New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-06-04

fi0uCA NeFOlSNt nus ftt"f ftt"f ''' 'f''N -
rost increase in the range Of military actir'-
ties. due 10 modern intentions. ". Tord'e"s
storm of The assault on the hamlet Of "
is story in neic settings Of fighting as eic-
mental in its essentials as that icGged by
Roman leqions IN their attempts to conquer
Flanders and 10 subdne the ancient Germans.
II has in IL the dash. f'oy and intor'cot'on
,ckich are the sod and spirit Of icor.
Up TO the closing in Of night they had
held on obstinately, clngng like
~ leeches to the banks of the canal
Five hours long our 75s had played on them
In spite Of the pounding their line constantly
reinforced and having without doubt the
order to fight until nightfall, had maintained
the intensity Of its fire. It would have been
madness 10 attempt to cross the bridge on
which several machine guns were stationed.
AT dusk the infantry fire ceased. At IN
tervals our batteries opened on their posi-
tions--for the sake Of keeping in pract'ce.
Thanks to the darkness we were able to relca
the high road about thirty metres from the
canal We passed there a night Of oriei'
painful snatches Of sleep, Of patrol duty and
skirmishing.
In the uncertain dawn our advance posts
got as far as the canal and cleared the bridge
The enemy had decamped, fearing perhaps TO
be taken in the rear by the passage Of c.,
and had retreated TO W.
From the canal 10 W stretches l,8oo
metres Of marshy land, planted with willows
rose bushes and beet-roots 4 little open field
here and there, some beds Of truffies, some vine
Yards.
Clearing the bridge, we advance in Indian
file on the sides Of the road, splashing IN the
water and sticky clay, sullen and shiverlng
Our patrols, agile and prudent, creep in among
the rose bushes, behind the hedges, stop, spy
about and start again. They know that we de-
pend on them. They are proud Of that. and
absorbed in their mission, they almost forget
its danger.
A shell arrives and one of them, exposed on
the highway, falls. his thigh broken. Every
body halts While they attend 10 the wounded
man the commandant makes his dispositions
for an attack. 1t is necessary to storm the
village. in which they have not yet been able
to organize themselves very strongly.
A patrol goes ahead to reconnoitre the DE-
fences. The men glide like cats and disappear
in the brush. The fog breaks and scatters,
the sky brightens into a rose color; luminous
streak shows itself in the east light breeze
stirs the motionless leaves; all is color; it is
going to be fine day.
biscuit, a piece Of chocolate mouthful o.
insipid water and then pipe of tobacco. VIC
wait concealed under the trees, apart from the
road which makes too easy target That
precaution was wise, for presently some big
shells come and smash it, throwing up c1o)c
yards Of earth and pebbles.
One, two. three rife shots. They are firing
on our patrols Two minutes more and then
there is yolley, followed by lively fusillAi'.
Three shells break the branches Of the trees
and make enormous holes in the soft earth.
The patrols reply. 1t appears that the enemy
have dug trenches at the edge Of the village,
TO the north and TO the south Of the road, and
have loop-holed the walls of the gardens and
houses where they have established themselves.
Except on the side from which we attack 1t
W is masked by thick curtain Of trees.
What does that matter? We do not hope to
surprise them and az least VIC shall see clearly
what we have TO do. The difficulty is to ap-
proach without losing too many men. 1t will
be necessary to make haste, since, not knowing
our positions exactly, their 1905 and 1905
search methodicaIy the woods around US aud
the road The shells announce themselves with
noise like that of the rolling Of iron; they ar
rive with violent whistle; they shatter tie
branches, decapitate and uproot the little trees.
dig tunnels, out Of which spouts a muddy
liquid; burst with a terrifying report
Don't be so wasteful," somebody says IN
jest
Some splinters Of iron pierce the trunks OF
the trees; others bury themselves in the soft
soil. We are stretched out fiat and, God for
give me, what SHORES hear!
Fstiguel Contempt of danger? One is used
10 worse things Those fellows there sleep in
the mud, while the enemy fires at them shells
weighing 100 rlligrams with velocity of 450
n i