The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1915-01-16
IN DASH|NG CHARGE
Chasseurs d'Afrique Like lrreslst-
ible Torrent.
French colored Soldiers Win Fame In
. Attack by Which Superior Force
of Germans Was Dislodged
at Albert.
Ry PATRICK pE 7 Il

/
Northern France.--I have just OBJ
tanned particulars of the magnificent
charge of the chasseurs d'Afrique by
which the allies retained possession
of Albert. The Germans attacked AL
bert time and again with great fe-
rocity. The busy industrial town was re-
duced to a mass of ruins by the bonn
bardment.
In order to dislodge the enemy It
was found necessary to have occurs
to a vigorous cou~nter-attack. At the
same time great masses of German
cavalry we're reported to be about
five miles from Albert.
The French staff sent forward a
regiment of chasseurs d'Afrique to
meet this cavalry body, which proved
to be the Prussian dragons of the
guard. The Prussians we're threaten
ing the French line of communication
with Aveluy.
The gallant chasseurs, mounted
upon their little Arab steeds, ad-
vanced along the road to Becordel.
From this point l quote from the
words of a chasseur of the party, now
in the hospital:
1--WE all felt as calm as possible,
and were eager to measure our
strength against the dragons of he
imperial guard. At a mile or two from
Las Basselle we made a halt.
THE colonel turned in his saddle,
looking at us an, and, rising in his
stirrups, waved his sword as he shout
ed in a voice of thunder:
~"'Escadrons, garde a vous, pour
charger, sabre main, au trot-au galop
-marche!'
THE bugles sounded the charge.
and all the officers repeated the words
of command.
THE spirit of all the men was
splendid. We all felt this was a SUI
preme moment. OFF we went.
Rapidly the distance between us
and the foe was diminished; it was
not long before we came in sight OF
the enemy's lines. 1t was a solid, com
pact line, apparently ~motionless, but
which, nevertheless, was advancing
towards us at a walk, as they felt Ger
tain of victory against our onrushine
torrent.
I'VE got close together and had oul
horses we'll in hand. A great cry
went up: Charge! Charged
From every throat came the word
from us all frantic hurrahs were
, shouted as we bore down upon thu
enemy. Indescribable cries, the clash
! ing of steel upon steel, the squealinI
of horses followed. Then began thu
lust of slaughter and the groaning o
> the wounded.
1.-THE dragons of the guard fel
around us, leaving many a riderles
> horse, which tore here, there and ey
: ~erywhere, adding to the confusion an,
: panic among the enemy. Like an ava
lanche we broke through right to tn
rear of the German lines, the imperia
= dragons crumpled up before us. Mos
of them galloped off, the rest lay upol
the ground, dead and wounded.
Suddenly a rattle is heard; it 1
. the machine guns of the enemy open
[ ing fire upon us, and the German al
tillery is seen coming into action. w
], Immediately broke out into open Oh
t der, changing our front, and at tn
same time we heard the reply froI
our own artillery beginning, while t
our left and right our infantry attac
t was developing so rapidly that tn
German artillery. fearing to be on
l 1anked, retired upon Guillemont.
"Since that day Albert has no lonl
err been %bombarded, and when ou
e 'piou pious' pass by La Basselle the
o say with enthusiasm:
cts just here we ate up tn
dragons of the imperial guard"