Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-10-25

smashed tho Germans on the Marine.
the French to-day launched a terrific
drive against the armies OF the Ger
man Crown Prince northeast of Yer
dun.
In one impetuous hcadlong assault
the defenders OF the most precious plot
In France crashed through the Teuton
defense on front Of four and Il half
miles from the Mouse to the wocvre
hills. The fury Of their assault car
ricd them at points almost two miles
Into the German lines. They won
back In their furious concerted rush
trenches. forts. villages and forests
which the Germans had bought at the
cost OF thousands upon thousands of
lives.
Tonight Fort Douaumont and the
village of Douaumont. names written
with blood upon the pages of history.
once more are In French hands. The
Thiaumont works. scene of scores OF
desperate battles. also is held by the
French. The Haudromont quarry, the
Caillette wood, the Chenois wood and
the Damloup battery all have been
won back.
NEWS OF TREMENDOUS
VICTORY REACHES PARIS
News of the tremendous victory
reached Paris while the soldiers were
still smashing their way through the
German lines.
Early in the afternoon the pregnant
rumor Of startling developments at
Ferdun spread about the city. The
tension was tremendous. but dissolved
into unbounded joy when, in an early
conmunique. the War Office tonight
more than confirmed the city's fondest
hopes.
Utter secrecy had masked the
french preparations for the blow.
The Germans were caught completely
by surprise and. off their guard and
with their ranks drained to supply the
demands of the armies on The Somme.
'ell easy victims to Joffre's great
thrust, which was carried out with
HAWKES. strategy by General Nivelle.
Since early yesterday there had been
q tremendous bombardment. but heavy
bonbardments have been common on
the Mouse front. But when the I'M
precedented intensity Of the shell fire
warned the Germans that n great gen
eral attack was near. it was then too
late for them to concentrate their
forces 10 meet the blow.
The mastery of the air by the French
had prevented German aviators from
spying behind the Verdun lines dur
"a
line forces and reserves for the sma sh,
and France had time to make ready.
When the moment came. she struck
with full force
The drum fire of thousands Of guns.
kept up without interm!sson through
out the night wiped out the foremost
Teuton defenses.
FIRE INCREASES TO
INFERNO OF VIOLENCE
At dawn the fire increased to an
inferno of violence. Then. promptly
at the moment set-11:40 oclock-the
fire curtains moved back and the
French troops leaped from their
trenches for the grand assault
The poilus at last were hitting. af-
ter months of bufetinG. They went
through the first German lines as if
they were made of cardboard. and as
they advanced the shell fire kept NOV
ing before them. cutting off the Ger
man reserves and wiping out trench
lines and entanglements.
Hundreds OF Germans, stunned and
dazcd were found In dugouts and
underground chambers. They offered
little resistance. Their comrades in
the trenches had been blown to death
by the fury of the fire.
How rapid the French rush is indi-
Gated by the number Of prisoners
, counted to-night-3,G00. All the huge
munition and food stores hidden In
the underground vaults and subter-
ranean fortresses were captured by the
French. 1t will take days even to
count the amount of booty taken.
According to reports reaching Paris.
tonight. the Germans were swept
from their grip on the lofty Froi de
Terre slopes in the first few hours OF
the fighting. This hill marked their
noint Of closest approach To Nerdun.
From its crest they had artillery COM
mand OF the forts and city to the
southwark. Its capture had been hailed
by them AS the final step toward the
capture of Verdun.
Back beyond Fort Douaumont they
were forced. and that stronghold was