The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1915-08-13
celebrated by strong attack from the

inst north OF the AlSne river, Oh d
series of bluffs, then just north OF
Chalons and through the wooded
rough regions of the Argonne and the
Woevre, joining hands here with the
troops besieging Verdun. The allies
have tried this line in vain ever since.
Both combatants now tried to turn
the west flank. Enormous bodies OF
cavalry. On the part of the French
Flanders. On the part Of the French
there was largely the desire to link up
with the Belgians, now being attacked
in Antwerp. The mighty siege guns
of the Germans made short work OF
the Belgian seaport, however, and 1t
fell on October 8. The remnants OF
the Belgian army retreated along the
sea coast and the Germans in final
rush reached Ostend October l5).
Line Extended to the Sea.
The battle line of the Aisne was now
extended to the sea. the Germans hold
ing the important French city of Lille
while the allies kept ipres in Belgium
and. partly by flooding the lowlands,
held the position of the User river and
canal.
From October 16 to November 10
was fought the desperate first battle
of Ypres, when the Germans suffered
enormous losses in attempts to break
through the line in Flanders and reach
Calais. They succeeded in pushing
back the allies only a little and the
invasion of Silesia by the Cossacks
finally induced them to desist and
send re-enforcements to Russia.
The Germans in September had per-
| formed the feat OF pushing salient
into the French line south of Verdun,
which terminated on the west bank OF
the Meuse river at st. Mihiel; while
the French had taken the offensive
with some success in Champagne at
about the same time.
For the most part Throughout the
winter the fighting consisted of regu-
lar siege warfare. with heavy artillery
combats and mine and counter-mine.
The flooding Of the River Aisne
from winter SHOWS gave the Germans
a chance to entrap the French troops
on the north side Of that river in the
| "a CT f~p do n q
distance and kill or capture most of
them (January 14).
Take Offensive in Spring.
With the spring. the French and
English attempted to take the offensive
at several points.
In the Vosges the dominating height
of Hartmannsweilerkopf was taken
and retaken several times in sanguin
airy charges and finally remained in the
hands of the French.
The salient of st. Mihiel was also
subjected to tremendous French pres
sure on both legs" The French sue
ceeded in gaining a little ground, but
the Germans, despite the gapp,(eenI
weakness of the sharp wedge they hat
driven into the French line, could no
be dislodged and later succeeded in re
gaining some of the territory they hat
lost.
The British also reported victories
at Neuve Chapelle and Hill No. 60, II
Flanders. Whether these should b.
accounted successes for the allies il
doubtful. The British suffered enor
nous losses and at Neuve Chapell
bungled affairs to the extent of shell
ing their own men who had taken Gel
man trenches.
The next development was the VI
expected use of poisonous gas fume
by the Germans in attacks just mort
of Ypres. With this novel weapo
they succeeded in taking several SINAI
villages and more than compensatin
for the British gains south Of Ypres
The losses of the French, Canadian
and British were severe, but they SUI
ceeded in stemming the German OF
slaught effectively few miles bac
from their former position
J. Begin Series Of Attacks,
S The German line makes salient 6
e Scissors, though not such a DR.,
nounced one as at St. Mihiel. Th
), French now began "a series of a
h lacks on the upper side of this salien
to the north of Arras. Expanding hui
e dreds of thousands of Shells they tin
and again blasted away the barbe
n wire entanglements and concre,
r. trenches, held by Crown Prince Ru
g precht of Bavaria's men, and the
D. charged across the desolate ground (,
slight gains.
h. The fighting centered about the S
\. gar refinery of Souchez and the gre
k. German work called the Labyrint
Fighting went on in cellars and tn
n nels below the earth and the casu;
N ties were heavy. The French bent Il
# German line and captured the Lab
,e rinth, but whether the gains justifi,
10 their sacrifice in human life is Que
10 tionable
ID In July, Crown Prince Frederic
Williams army attacked in the 4
gonne forest, west of Verdun, al
succeeded in gaining several hundr
.e yards Of shattered woodland and ca
H. turing several thousand Frenchme
w Thpra Uprl rnrnr,