The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-03-05
Brn mslc bu rgers StOrmed Fort.

The crisis IN the iir.; phase % the
battle -ama IN February 20, wuen the
GerIaHs, acav,ly .cenfo'c'j. artured
thu nils %Southwes, Of L"uverou; in
-, :icc Of q hu. ricanc Of artillery fire
aud pushed tgc.r lines as Ear south as
ne village o. ~l,.uauno.;.
Tn Nii&g, oas.sting o. not more
tlau :fty houons. situated at ;ne inter
section OF th.c - ads. sands OIL a plat
ecu which Is t,lc ndrroWest po.nt OF the
Neuy. heights. TIC for uf Douaunont,
wnic., ovefloo.s the village NJ - height
o. ,ot a,..c t.iau 100 fee. commands the
village as well as the approa. mes along
the rad. \ snort distance to the south
and closer to Ncrdun, the forts of Sau-
vile and NauX m D~ouau'nont.
After several unsuccessful attempts TO
lake Fort Douaumont 'Oun, Won Haese-
Ter. the German commander who made
himself famous q few years 10y captur-
ing the Kaiser in manPuvres. ordered
,re R-ardenburg regiments forward. As
they dashed w the slope the rrehch
ma ,ninc guns on the crest rained Il muir
deyous Are upou them. cutting them
down like wtea;. The Brandenburgers.
their heads bent as II to protect them
from this hail Of lead. kept on ana
: gained the height. They were masters
Of the fort. or rather the ruins OF n
was once a loll, u "a" 30
guns nad battered 1t 20 pieces.
/, was lust at this momen; that the
! French commander issued the order TO
,,nnch n counter attack. 1t was led by
n full army corps one that made its
name famous in Chan'pagne out wnich
ye are not allowed yet even To deslSha'e
nv number. Dastins up the MI me
: French instead OF throwin- themselves
or the Germans sheltered IN Inc ruins
o., tho fort divided into two Columns
and swept around the position, rctakihg
,ho viIlare OF Douaumon. and thereby
, cutting Of The Brandcnbursers IN
their dearly won position on the spur
! aboyp Furious attacks were made ny
| the Germans to relieve their comrades.
hut the French held theit POSITIONS
against every assault.
An reports from Nrrdun agree that
the slaughter in this days fishting was
terrible. Every possible route OF APP
nronch To the French positions was
! commanded by artillery ana ,Ii,cnine
p,n FIRE. so tina, the Germans debouch-
lny from wood or rayine Immediately
became easy targets for the French
guns.
R.pr,csded w. Their own Dead.
On many we're killed that they even
,,ogsed tho streams in the raNlnes which
seam this plateau runninx IN every
direction. Finally the advancing Ger
mans were able to Narricade themselves
hehind the bodies Of their own dead and
in this way receive some protection,
During the night OF February 20 and
"a the French Genera, STAFF decided
mon a retirement from their advanced
nositions on the Woevre plain. There
we're indications that Count Won Haese-
10. i,taudcd Ia attempt an assault on
! Verdun from this direction. and under
cover Of darkness the French foil back
TO the railway line that skirts the
Msuss heights on the east. Here they
/, we're heavily attacked on the following
| day at the railway station Of Elk. which
changed hands several times, At Man
heulles and At Fresnes' The
succeeded In taking the village Of Man.
hsuiies, but were rspulsed at Elk and
lrrsousc. the former position lying the
| cIoNos Z vsrdun. South OF Fresnes the
0evmans carried ths village Of CHAM
eion. ana a, last reports II still rsnas"s
In thsls haaAa