The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1915-08-06

as that of the French and English had
been. The invaders took up an ad-
mirable defensive position. It ran
lust north of the Aisne river, on
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 a final
rush reached 0stend October 15).
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 Ypres in b GUM
and, partly by flooding the LOT snds,
held the position of the User RI and
canal.
From October 16 to Noveu, 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 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 an llery
combats and mine and countea lime
The flooding Of the River Elsne
; from winter SHOWS gave the ca ans
, a chance to entrap the French troops
on the north side of that river in the
vicinity of Scissors for considerable
distance and kill or capture most OF
: them January Ia.
Take Offensive In Spring.
With the spring, the French anC
English attempted to take the offensive
y at several points.
r In the Vosges the dominating heigh
of Hartmannsweilerkopf was takei
and retaken several times in sanguin
ary charges and finally remained in thu
hands of the French.
The salient Of st. Mihiel was ais
subjected to tremendous French pres
, sure on both legs" The French sue
| ceeded in gaining little ground, Blu
| the Germans, despite the apparen
| weakness Of the sharp wedge they ha
| driven into the French line, could nc
| be dislodged and later succeeded in r.
gaining some of the territory they ha
| lost
| The British also reported victories
| at Neuve Chapelle and Hill No. SO.
| Flanders. Whether these should b
| accounted successes for the allies
| doubtful. The British suffered elo
| nous losses and at Neuve ChaI 81
bungled affairs to the extent OF Il 81
| ing their own men who had takent !,
| man trenches.
/ The next development was the u
expected use of poisonous gas fum'
| by the Germans in attacks Just mort
| OF Ypres. With this novel weapc
| they succeeded in taking several sma
| villages and more than compensate
| for the British gains south Of Ypre
81 The losses of the French, CANADIAN
and British were severe, but they su
ceeded in stemming the German o
) slaught effectively few miles ba'
- from their former position.
On. Begin Series Of Attacks.
AS The German line makes a salient
ne Scissors, though not such a pI
nd nounced one as at St. Mihiel. II
ce. French now began series OF |
ith tacks on the upper side Of this saliel
to the north OF Arras. Expendlng hu
The dreds Of thousands OF shells, they tir
and again. blasted away the larb
,r wire entanglements and GIicre
or. trenches, held by Crown Print RI
he precht Of Bavaria's men. anil tn
- charged across the desolate ground
slight gains.
i'm. The fighting centered about the
,-n gar refinery OF Souchez and the gre
~ German work called the Labyrin
Fighting went on in cellars and Il
=, nels below the earth and the casu
ties were heavy. The French bent
- German line and captured the La
az rinth, but whether the gains justif
their sacrifice In human life is gu
.ha tionable.
In July, Crown Prince Freder
Williams army attacked In the
gonne forest, west Of Verdun, 9
succeeded In gaining several humid
title wards Of shattered woodland and c
nth turing several thousand Frenchm
naur rAo-o ,rara runnara that eAz {,