Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1916-06-09
Great BATTLl: C.j C.j
NORTH OF L'E:IH.l.::::::jj
$4,000 Toat0ns Fighting For
I.5iail DofanS5S.
MAY Be DECISIVE Stroke
Germans Using Vast Masses OF Mef
and Metal Push South From F'r:
Couauront.

The furiyus drive which the Ger
mans. have launched northeast oi YER
dun has already resulted in img1rtah'
gains in a sector where the battle lines
until recently have held a!nost s.a
tionary.
The crown princes forces have
pushed south from Fort Douaumcn'
and captured the Callette wood, Whle
further southeast they have reached
the southern shores of Vaux pond.
With all the weight and power oi
tremendous masses OF men and meta
the Germans have been delivering
what may prove to be their decisive
stroke against the main de-ences o.
Verdun.
The attack OF Thursday northeast oi
the fortress which gained the first me
French trenches in the crucial sectol
between Fort Douaumont AMI Vans
has been followed b. fl hit ng o'
extreme violence. The oiHtla'
bulletin from Paris reports the
continuance OF the struggle through
out the night, but fails to record tn
outcome, the implication being tha
The result so far is indecisiva.
The capture OF Caillette wood, sou b
Of Fort Douaumont, AMI CT adjoi IL :
trenches VS. announced by the Ger
man war Office in Berlin. : ccun>e-
attack by the French southwest o.
VauX wood was failure, ath ugi.
made in strong force, the staten II
adds. The capture OF seye2tys.X oil!
GERS, 1000 men, three guns and mo
than a score Of machine guns is r.
ported by Berlin.
The crown princes drive is bo:nt
pressed along a 'front.' little mere TIA,
two miles in width between the Tiiau
mont farm and VauX. German prog
ress here has been slight since tht
early days OF the fighting. The recen'
pushing back of the French lines CT
the west bank CT the Meuse, however
l.; claimed to have stopped the French
aanking fire from that bank walcE
hitherto hal handicapped German at
tennis to advance on the opposite side
OF the river.
From Thiaumcnt farm to VauX VI!
!age all day Wednesday and al nl3ht
the concentrated German artillery, eS.
timated at fifty batteries OF all cal
bres (six guns to battery, b!t SIX
inch guns preicmina:ing, pounded tae
French trenches with shells. Antici
pating the attack, the French com
mand inassed reserves, well provided
with machine guns, at conVenlen'
roints in the rear, leaving only suta
cient men in the shell swept froni
trenches to stave of the first on
slaught.
AS soon as the infantry attack devel
oped, the reserves rushed forward ant
established themselves in the wreck
ed trenches and the holes made b5
the shells. Fighting as desperate a;
that Of the previous days on the othel
hank OF the river continued all day
Wave on wave cf Germans dashed for
ward. only to melt before the fire OF
the machine guns.
- The tide CT battle ebbei and fiowe
but in the afternoon the Germans sue
ceaaed in winning back part CT t9s
Ground captured by the French in ths
great surprise attack On Dou2um2nt
and counter attacks so far have failed
to dislodge them.
The Paris Matin says the German
losses since the battle Cpene1 on Feb
ruary 81 mist he at least 900 mer
in killed, wounded and prisoners.