Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-05-03
OBSTINATE ASSAULT
REPuLSED BY Af|NES
Time After Time Germans Sweep Up
to Crest, Only to Be Hurled
Back.
SLOPES COVERED WITH DEAD
Bodies Of Slain and Wounded Fall
So Thickly That They Touch Each
Other-After First Rushes, Fight
ing Is With Bayonet.

H A r T NJ A ANNS-wEILER, ALSACE
great and small. fell on this spur in
the Vosges Mountains at the rate OF
from sixty to eighty-four minute for
hours last Monday after French noun
| taineers had carried the crest by as
sault. Twice before had the Alpine
troops won the summit and had been
forced from 1t by obstinate German at
| tacks. This time they clung to tho
craters, made by mines and shells and
to the scant shelter OF abandoned
trenches and dugouts.
When tho shell fire suddenly stopped
and the Germans swept upward again,
the Alpines, supported and reinforced,
threw back attack after attack.
Tho Germans persisted with the ut
most courage, and the fighting after
the first rushes was with the bayonet
Dead and wounded fell so thickly
that tho bodies touched each other.
Presently the assaults died down. and
the Germans sank into their trenches
on the slopes. They have remained
| there since. while day and night the
French are enlnrging and deepening
their trenches and digging and roofing
In shell-proof shelters.
CULMINATION of MONTHS
OF VIOLENT FIGHTING
This is the elimination of three
months OF violent efforts by one side to
hold and by the other to take an emil
nence dominating the plain of Alsace
correspondent OF the Associated
Press was with the French troops for
one hour and n half to-day on the top
OF Hartmanns-Weiler, now reoccupied
by French soldiers. It Is n harsh scene.
Splintered and Jagged stems of what
were thick pine woods stand up among
the powders. The forest has been cut
down by machine gun and shell fire.
ihe whole place Is SCARED by the dead
iy business Of the last three weeks
Sharpshootcrs on both sides snipe
away at any show OF hostile helme
peak or cap. Observers watched
through crevtces between stones or
bags OF sand. concealed by pine
branches. periscope thrust above the
trenches Is shattered three or four sec
onds after Its appearance The Ger
man trenches are at one place within
twenty-five or thirty feet, and Mt no
place are they farther away than $50
yards.
Tho colonel in command took the
correspondent to one OF the forward
observntories. and in whispers explain
ed the position. The men. standing bv
their pieces, were taking morning
bread and coffee. The instant readi-
ness suggested n well-ordered AmerI
can fire engine-houso. where the men
mt the sound of gong each jumps TO
his place.
CHERRY ORCHARD BLOOMS
IN MIDST OF STRIJGGJE
Looking far beyond the German
trenches to the plain below, sprinkled
with villages and farmhouses, one can
see cherry orchard now in full bloom.
Murderous mountain knots and the
beautiful country spread out in tho
region below are In poignant con-
trast.
Through glasses one could see women
washing clothes. children playing and
farmers working with oxen In the field
as II this part or the 400-mile battle
line was not at their front doors
The men in the trenches were quiet.
wcather-seasoned men. One Of the men
cut open loaf from n batch OF German
army brown bread. left behind. and
compared II with the white French
bread of his ration
The forests back Of the fighting point
are astir with mon cutting and sawinr
trees for roofing trenches Others aro
widening the mountain passes into
roads. along which wind strings OF
mules loaded with shells, ammunition
boxes. bread. casks OF water and wine
and thousand articles essential to
operations In the forests. They also
carry packages from homo for tho
soldiers.
Passing down the other way are mule
niles with empty bags. casks and boxes.
ana with wounded soldiers swung in
sort or basket chair. one on each side
OF leu mule Those moro seriously
wounded are carried by strctcher-men
Near hero In another part of tho yosres