Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-04-06
Terrific Artillery Fire Precedes
Daring Infantry Attacks Of
Joffre'S Men on HartmannS-
WeiIerkopf FortIficationS,
DlSMEMBERED BODIES
SCATTERED BY SHELLS
Furious Charge Completes the
Work and Dominating Sum
NIT Is Taken at Point Of
Bayonet,

ihr scHhiho iounnAt SPECIAL LrAsao wiRal
Paris. April g Ol.30 a. MIA
vivid description OF the capture hy
the French of The summit OF Hart
manns- Weilerkopf, peak OF the
Vosges mountains, a few miles north
of Thanh, is given in an official COM
imunicaiion today from the war Of
flee. The occupation Of the height
was announced on March q. rhe
final phases of the struggle for this
important strategic position, which
had long been in dispute are pictured
by the French military observer as
! follows:
"a small number OF soldiers sue
ceeded In reaching the summit early
/ in January and in establishing po-
sition In a small fort. but although
they resisted continual attacks, they
were forced TO surrender on account
! of starvation, Notwithstanding many
lefforts OF their comrades to succor
them.
! Burning for Revenge.
"All the troops We're now aroused
lby a spirit of revenge and were only
Itoo eager for the command To at
/ tack. During the remainder OF jan
luary and February, siege operations
were carried out and on March an
assault WAS made The German
trenches were subjected for two
hours to q heavy artillery fire and
lour men succeeded In capturing the
strongest German block houses and
"A portion of the first line of trenches,
The enemy made four vigorous coun-
lter-attacks on March 8, and two on
1.-THE mornings OF March and Z, but
was repulsed by our fire.
ION March Z. we attacked again,
but on March 23 the greatest effort
was made, under cover Of the ire
Imendous eross-fire from our black
mouths cannon Of all ealihre, includ-
ing many rapid firers. There could
be seen falling and also portions of
German bodies flying high in the air.
Our infantry with bound made 4
heroic charge pouring like living
lstream into the two lines % trenches
under a wall Of fire.
Fortify Captured Trenches.
''The work OF fortifying the con-
iquered trenches was begun and the
| German countcr-attaeks, although
violent, were not sufficient to drive
out our men. who continued 10 look
forward to the other lines of German
Qualifications confident Of an ultimate
Victory
THE night of March 25 passed
without counter-attacks and the
morning dawned without the usual
fog. allowing splendid opportunity
for our artillery The artillery ana
| infantry surrounding the mountain
lwere eager to begin the final assault,
(which had been planned and await
led for three months
! "Observers reported at least three
lines of German Notifications and
redOubts between our position ana
1.-THE summit. A general bombard-
lment was begun BY our artillery Of
Ian calibres at 1890 o'clock, continu-
ling until 2:90 ana sweeping every
thing before Il. Large pine trees
were saved off disclosing concealed
! German batteries and fortifications.
The ground was strewn with portions
lof the bodies Of dismembered sol
ldiers,
"At 2.35 o'clock, with a tremen-
dous rush, our troops made con-
centrated effort, charging the enc
imy's position and sweeping all before
them. They reached the summit
ishortIy after. on the highest point,
despite the continuous rain Of shot
land shell one OF our infantrymen
.
ling to the artillery that the position
was ours and now to direct the IRE
Ito the eastern slope. The Germans,
utterly put to rout. dropped their
arms in flight we capturing what re-
mained of one company-~eishty
men"
The note says that during the at
Itacks of March "a and 26 more than
400 prisoners were taken. The num-
her of French soldiers killed Is not
iyet known.
/ "Our success was pushed over the
crest and our trenches were estah-
llished on the further slope, giving us
1.-The whole German observatory the
French observer says.
Many acts OF Individual bravery
were reported Among these Is the
texploit Of a soldier named Dumou-
hind. who alone in German trench
entered into a hand-to-hand combat
with a soldier who was maneuvering
la quick fire gun which had stopped
Tour attack The quiek-firer was ST
lenced our troops reached the
trench. capturing many occupants.