The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1916-02-29
But it was, for all our grim resist


OF men Issuing out of the narrow de
hle must sweep us back Always the
enemy returned to the charge, unde-
TERED by heavy losses, uHdismayed by
our deadly guns and magazine fire.
In the end we gave the enemy his
dearly bought line of trenches and
slowly fell back to our second line of
positions, where the remainder of the
division joined US and helped to beat
on the sustained attacks, which lacked
naught in violence. All day the Bull
gars alternately bombarded and
charged us. There semed to be thou
sands and thousands of them. They
gave US no rest at night. Wherever
we stood they rained an unceasinS
fusillade Of shell upon az and followed
each refale up with q determined in
fantry attack.
Communicating tho Tenth division
In the proportion Of at least eight to
one, they were obstinately bent on its
destruction at whatever cost to them
selves. Their artillery far exceeded
ours in weight of metal, but in efrec.
tiveness there was no comparison. Al
most all our shells told, while many of
theirs did no more than splinter the
rocks yards away. So Monday. Decem-
Der 9, was passed with the Tenth d.
vision nightly pressed but still well
able to hold its own. Tuesday, the
7th, was an exact replica Of the pre-
vious day.
Tenth Held Its Own.
m -
line; then sent forward strong storm.
ing parties before whom we recoiled
little, but no more. The division
never lost it's cohesion, and II gave
ground only at the rate Of two miles q
day, which ts a proof, II any were
needed, Of tho splendid rear-guard ac-
ton that this much -outnumbered force
fought. Our artillery kept them in
sufficient check to give us all the res
pite we needed, and the rife fire Of the
different regiments bit gaping wounds
In the enemy mass that helped to
throw them into temporary confusion.
"Teodorow, the Bulgarian general,
Is a great believer in the German
method Of attack. He reckons no loss
I'm men is too great IL the objective be
gained. The objective in this case
was the decimation of the Tenth di-
vision, and under his orders the Bull
gars charged and charged until the
snowdrifts over which the battle was
fought was black with the recumbent
forms Of his men.
In the two days we drew four miles
nearer to the Greek frontier If we
could continue to maintain this DELHI
crate rate of retirement with our for
nations still intact we could hope for
salvation, for we knew that REINFORCE
ments were due.
"The night of the 7th the Bulgars
made final attempt to smash our re-
sistance. They redoubled the force of
their bombardment; they increased
still more the momentum of their in
fantry attacks. They came very near
to achieving their purpose, and there
were hours when one would have
asked prayers for the Tenth division,
but British bulldog courage and OBJ
stinacy withstood all the fury Of the
enemy's onset, and our mountain ar
tillery always found an easy target.
By the Sth the force of the Bulgar at
tacks had spent itself. They still
shelled our line and sent forward their
infantry to the charge, but the sting
had gone out of their efforts and we
were able with comparatively little
difficulty to repel them, our machine
guns in particular doing bitter havoc
in their serried ranks. Later our hero
ic Tenth division was placed in Sec
ond line. The effect of our reinforce
ments was quickly felt on the enemy.
VINO as we continued our retirement
became more cautious, following us
only at a respectful distance.
Proved Their Mettle.
In the two days battle the Tenth
division inflicted en- the enemy at least
four times their own number OF cas-
uaities and, what Is possibly equally
OIL Importance, they taught him the
temper and morale of British infantry.
The Bulgars were lighting on ground
which they knew as we'll as the Innis.
Killings knew Ulster They had the
advantage Of our men in artillery. and
beyond all question in numbers. When
they commenced their attack on Mon
day they disposed OF at least three di-
VISIONS, the whole of the first Bulgar
army and part of the second. BY the
end OF the first day the remainder of
the second army had formed up so
That one division of British was on
posed to four Bulgar divisions, but the
Ienth division had been thinned down.
and 1t is no exaggeration to saw thar Il