Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-03-11
HEROIC WORK OF 1NFAN-
TRYMEN WHO TURNED DE
FEAT INTO VICTORY AT
NoTRE DAME,
ReCAp1UaEO LOST GROUND
Fierce Hand-to-H Hand Conflict
With Germans Contributed to
Terrific Fighting.

Paris, MAR. 1O-lhe hammer III
which a furious German attack al
Notre Dame de l.orette was trans
formed into a defeat in which 5000
Germans fell is described in the Petit
Parisien by n of the combatants.
Germans Take Trenches
THE Germans blew in by mines
our first line of trenches" says the
story, before the echoes Of the ex'
plosion had died away an avalanche
OF Germans poured down and forced
the French into the second line OF
trenches after a fierce handItO-hand
struggle. The Germans suddenly
racked the trenches with two machine
guns, forcing the, defenders into the
third line fromawhich they weer fore.
ed to retire on an easily d%efensible
position in the rear after another
bayonet battle with superior numbers.
in no way demoralized, our men
spent the night preparing to win back
tln lost position which the Germans
$. frightened with sand bags. Our
al tillery was placed in position ready
to fire. AS soon as dawn broke the
'3-inchers' opened with salvos. The
shells burst in our old trenches, pep.
pering the Germans methodically.
Then the heavy artillery joined in de.
moralizing them. Their artillery tried
to reply and its shells exploded with
awe.inspiring noise but did no harm.
1.-THE din became appalling. Our
pieces fired as rapidly as they could
tbe loaded. After hours of this the
guns stopped firing and u infan-
try bounded forward, %crouching lon
their hands and knees. The Germans
fired volley after volley, working
their quick-irers feverishly, but our
men would not be denied. They took
the third line but could 80 no fut.
Their. The. second line was we'll sand.
bagged and crammed with Germans,
'"Our artillery then began to drco
shells on the Germans. with mathe-
NAUTICAL precision. Fifty yards from
| us we could see them blown into the
air.
An Infantry Attack
,."The second night fell and we ccald
e nothing for the1sk was covered
with heavy clouds from which, rain
poured in torrents. In, spite of all
this II infantry resumed the attack
and. in a splendid charge reached the
second line. 1t was a fearful strug,
gle in the dark. Shaken by i'm.
petuous charge the Germans who
had not been killed or wounded fed
toward the holes which had been
made by their mines to which they
chung in thu ~indescribable uproar.
The ~tireless French again dashed
forward on the enemy. Ii the dark
ness the Germans struck frartically
around them. killing their own mer
whom they were unable to recognize
After q few minutes of carnage the
Germans fed for their own positions
leaving the ground covered with deaC
and wounded. An impressive silence
fell over the battlefield. Will $50 lag
gard prisoners were lead 10 the rear
German Losses Great
Dawn revealed a terrifying sight
Everywhere the Germans lay. man,
falling nth rifles clasped in theil
stiffened hands DIS If about to fir.
again. They paid dearly for their at
tack. for $1,000 of them fell under oul
fire. Their losses were three time!
I greater than ours. although we had t,
deliver three count s%r-attacks."