Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1914-09-21
GERMAN COMPANIES
WHIP FRENCH CORPS
Comparatively Small Force Routs
Overwhelming Numbers at
Battle of Buissierre.
CHARGE is A HEROIC ONE
five Hundred Of Kaiser's Men Face
Ripping Fire, Cross bridge to
he Dynamited, Scale Bluffs
and win.


Correspondence Of the Associated PROSE-
AACHEN CAIX-LA-CHAPPEL Ger
many sept TN most OF the encounters
In Belgium, the overwhelming numbers
OF the Germans we're enough to account
Tor their successes. But in the fight at
Buissierre on the morning Of Monday.
August q. two companies of German in
fantry were the cause OF the rout of an
entire French corps The tremendous
advantage OF the position held by the
French makes this defeat one OF the
GROWING riddles OF the German advance.
The little village OF Buissierre is d.
vided by the river Sambre, which at this
point II lined with marble stations. boat
houses and breweries. North the land
rises gradually and il spotted with farm
houses On the south bank Of the river
there Is sharp bluff seventy-five feet
hish and so abrupt as to give the appear
ance OF geological freak Along the
verge Of this almost perpendicular height
runs low hedge
Germans Hold village.
The Germans held the village Itself and
were encamped upon ground to the north,
about quarter Of mile from the river.
The Forty-eighth regiment OF the second
French army corps crept before sunrise
to the top Of the strategic position on the
south bank OF the river. where the nat
ural advantage was so great that II
would have seemed that dozen rifles
might have held IT, Behind the regiment
OF Chasseurs- Pied. who reinforced their
security by a low trench behind the
hedge, which topped the bluff, the 251st.
the 2lsth and the Twenty in
fantry regiments OF the 'llne took their
stand. still farther back on sort OF
second eminence which rose from the
bluff itself like a camers hump. we're
stationed the Twenty-seventh dragons
OF the fifth army corps and five batter
les OF the artillery divisions of the same
corps.
As the sun rose, the artillery opened
fire upon the ,rwenty-seventh brigade of
the Seventh German artillery corps
across the river. II did deadly execution
and so raked the unoffending village Of
Buissiere across which Il had TO fire,
that the buildings in the congested por-
ton near the river seemed to topple over
as II they had been rocked by an earth
NdeNhts IUG twenty ~louTln 1eTTilhn
tillery was late In arriving, and hundreds
of Germans had fallen before the French
machine guns we're answered by German
artillery fire.
Make Heroic Charge.
Finding the French fire too powerful
the Germans determined upon a charge,
which will go down In history. Two COM
panies Of infantry, consisting only OF 500
men. advanced at full speed down the
easy slope to the Sambre and dashing
across a small bridge which the French
at that very moment were trying to de-
stroy with dynamite. they charged up a
small pass which threaded its way ur
the steep incline to the crest. where the
French sharpshooters were ensconced.
The hedge which screened the enemy
emitted almost continuous tongues OF
flame. The effect was deadly, but the
diminished German companies scaled the
bluff and by some miracle, which must
remain mystery. dispersed the French
troops by a bayonet charge.
Fight Typical One.
The battle of Buissiere aside from the
unique character which It derived from
the army positions and the extraordinary
German charge. is typical OF series OF
German encounters reaching from Buis-
siere far over the French border. In
every case the Germans testify that the
French soldiers have acted with great
Individual bravery, but In every case
something has been lacking. In Buis-
siere, and In n number of other encount-
ers the French. according to German Off
! GERS, relied too much upon their artillery
In as many other battles, their infantry
strong in itself, has not been properly
supported by cavalry. II Is the German
opinion that the French lack prepared,
ness. good generalship and perfect co,
| ordination.
| In the battle of Bulssiere the losses
were heavy on both sides but II is i'm.
possible to give definite figures. Fifty
French prisoners including two officers
were taken.