The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1916-02-29
GREAT YERDIN FORTRESS
TREMBLES UNDER SHOCK
TEUTONlC FO0DNEN SURGE
FORWARD UNDER COVER OF
HEAVY RAIN OF PROJECTILES

5 declared by the Germans to have
preached the outer defenses at one point
and driven back the French defenders
upon their inner lines in other sec
tors
The French war office, in its latest
official statement, describes the battle
around Fort Dou Aumont, one OF the
outlying forts of Vcrdun, as desperate,
but makes no actual admission of t:e
capture of the\fort by the Germans as
claimed in the official communication
issued at Berlin.
Fort Dou Aumont. says the French
statement, is an advance element OF the
old defensive organization OF Verdun
fortress. The statement goes on to say
that the position captured Saturday
morning by the Germans after several
iruitless assaults, was recaptured again
bv French troops, who succeeded in adj
vancing beyond that point and have
maintained their ground. The position
referred to is not clearly defined.
HOLD OFF ATTACKERS.
Heavy bombardments by the Germans
to the east and west OF the Meuse were
met by vigorous counter-attacks and
tie French have resisted the attempts
of the Germans to capture Champneu-
Vile and La Cote de Poivre pepper
HID, two positions of strategic I'M
portance.
Late dispatches from Paris say that
utmost confidence is felt there in the
ability of the French troops to with
stand the German assaults and in some
quarters a continuation of the battle
centering around Verdun for the next
two weeks is looked for
Under tie eyes of the emperor the
German infantry has advanced to the
charge ON both sides of the salient
wherein lies Nerdun and, according to
Berlin, has stormed and taken the out
lying fort OF Don Aumont, northeast OF
the fortress, while on the plain OF the
Woyre to the east and southeast it has
swept back the French lines and broken
their resisting power along wide 'front.'
forcing them to retreat with the Ger
mans in pursuit.
The crown princes armies engaged IN
the terrific battle have had their way
blasted out for them, according to cor
resnondents near the scene, by what IS
said to be the greatest concentration OF
artillery fire known to history, III
which the monster guns of the Germans
and isustrians. brought from the Servlaa
and Russian fronts, have Played an I'M
portant part.
PRESS DOWN THE MEUsE.
With this mighty aid, the infantry has
pushed down the valley OF the Meuse'
gained the hills southwest Of Louve-'
mont. not more than fo,'r miles from
,be fortress, and carried fortified po-
ei+ions to the east. Berlin declares the
Brandenburc regiments particularly
distinguished themselves in stormlng
Fort Dou Aumont.
While this was going on the> >Germ---s
in the Woevre were assailing the French
line on the eastern side of the salient
the two operations being designated to
nnsb in the sides OF the protecting 'front.'
bucking process which if kept up
would soon result in the fall OF the
fortress. The French, however, are de-
tending their stronghold with notable
tenacitv, and, according to various ae-
counts inAicting terrible losses on the
attacking forces. Paris has not conced'
ed the fall Of Port Dou Aumont, al
though admitting that the fighting there
had taken on an extremely sangulnary
character, and it only mentions the woe
vTe region in an announcement that the
advanced posts held for observation
purposes along the line from Ornes TO
Hennemont have been attacked by the
German infantry. The German attacks
along the front are declared by Paris
70 be male without regard to the losses
sustained.
EVENTS IN THE EAST.
Notwithstanding the concentration OF
attention upon the great struggle OF the
Western front, the current dispatches
show that events of considerable inter
est. while not comparable in importance
10 those around Verdun are happening
in other war theatres.
From Persia comes the Russian an
nouncement that the important city OF
Kermanshah has been taken by storm