The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-05-10
ssWild Geese" of Ireland Won Victory of
 Famed Fontenoy"

Irish vaIor has been proved time and again in this war. as well as in all European conflicts for centuries past, but the brightest page in the military history of the brave sons of the Emerald Isle is that which tells the tale of F7ontenoy. It will be ITO years tomorrow since the wild geese, as the members of the Irish Brigade in the service of the French king were called covered themselves with glory at famed Fontenoy. On that eleventh of May, 174b, the Irish. as now, were fighting shoulder to shoulder with the French. Opposed to them in the war of the Austrian succession were the English, the Han overians, the Dutch and the Austr1- ans. The allied army was command- ed by the Duke of Cumberland, but s'the butcher was hampered in his action by the Austrian and Dutch generals.
 Then as now, Belgium was the cockpit of Europe, and the opposing armies were drawn up along the ScheId, near Tournay, with the village of F'ontenoy as the French center. The Brilliant Marshal Sake commanded the French and their Irish allies The Marshal was even then i'll of the dis order which later caused his, death, and during the obstinate and san guinary battle he was carried about on a litter.
 Although the Irish Brigade won the victory at F'ontenoy. they shared their glory with their English oppon-
 ents. The King of France and his heir witnessed the terrible conflict,
 which at one time seemed to turn definitely against the French Mar shal Saxe's line was protected by no pieces of artillery, so placed as to rake the enemy with cross and con- verging fires. The Duke of Cumber- land ordered his men to attack the right and left wings of the French and himself headed 20. .O00 English foot and advanced on the French cen ter.
 The hundred cannon of the French rained death and destruction on the
 fooIhardy British, but they marched lsteadi1y on The pick of the French cavalry flung against the advancing tide made no impression. The Brit ish column Cumberland riding at its l head, hacked it's way to the French center and pierced it But the at tacks on the right and left had fail ! ed, and Cumberland was left to hold his hard-Won position without assist ance Marshal Saxe believed the day was lost, and advised the king and dauphin to flee.
 l All this time the Irish Brigade had
 been kept at the rear. As a last re sort they were IooSed upon the Eng l fish, after a terrific cannon fire had raked CumberIand's5 column. With wild cheers the ttwiId geese charged the British. The latter held theil l fire until the Irish were almost upor 1 them and then fired a. point blank l voIIey. Scores of the Irishmen fell l but the remainder kept on The. ex-
 hausted British soldiers were in nc condition to withstand so terrific al
 assault Slowly and .doggedly,. con testing every inch of ground, the Bri I tish fell back, until at last they were driven to their own lines. Then the l Irish, much against their will, were 1 withdrawn, as Marshal Saxe though too highly of that stubborn Englisf l column to risk further advance I The day was saved for the French l thanks to the va1or of the Irish, bu it was at cost of 10000 men, while 1.-the allies lost an even greater mum Der.
 Irish valor has never been disput ed; but it reached it's supreme height lat E'ontenoy, where through tn, 1 drifting smoke with empty gun
 clutched in their hands the headIonl Irish broJxesg