South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-01-04
FOrteSque VividIy Describes
Night Fighting as One of
Great SpeCtaCIeS of War
Visit to Front Reveals Heavy
Losses Suffered.
RY Granville Fortesnnc.

either Of the great fortresses on the
| Nistula
The Russian army is we'll entrench-
ed and protected by up-tO-date field
works. This war has shown repeated
ly that an army well entrenched can
Withstand even superior numbers
/ making frontal attacks. The battle
on the Bzura in the past three weeks
again proved this.
Now the Russians are in superior
numbers. New regiments continue
to pour into Warsaw daily, coming
| from every part of Russia.
4 have seen the Germans in the past
week deliver u furious assaults in the
vicinity of SOchaczew. All of them
were repulsed with heavy losses.
The Russians nave a great mass of
guns along this entire front and their
artillery is remarkably well served.
But the Russians do not take the
offensive against the Germany army
] as they appear to do successfully
against the Austrians.
1 think the quality of the German
! lighting material on this front is
superb and the soldiers are brilliantly
led. 1t is absolutely untrue, Judging
| from my observations that the Ger
mans are filling up their ranks with
| physically unfit.
Mixture of Troops.
The report was undoubtedly due to
| the fact that there is a mixture of
troops at many points, the first line
regiments being sent back for rest
/ and recuperatiOn and absolutely fresh
troops replacing them at time in the
firing area. But wherever Won Hin
denburg needs Prussian guards he al
way has them at hand and they are
magnifcently disciplined regulars who
never finch. The prisoners taken
are usually the inferior. less expert
enced fighters.
A desperate German attack last
night met with success at first, but
counter attack by the Russians forced
the German line back again. Numer-
Gus prisoners and three machine guns
fell into Russian hands.
The Germans also made a lunge at
Gumbino, bringing all their available
artillery. including a few siege pieces,
into action.
The night lighting is one of the
splendid spectacles OF this war. Flash
ing batteries, waVering lines of mus
kerry and machine gun fire directed
by shaded lights make the picture one
of magnificent contrasts. Add to this
the silver beams Of the searchltghtS
that STAB the blackness of the heavens
and the rockets that in bursting seem
to spatter the sky with quicksilver, to
complete the panorama painted In
white and gold on background OF
black
left Warsaw for the front with
Joseph WielOwiesH, Polish gentle
man who has organized detachments
of flying ambulances with field dress
ing stations. In the stream of trans
port that runs on forever behind the
army il Is only now and again the eye
picks out features of interest.
\ Savage Warrior.
Near Blonie we met squadron OF
cossacks who wear long sheepskln
lined coats dyed a brilliant yellow
Put this splash of yellow on pranc-
ing Siberian pony, crown him with
shaggy hat the size and shape OF
grenadiers bearskin. and you have as
savage n warrior as ever confronted
the Roman legions.
We saw a cart filled with rusty
rifles this is some of the debris or
the battlefield being carried back TO
the works to he fitted again for use.
On a path that follows the Kalisch
road through all its windings there
was a group of German prisoners.
counted dozen with two officers
marching disdainfully in front. Six
Russians marched beside them with
bayonetted rifles aslant on thelr
shoulders.
through which we have been travelling
at Blonie Here my host has estab-
Hshed mis- base station depot Wmch Is
crowded with crates. bandage linen
and boxes of medicine.
One room serves as hospital
Three wounded are here; one Rus
sian, his head bandaged so that MS
ewes alone shine. a line in the white
linen: two are Germans who lie at tuil
length on stretchers in a far corner OF
the room. These wounded Will go
hack TO Warsaw on the first returning
ambulance.
Leaving Blonie we continued in the
direction of SOchaczew. The country
in the rear of the army is dotted Wlth
camp fires far over the plain; these
make little spots of red that throw
a radiance over the snow.
Behind the ceiling OF clouds the
moon is shining.
Through its misty light / can see
three battalions of fusilliers lOunglng
up 10 the front. Lounglng is the
right word for the Russian. He is a
happy -gO-lucky soldier. but You can
aiwavs depend on him to fight, stold-
To Relieve Men i'm Trenches.
These battalions are on the way 10
relieve the men now in the trenches.
The noise of cannon fire comes In
spasluodic booming with HasheS IKE
heat nghtning. 10 show for few sec
onds un the horizon.
With mud almost up 10 the radiator
of our motor car we plough along
the road. getting nearer and nearer TO
the firms I guess we are within TOUR
miles OF the rear line OF batteries
when we turn southwest. Every rev
olution of our wheels brings us closer
10 the firing.
We turn west once more and there
spreads before us glorious battle pic
ture. The moonlight through the
clouds gives an indulgence just strong
enough TO shape shadows on the Gov
cred snow fat white fields which are
bounded with a fringe Of black woods.
At the back OF these woods are the
guns. They stretch in a long line as
far as the eye can see. their irreSuiar
positions marked by tongues Of red
flame and noise like thunder.
In the distance where the sky meets
the plain are other flashes from the
German guns. Some times Sour flashes