New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-16

10, lNlJ.
/ absolute confidence in the common
/ sense Of the nation. the French orncisl
bulletins admit and explain the some
What unpleasant reverse which mas DC
/ lallen the troops 20 the northeast OF
/ scissors. against strong forces OF an
enemy who has been constantly en-
deavoring 10 force them out.
without exaggerating the importance
81 the enforced retreat 20 more secure
positions It is undeniable that the
herolsm OF the French soldiers IN TINS
region, which covers about eighteen
miles OF front, failed temporarily 10
resist series Of formidable attacks.
m which the enemy was aided not only
y powerful reinforcements at TINS
point. but still more by the rams
yhich acted as their ally. Recently
The French troops acted upon the OF
iensive, and under the support OF
heavy artillery, which searched the
enemy's positions, advanced along
hat IS called the Bethune road toward
plateau approached by narrow
pathway leading TO a certain spur,
known as mo 1872" This was DON'T
mated by the enomy's guns located be
'wecn the villages Of Cufties and
Crouy, which were occupied By the
French
Held Ground Desp;,e losses.
With desperate courage their bat
taions Of infantry forced their way 10
longer slopes Of the plateau. and an
spite Of inevitable casualties held
the ground gained at the cost OF many
lives. On Tuesday the German division
made a counter attack upon these hill
climbers. and during the whole day
there was fighting Of a desperate char
acter
I'm answer TO a summons for support
the French troops holding Cuffies and
Crouy were sent forward to strengthen
the first attack. and dashed upon the
tanks of the spur on the western side,
but finding themselves opposed by
great numbers Of the enemy's guns
and men and unable 10 withstand the
raking fire they fell back in the even
/ ing TO Crouy. On Wednesday the
French who had been holding the
ground TO the east of the battle zone
in the villages scattered along the val
ley road Of Missy and Suraisne tried
.
V, re flung back upon the hamlets OF
Missy and 81. Marguerite II was now
the enemy's turn to advance They
had altered their original dispositions
and brought UP a mass OF artillery 70
'hc plateau OF Nrigny, from which they
swarmed out into the valley, driving
the French back by sheer weight OF
numbers and a devastating fire. The
,-rl1.oog 70 oil oronui
this loop OF the Aisne became points OF
attack and defence as the battle ragged
n rough the day and night Neverthe-
less the enemy's attacks upon Crouy
were successfully repulsed. The Ger
mans lost heavily in dead, wounded
and prisoners.
Unfortunately, the French forces or
the eastern side found their position
untenable and we're unable TO obtsir
support. as the flooding of the Aisn'
swept away a temporary bridge al
Oissy. Other bridges had also beer
/ destroyed. and IL was obvious 10 the
commanding officers that they we're n
grave danger Of being cut off from theil
communications II was decided TO re
tire while there was yet time TO get Il
the other side of the river by means o
pontoons. aud this movement was &C
complished in heroic and orderly wa!
with the loss of only few guns anc
despite the fierce caGnonade whicl
tried TO prevent II.
The withdrawal of the French troop
at this point necesstated a tempOrar,
retreat along the whole line, extending
between Missy and Crouy, and to tn
great di appointment OF the men, VIII
had the utmost confidence in their abll
ity TO beat back the enemy's attack, tn
order was given to this effect and car
ried out yesterday.
The enemy had not taken possession
of the abandoned villages on the RICH
bank and had been unable TO follow ul
their success by crossing the river, q
on the left bank the French gunner
sweep the plain of Venizel from tn
southern heights. II is an extraor
binary thing, or, rather. q characters
tic of the sang froid which has beei
shown b. the French people through
out the war. that many of the lnhabi
tants of Crouy and other villages II
this neighborhood remained IN thei
homes until actually shelled out in TIM
last attack, which put the RUNS OF thei
houses into the hands Of the Germans
The French press to-day showed NJ
sign of panicky eXaggeration over Uni
slight reverse. On the contrary, mos
OF the editorials published IN Pari'
praise the War Office and the censoI
for the frankness with which the de
tails have been given.
German Line Strengthened.
The military correspondent OF The
Mcining Post" says: A..
"The withdrawal of a part Of the
French line to the southern BANK o.
the Aisne is the most noteworthy oc
currence that has happened for some
fine on the Allies front in Mortimer
France. The French have recently
been engaged in pushing their posi-
tions forward in the region north
ea,t of Scissors, which has IN conSe
quence been The scene OF severe nghV-
| inc The Germans in the Ordinary
course brought up strong reinforce
ments with view TO recovering. the
lost ground and attacked vigorously II
the direction Of Vregny, three mile
east of I32-metre hill where the
French had gained a footing on the
first slopes.
"Irufortunately. our allies were un
able to furnish adequate support e
their fighting line, owing TO the De
struction of some of the temporary
bridges over the Aisne by floods. They
,,ere. however, able to fall back across
the river. with the loss of some guns
which we're rendered useless before
being abandoned. 40.
According to the communicate the
part of the line that has had to give
way is that between Crouy aud Missy
he distance between these places
being about three and half miles
What effect this retirement Will have
on the neighborng positions north OF
the Aisne must be left for time to
/ ell. but it may be observed that, &C
.nrdino 10 nublished statements, tne