The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1914-08-27

There is being fought the really de
cisive action of the campaign.
As the details of the early fighting
begin to Alter through it appears that
only on Monday did the allies begin
to lose ground. The first days fight
ing-Saturday-was apparently q
draw. On Sunday the allies assumed
the offensive and at one point drove
the Germans back westward as far a.
Hal, to the south Of Brussels.
But the terrible German machine
with 100000 men In its first line, and
perhaps 100000 at their backs ready
to fill up the gaps left by killed and
wounded. pressed on with relentless
force.
The German host marched to the
south In three columns-one by way OF
Ninove and Grimmont toward valen.
ciennes, one by way of Lessines and
the third toward Hal, Braine le-C Compile
and Mons.
The line of battle extends in the
rough form of letter ~" for perhaps
one hundred miles, The upper part OF
the line runs from Audenarde to a
point south of Brussels. Thence the
direction Is southwesterly to Mons,
and from Mons In general easterly
direction by way of Charleroi, Luttre
and down the Sambre river toward Ma.
muir.
The immense line extends through
fields and meadows, over rough hills
and through thick woods where artil-
lery Is almost useless. Such forma-
ton gives opportunity for the exercise
or military genius In selling positions
OF advantage and maneuver,ng the
troops which can best be used on any
particular part of the field.
The French-English line was ostensl.
bly, meant merely to halt the German
advance, but dispatches indicate that
the allies did more than this-that
they actually. flung their weight against
that ponderous, deadly German war
machine and tried to break through
it's lines.
Infantry Loses Positions.
This accounts for the ferocity Of the
struggle about Charleroi, where after
artillery fighting for hours, infantry
charges were resorted to and positions
taken at the point Of the payonet, only
to be lost again when the enemy's
shells filled the spot with clamor and
death, and under cover of the artillery
fire the enemy's column came on in an
infantry charge that would not be de.
MED.
In places along that 100-mile front
the Germans broke through the line of
the allies, at fearful cost Of life, and
were hurled back as the French artil-
lery rushed to the rescue from some
reserve spot and poured a hail of
shrapnel on the invaders. At other
points the Germans, Smelling the allies
position steadily for hours, would
make magnificent infantry charge,
facing first artillery fire, then the
machine guns, and lastly the French
and English rifiemen, with splendid
gallantry, and finally were forced back
sometimes repulsed from some es-
pecial point, but never beaten-never
really defeated.
London Menaced by zeppeIlns.
Three days of this, with the dead ly-
ing in windrows over hill and valley
and plain, and the unceasing moan of
wounded rising like dirge from that
hundred miles of battle front. Three
days Of charge and counter-charge,
with the heroic defense of the allies
equaled only by the magnificent cour-
age Of the Invaders, until finally, by
sheer force of strength and persist
ence, which crowded two men forward
wherever one fell, the Germans broke
the line. And this battle was decided
London is gloomy. Though the war
Office had already discounted the de-
feat and warned the people to be
ready to bear temporary reverses with
fortitude, victory had been expected
Now there is a renewal of the fear Of
raids by Zeppelin craft with bombs.