The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1916-02-16
GENERAL TOWNSEND IS
NOW HERO OF BRITAIN
Ills Struggle Against Ottoman Troops
Has Been Remarkable and Success

Ills Struggle Against Ottoman Troops
Has Been Remarkable and Success.
full.
London, Feb. 13.-The remarkable
stand which has been made by Major
General Chas. V. T.. Townsend and his
comparatively small body Of British
troops at kut-El-Amara, Mespotamia,
where for nearly two months they have
been beseiged by large army Of
turks, has raised General Townshend
to high place in the esteem of the
English public. The far away war
theatre has been watched with the
deepest interest by those at home
since the British repulsed the Turks
at Ctesiphon, and began their retreat
to kut-El-Amara and the exploits Of
Gen. Townshend have occupied much
space in the newspapers, some mill
tary critics hailing him as one of the
most brilliant soldiers the empire has
produced.
During the long siege Gen. Towns
hend has beaten off all attacks of the
| Ottoman troops and kept his little
force intact. Every dispatch which
has come through from the command
er has been read with deepest inter-
est by the public that has feared
that the relieving army, which Is said
to have been held up by natural OBJ
stacles, would reach KutSEl-Amara
too late. Gen. Townshend's recent re-
port that he had sufficient supplies for
his soldiers partly relieved the minds
of the British people, who now are
anXiously awaiting the outcome.
When the full story is told of the
battle OF Ctcsiphon the retreat to kut-
El-Amara and the siege, it is expected
by the British to make as thrilling a
chapter as any in the history OF the
world war, and the name Of Gen.
Townshend will occupy an important
place IN that story. The conflict at
Ctcsiphon was desperate work and the
general himself fought as ficrcely as
any OF his soldiers, who that day put to
Hight body of Ottoman troops said to
have been six times their number.
There were critical moments and 1t
was at these times that Gen. Towns
hend showed himself to be a cool and
resourceful commander and an able
tactician. Four times he rallied his
men and led them in their charges.
Military critics declare that the
victory Of Ctesiphon was magnifi-
ent one but that the retreat to kut-
will equal If not surpass it as a sue
cessful military achievement under
disadvantages OF an extraordinary
kind 1T is stated that not only did Gen
Townshend ward off the Turks, but
lie did SO with loss insignificant un-
der the circumstances and he sue
ceeded in taking with him all his
wounded. 1t has been declared that
the men under him would follow Gen.
Townshend anywhere
Gen. Townshend Is said to have
forced himself to high command
through sheer merit. When he was
only lieutenant he became a hard
student Of Napoleon. He studied ev-
cry work on the military theories and
practices Of that great general.
Gen. Townshend long before 1914
had studied the possibility of war
with Germany. He always held that
when war did come Great Britain
would not be able to rely solely on her
navy, but would need to have a great
army ready for the field Believing
that this country would require an
army of millions not thousands, he
favored compulsory service. He ex-
| pressed the opinion that Germany
would made the attack on France
and eventually on England-through
Belgium, and many times surveyed
what he thought would be the coming
battlefield. The general Is 54 years
old.