Elmore County Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1910-1915, 1915-01-16
IN flashing CHARGt.
ChaSSeurS d'Afrique Like lrresiSt-
ibIe Torrent.
French Colored Soldiers Win Fame In
Attack by Which Superior Force
of Germans Was DisIodeed
at Albert.
BY PATRICK DE Battle.
Anternallonal News serylcaA


Northern France have just oh
aimed 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 te
Getty. The busy Industrial town was re
iuced to mass of ruins by the bonn
1ardment
In order to dislodge the enemy Il
was found necessary to have recourse
to a vigorous counter-attack At tbs
anne time great masses of German
cavalry were reported TO be about
live miles from Albert,
The French staff sent forward g
regiment of chass2urs d'Afrique tC
meet this cavalry body, which proved
to be the Prussian Dragons of the
guard The Prussians were threaten,
ing the French line of communication
with Aveluy.
The gallant chasseurs, mounted
upon their little Arab steeds, adj
vanced along the road to Becordel
From this point | quote from the
words of a ehasseur of the party, now
in the hospital:
I'VE all felt as calm as possible,
md were eager to measure our
trength against the dragons of the
imperial guard. AT mile or two from
Las Basselle we made a halt
The colonel turned in his saddle,
'"oking at us all, and, rising in his
tirrups, waved his sword as he shout
in a voice of thunder:
EscadroDs garde vous, pour
'hGrger sabre main, au trot--au galop
marched!
THE bugles sounded the charge
nd all the officers repeated the words
If command
The spirit of all the men was
Fplendid. We all felt this was SUI
creme moment Of we went
Rapidly the distance between us
nd the foe was diminished; it was
not long before we came in sight of
he enemy's lines 1t was a solid, com
pact line, apparently motionless, but
which, nevertheless, was advancing
4owards us at walk as they felt GER
tain Of victory against our onrushing
torrent.
I'VE got close together and had our
horses well in hand. A great cry
went up: Charge! Charge'
From every throat came the word,
from us all frantic hurrahs were
houted as we bore down upon the
nemy Indescribable cries. the clash
ing of steel lipon steel the squealing
" horses followed. Then began the
nst of slaughter and the grooming Of
he wounded.
"The dragons of the guard fell
round us, leaving many riderless
'orse, which tore here, there and ev-
arywhere adding to the confusion and
0anic among the enemy Like an ava.
anche we broke through right to the
ear of the German lines the imperial
iragoons crumpled up before us. Most
them galloped off the rest lay upon
he ground, dead and wounded
Suddenly a rattle is heard; 1t is
he machine guns Of the enemy open
ing fire upon us and the German ar
.illery is seen coming into action We
Immediately broke out into open or
Ter, changing our front, and at the
'ame time we heard the reply from
,ur own artillery beginning, while to
lur left and right our infantry attack
vas developing so rapidly that the
Ierman artillery fearing to be out
lanked, retired upon Guillemont.
"Since that day Albert has no long.
r been bombarded, and when our
Diou pious' pass by La Basselle they
ay with enthusiasm:
cts just here we ate up the
ragoons of the imperial guard "