The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-12
GER MAN ONSLAUGHT
IN ARGONNE FAILS
French Rcpulse With Heavy
Loss Massed Attack Of
Kaiser's Troops.
INVADERS LOSE TRENCH
specini cnhi. p,.pntch 70 rnr srx


man troops advancing in massed for
nation four ranks deep over front
of one-third Of mile made a furious
attack this morning on the French
earthworks at Marie Thcrese. near
Bagatele. In the ArEonne. French In
fantry was sent out TO meet them and
tho result was one % the most violent
battles that has taken place In this
region. The enemy was obliged TO re-
tire when the French gunners got the
range and sent .hell after shell into the
closely packed lines. \ large number
OF German dead we're left on the field.
The fightng in the Bagatelle region
began yesterday and continued all night.
The forces ~ first were not large. but
at uightfall tho Germans had more than
fun brigade In action and made des-
perate attempts to make a breach in
/ the French front In the early part Of
the engagement the French losses were
serious, but when tho Germans had re-
course to their old tactics Of an attack
| en- masse the French casualties became
unimportant by comparison.
The Vosgcs region also has been the
scene Of infantry activity, according to
the official communicates issued today
hy the French War Office .Nfter con-
siderable desultory fighting the French
I
by a surprise attack The other point
Of contact on the battle front to-day was
TN Flanders. where the Germans di-
/ rectci a violent bombardmcnt against
/ Nieuport and tho banks ~ the User
| The night statement Of the War Offioe
says
The enemy bombarded Nieuport
and tho banks OF tho User violently,
but the only result was some slight
material damage our artillery
made an effective reply.
In the Argonne, In the neighbour
hood OF BaEatell after a severe
. engagement which was begun by
bomb throwing guns and lasted all
morning. a German attack was di-
rected At o'clock In the afternoon
against our works at Marie Thercse.
II was carried out by troops In
column formation. -four deep. on a
front Of 500 meters. This onslaught
was stopped nv the fire OF our art'l-
lory and infantry Tho enemy left
a very large number Of dead on the
field
In the Vosges. south Of tho Cha
teau de Lusse north Of Sainte
Marie peak), We occupied one Of
the enemy's trenches by n surprise
attack
There have been lively artillery
duels on several portions Of the
front
The most spectacular event OF ycs-
terday's operations. as recorded in the
afternoon communicate was the aerial
fighting The allied aeroplanes were en-
gagged with a number Of machines sent
up from the German lines. The oppos-
ing aviators not only fred at each other
but attempted to drop bombs on hostile
lines The German bombs did no dam
hpl
work was effective.
The French report the successful re-
pulse Of German attacks directed against
the forests north OF Mesnli-les- iiurius. in
Champagne. The afternoon communicate
records the beginning OF the engage
ments at Bagatele and in the Nosges.
II Is as follows
Along the entire front yesterday
as far as Champagne there were
artillery exchanges, In the north
ern region there were several aero
plane expeditions on our part, as
well as on the part Of the enemy.
The projectiles dropped by the aero
planes of the enemy within our lines
did no damage.
In Champagne a German attack
against our position in the forest
to the north of nil-les-Hurlus,
recently occupied by us, was re-
pulsed
In the ArConne the fghting In the
vicinity Of the Maria Theresa earth
works has been very violent. Ac-
COrding 10 the latest reports re-
Ceived here the German forces
amount to about one brigade We
have maintained all our positions.
The losses VI the enemy are con-
siderable and ours are serious.
In the Nosges there has been
thick fog and abundant snow. II
vas during a very dark night that
there occurred the infantry engage
ment reported yesterday at La Fon-
tenelle. in the Ban-de-Sapt. The Ger
mans had at least two battalions OF
troops present. After having coded
some ground our troops recaptured
everything they gave up This was
during the day OF February 10, and
1t was accomplished by series OF
counter attacks,
: Unofficial reports from the front say
the French have captured the hill OF
Notre Dame de Lorette, overlooking
Lens that the British have won ground
at Nlolaines, partly commanding La Bias
see, and that the British have also cap
tured two German trenches AZ Festu
bert, taking 500 prisoners Of the newest
class of German recruits, all young men
Dispatches from Bern, switzerland
say great military activity Is apparent
I'm Upper Alsace, close to the Swiss iron
tier. where there are artillery battles
daily II IL reported that 200 German
volunteers recently donned sheets 4
make them almost invisible against thu
q background of snow and were about e
cut the wires of the cntanglemcnts pro
tectlng thu French trenches when they
were discovered. More than half o
them were killed or wounded.