The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-04-09

III COOv0lue ~ DrNOOms y ~ msDs w
dsy. nghsinG around verdun. the arst
onHcial account published. which 10 In
,~srr.ting - showing that the German a.
tack ON Ncrdun was not . surprise to the
French high command and % an esplana-
ton Of why the French could not at once
meet that attack With Ill available forces. |
SOW TIE BATTLE DEVELOPED.
OmclaI Account Of the Period.
Feb. Fl to Feb. rs.
Il il possible now TO sketch the gen.
eral outlines of the battle begun on
February Il around verdun. Some Of
.,s most brilliant episodes are already
known. The defences OF Herbebois. of the
caures Woods, OF wavrille, Haumont
and Douaumont Farm. all are important
chapters in the history Of these famous
DAYS. But IT Is interesting to take up
again c~hronologically the course OF
events In order to asu the scope OF
the German attack and the colossal ef-
fort Ito use an eplthet for once truly
arplicable) which the enemy made TO
crush our right wing.
First Of all, a question. Was this
attack a surprise for u
Certainly not. A demonstration against
yerdun was one of the possibilities OF
this war which our stan had long con-
templated. Those only who were not
aware of either the means at Germany's
disposal or her plans forgot that she
was preparing formidable blows and that
A drive on Nerdun was o TO De
made.
From the German point of view the
choice Of this battlefield was In no way
p~aradoxicai, contrary to what certain
critics have written. To force a battle
on an enemy with a river at his back,
while possessing the means OF cutting
Of the only existing railroad by artillery
ira, that alone was a sufficiently good
reason to move the 10 attack
N,rdun.
But the German stan had counted
without the French stan. From Feo-
riary. 1915. all operations. provisioning,
evacuation OF wounded. in a word all
vial eyolutions for an army OF 2oc,ooo
men on the right bank of the Meuse
had been foreseen and studied IN detail
al dependence on railroad transport
beng discarded. Thu development OF
our mechanical transport by road was
surh N that t.me--and 1t has since been
IF-t'lN DtlItClCi-khol "
alarm We had only to bring up by au-
i,nobile trucks the troops. food ana
munitions needed for the defence or YER
dun. And IL is that which explains how
| We have been able to feed our lines OF
defence methodically and bring up. with
cut confusion or hitch. thousands ana
thousands of men who have acted ac-
,prd'ug TO arrangements maue oeio'e-
hand by our stan.
4, the moment Of the German attack
On the Verdun sector our left rested on
the centres Of Brabant, ConsenVoye
n,umant, the Caures wood. whicn
u formed the first position; mosheu
Cote 3ii, and the Mormont farm con
sttI"d the second position. q,
Ou the centre We held the Vile WOOD
H"rbohois, Ornes, with, as second posi-
ION. Beaumont, wavrille, the Posses
Chaun. and tie Caurieres woods.
our right comprised Maucourt, Moge
vile. the Etang ,pon) OF Braux, TN
vo Dis Of Hautes Charrieres and From
coy. while our second position restec
"a R.zouveaux, Grand Cinema ant
iitppe.
Behind these sectors Of defence thu
luc of forts was marked out by th'
Village ~ Bras, Douaumont, Hardau
mont, Naux fort, Laufee and Elk. be
tNe,n the second position and this lin
a. forts an intermediary counterslopin
examination had been designed iron
lIoldunout to IIouvemont, on FoiVre MI
ami Tlou hill.
Such WAS the tactical disposition o
the ground when the Germans tried L
free their way through to Nerdun'
Attack Carefully Prepared.
Ther had prepared this operation som
tine ago and with studied care. seVe
srny corps had been brought up I
Nerdun and an extraordinary artilier
Nds 10 open up the necessary oreac
a. in one line. Supplies of munttion
had been increased ffteenfold. Noth
ing vas lacking as regards men q
Material. The Germans had decided I
MAKE use OF both with a profusioh hitN
erto Unknown.
NJ 7:l5 on the morning OF Februar
J. they opened fire and drenched on
t""'or with shells OF every callbre a
well as larrymosal and ~sunocating sneII
~ the end Of an hour OF this intens
touba~iment telephone ommunicatio
was cut and men had to be used I
carry messages. Our shelters began !
4 s." way.
From the woods OF Caures and vii
b rious casualties were reported. GrouI
o. soldiers were crushed and buried uT
90 'ha debris.
However our artillery replied. Its OF
Pt''ive was the enemy batteries as al
To'cr"d 10y our aerOplanes. cannonat
ng IN" SpIncourt forest and the wood
ear wNioh the number Of enemy CUR
uilOy"d was enormous. Aviators WI
w over enemy positions on Februai
agree in saying that this district VI
Re crrtre of a real fireworks display
~ lit'l" wood OF GENTLY. north
: vunelle, showed such density Of fire th'
'%roplan" observers mad 10 give up u