attack developed. 1t is now
known that the German infantry
started their advance with. bands play
Ing.
The offensive against one or two
points was renewed at dusk, with no
greater success. The brunt of the re-
sistance naturally has fallen on the in
fantry. In spite of the fact that they
have been drenched to the skin for
some days and their trenches have
been deep in mud water, and In spite
Of the incessant night alarms and the
almost continuous bombardment to
which they have been subjected, they
have on every occasion been ready for
the enemy's infantry when the latter
attempted to assault. and they have
beaten them back with great loss. In
deed. the sight OF troops coming up has
been positive relief after long, trying
hours of inaction under shell fire.
German Cannon Fire Fails.
'The object of the great proportion
OF artillery the Germans employ is
TO beat down the resistance of their
enemy by concentrated and prolonged
fre-to shatter their nerve with high
explosives before the infantry attack
is launched. They seem to have re-
lied on doing this with US, but they
have not done so. though 1t has taken
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