The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1915-04-30
FR|GHTFUL SCENES
IN BATTLE OF ALLY
Batteries Fire 10000 Shells in
Ninety Minutes.
SOLDIERS ARE DRIVEN MAD
Every Inch OF Ground Turned Up BY
Explosives and Strewn With
Corpses-Mine Explosion
Slaughter.

Paris.-An Official eyewitness de-
scribing the operations by which the
French are menacing the German posi-
tons in the wedge OF St. Mihiel says:
"All the ALLY woods, which con-
stituted strong and well-fortified sup
port for the Germans, is now entirely
in French hands, conquered for the
most part by troops from the center of
France after several days of sys-
tematic preparations by heavy fire
from three-inch and big guns and by
aerial torpedoes.
AT certain points the Germans had
constructed in front of meats II yards
wide spiked barriers extending about
six feet above the level of the earth,
surrounded by barbed wire entangle-
ments, which were so intricate as to
make them impervious to any tools.
"A concentration of artillery fire
opened large breaches in this defense;
parapets were sent crashing to the
ground and dismembered bodies were
blown into the air above the clouds of
smoke. The earth was strewn with
overturned trees and branches.
Panic In the Trenches.
After five hours of intense fire, five
mines, laid under parapet adjacent
TO the principal fort holding the posi-
ton, exploded, annihilating the garri-
son and spreading panic in the
trenches
An attack with fixed bayonets then
began in three lines, preceded by a
detachment with hand grenades.
Engineers followed with little bridges,
which had been prepared in advance,
TO facilitate the passage over the net
work of trenches.
The order has been given not to
stop in any trench, but to pass over
and take the enemy in the rear.
Three lines of trenches were thus
cleared of the Germans. Those who
sought refuge in the underground
shelters persisted from suffocation
through the collapse of the entire
earthworks.
Toward 8 o'clock on April 5 the
enemy attempted to counter-attack,
supported by heavy artillery fire,
which was neutralized by our batteries.
Our attack was renewed the following
day and developed in furious hand
to-hand struggle with grenades and
cold steel in the narrow lines of
trenches.
The enemy offered such resistance
that the order was given to evacuate
part of the ground that had been
gained. This was then bombarded
until the enemy was obliged to retire.
We then held the three main line
trenches Of the ALLY woods.
Dead Piled In Rows.
The enemy's losses were heavy. We
counted 200 dead on the evening of the
fifth, and on the evening of the sixth
we found the dead piled in three rows.
During the seventh and eighth we
repulsed eight counter-attacks. The
enemy succeeded in entering one
trench. but was unable TO hold it. Of
TIE ALLY woods, there remained moth
ing but few hacked trunks, and not
an inch Of ground in it that had not
been turned up by explosives.
II the strange choas, stones.
corpses and debris of limbs lay
mingled.
AT $50 o'clock on April s an in
tensive bombardment by the Germans
was begun. In 90 minutes upon this
corner Of the woods. over a front of
from $50 to 400 yards deep, 10000
shells were fired; they included all
calibers. from four TO eight inch. The
entire hill disappeared in a cloud of
smoke.
"All communications were cut dur
ing this time, and when the fire ceased
many men were mentally deranged.
They had to be removed. and required
several days for recovery.
Again on April 10 the position in
ALLY woods was subjected to a bonn
bardment. Six German companies,
besides the garrison in the fort, were
annihilated in these engagements"