The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-17
GERMANS DAM RIVER,
FLOOD FRENCH TRENCHES
Paris Reports Reverse at Sois-
sons UnimpOrtant in Cen
eral Situation.
sOsciai ca5it Despatcl 10 tn. srN.

PARIS. Jan t6-The German claims n,
great victory in the French retirenen,
from positions to the northeast OF Sois.
sons are characterized as IA feat Of the
imagination" In an official note Issued by
the French War Office this afternoon
The official no:e says that the washing
away Of tn" bridges on the Aisne had
made II impossible TO reinforce the
French troops at this point numbering
less than three brgades. and they con-
seauently were withdrawn abou. a mile.
scissors remains In possession OF the
French, the note says.
Newspaper reports received here cor
roboTa,c the official statement In attr!bu-
ting The necessity for retirement In this
district 10 weather conditions These re-
ports say that the Germans, by damming
river and breaking the dam at the
height Of the flood. inundated tho French
trenches and followed IL up with an i'm
mediate attack.
The wounded have been removed from
the hospital at scissors. but this was
done in view Of a possible bombardment
10y the Germans. The enemy bonbarded
the city recently from the less advan-
tageous positions occupied by them be-
fore their success at Nregny and seventy
two shells are reported to have fallen
In the city.
Tie official statement issued this af-
ternoon says:
AS matter OF fact the German at
tempt % make great victory out of
the scissors engagement Is entirely n
feat of the magination We had less
than three briEades engaged. II was i'm
possible to reinforce them owing to the
washing away of the bridges along the
Asno, so our troops were Withdrawn.
The retirement affected only three
miles along our front and we retired only
ABOUT a mile. We are stlll in uninter-
rupted possession OF scissors"
French commissioned officer who
look part IN the engagement is quoted
by a correspondent as saying that the
Germans outnumbered the French four 10
one
The real fighting began on January
s. the non-commissioned officer said
when the French stormed and capturai
spur l32 and some trenches The Ger
mans Immediately began a series of coun-
ter attacks, which lasted until January
IL when they managed to get a foothold
in our outer trenches.
The hghtng was the most furious I
ever saw. We abandoned Crouy. moving
successfully from Bucy-le-Long. lie Mon
Gel. st. Marguerite and Mlssy-sur-Alsne.
I'm the great glass works OF Vauxrot
we made loopholos in the stone wall for
six mitrailleuses and did wonders with
these guns, but the Germans. in over
whelmlng numbers, poured up to the
building, shouting Comrades, surrender.
We won't hurt you We kept on firing
Finally | was hit by a piece of shell
ana was taken to the rear, across the
river Nearly all of our division already
had arrived there In safety"
The son Of the Mayor Of Crouy. who is
among the refugees of the village who
have arrived In Paris. states that the Ger
mans DAMNED the River Iossienne and
then broke the dam at the height Of the
Hood, thus inundating "A long line OF the
French trenches until the water was up
to the waists of tht soldiers. The Germans
followed up the flood with an Immediate
attack, causing the French force to re-
tire There is no anxiety In Paris as a
result Of the retirement. One OF the
wounded refugees asserts that an entire
German army corps was pitted against a
mixed French division.
The refugees state that the Germans
kept as hostages several Inhabitants fro n
the suburbs Of Scissors. They took the
men and children into the trenches while
they provided the women with safe con-
ducts and sent them to procure bread and
provisions Most OF the hostages subsa-
quently were released, hut the Germans
kept several women OF bad character.
who had been occupying in the outskirts
of Scissors elegant villas OF which the
proprietors were absent,
The French wounded have been safely
removed from the hospital at Scissors and
from the ambulances In the vicinity.