The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-11-23
Artillerymen Can Actually
See Works They Aim
At. ~
ARMIES |.E CAMP IN OPEN
No Air Attacks And Men
Can live Above
Ground.

x 81 ieuSu hHeuuquafteIS. kavnf, SER
bia, NOV &C Conr:ier TO Salonika, Nov.
q. via Paris, Nov. 23.--A sanguinnry
battle between the French and Bnl.
igarians. in the gorge OF the Ra1cc
River southeast Serbia, has resulted
in the retirement OF the French from
"a point north OF Drenoyo to the rirht
bank Of the iCerna. -I1I <
The French are holding the Rajec'
gorge and the important bridge head
at Bojharsti, controlling the heights
opposite the lGradisce. -
The Assoc lated Press Correspondent
today. visited French posts west OF
the Rajec bridge head which is de-
tailed 10 guard the strong natural pos
s1tion5 In the granite-walled gorge. Tho
gorge Is exposed to artillery fire from
the surrounding heights. Through 4
srnos o stream held by infantry. Z
Halt an hour later the Correspun.
dent with q party Of picked soldierb
watched the battle from neighboring
hills. Every detail was visible except
during periods OF lowering mists from
the shilltops. W. & &
HostilitiesS opened with q Slayish az
stillery duel. From tile point of obser-
SyatiorIt flames and smoke could be seen
revealing the position Of the armies On
both sides OF the yardar River which
Us Joined by the Germ a few miles
north Of Drenoyo. Clouds Of smoke
from bursting shells gave some idea
OF the result Of the fire from Rajec,
gorge. Shrapnel was successful In tho
gorge several times. .na..sl c =, <ls|' + + +
Soon the whir Of machine guns and
the popping of rifles betrayed the posl.
ton OF the Bulgarian infantry. ~
On hill behind figures could he.
seen outlined against the sky. They
climbed with what seemed TO be In
iterminables sslowness until, after q brief
struggle with ibayonets. the Bulgafians
fed Sdisapp caring over the crest ~
The Bnlgarians are bringing up q
large force from the neighborhood OF
sPrilep. The French plan OF campaign
seems to have been to occupy as
quickly yiasi possible the maximum num-
iberSof positions or natural strength and
to take care of their communication
as effectively as could be done with
the forces available. I. '.'|
When one position thus held is made
the bjectl OF o serious attack. the
French withdraw as'tte complete lack
of effective means Of transportation
renders the rapid shifting OF troops
from one position TO another imprac.
ticable. 81
Asstriking feature Of the campaign
in Serbia Is its utter unlikeness 10
that I'm France. Trenches are congtruc-
ted for temporary use In actual bat.
tie. The broken country facilitates the
employment OF practical skill In which
the French seem to be superior to tho \
IBulgarians. Notwithstanding. their lack
OF ifamili iliarity with the country.
Neither battlefIelds nor encamp,
iments resemble those in France. Sol
SdiersI IcampIin tents on the open plains
as the Bulgarians thus far have not
employed Saeroplanes. The camps are
changed frequently to keep pace with
the movement Of the battle line.
Artillerymen for the first time since
the beginning OF the war often have
opportunity OF actually seeing marks
at which they are aiming. Tho FAM
GUS French 3inch gun firing almost
with the rapidity Of machine Euns ia .
3inflicting extraordinary havoc on the
sBulgarians. s =
French ayiators are enjoying the
opportunity presented by the lack Of
Bulgarian air guns OF flying low over
the positions Of their opponents and
actually photographing them with
such details as TO reveal the number
and location OF the hostile forces.
The Serbians in the north are said j
to be concentrating on the historic
Kossoyo plain with the idea OF AZ.
tempting an offensive IN the direction
of Uskub. It Is reported that BIZ d.
Visions will, ,debouch from the plain by .
way Of the Katchanik and Cortcjou
passes. .,a <, y .a'
The Bulgarians are withdrawing
hastily from the criplet region.