The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-03-04
Brandenburgers Rescued From
Perilous Plight by Success
of Their Comrades
TOWN TAKEN AND
RETAKEN THREE TIMES
German Drive Lands Their
Front a Mile Nearer Heart
of VerdunFrence City Is
Nearing Its Fall

London, March S.--A German
phalanx, hurled forward by the
Crown Prince, under the eyes of
the Kaiser, who has returned to
the battlefront. has driven In the
French northeast Of Verdun. 1t
by storm and IEas relieved the
has taken village Of Douaumont
ruined battlements or Fort Dou-
aumont, according to tlae days Of
fetal statement from Berlin.
Behind this vtCtOry Is one OF
the most romanti0 and tragic
stories OF the war. For more than
three days . group OF Brandcn-
burg infantry WAs imprisoned
within the wrecked fort. which
they had taken In q furious
barge. Only throngh small
communication trench could food
and supplies bo sent to them. II
was feared that their doom WIS
sealed.
Five time. their comrades threw
their lives into the scales In an effort
to relieve the heroic troops and Ave
times were driven back, leaving hun
dreds OF dead Competing the heights
or Douaumont.
hire sixth attack, reported today.
not only succeeded IN relieving tbs
beleaguered garrison, but tho Car
mans. sweeping beyond. have driven
their advance almost mile nearer
to the heart Of verdun, and have
thrown In large group behind the
chain OF fortresses on the Meuse
heights, which they are bombarding
from the east.
Hot Fighting Continues.
The French are fighting valiantly
In the outskirts OF Douaumont VIII
iage to halt this drive. a. they did
that OF last week. Their inassed s5s
have inflicted losses on the Germans
which the French describe as cruel
The fighting, says the statement is
sued in Paris this midnight, IL still
hot
1--WE hold part of the high knoll on
the northern slope Of which the vii
fags tDouHumont1 ts situated, It says.
Spirited counter-attacks launched by
us have enabled US to regain ground
on the immediate outskirts OF the VIII
lage.'
The bomha rdment is maintained
with great violence on both the west
and east sides of the Meuse and in
the Woevre. Our artillery has exc
cuted concentrated fires on the en-
emy.s points of assembly, notably near
Beaumont. where column IN the
march was dispersed"
Battle In Second Phase.
The great battle of verdun is now
i'm it's second phase. This develop
ment was reached when the Germans.
after a day of inaction. opened Il ter
rife fire along the entire front. So
great was the cannonade that IL was
heard behind closed doors SEQ kilo-
metres away. -
Pepper Ridge Cote du Poiere) and
Douaumont. east Of the Meuse. as we'll
as the entire chain of forts along the
heights which rise up out of the
woevre plain. were subjected to a
tornado OF fire. Deadman's Hill and
the forts west Of the Mouse also we're
swept by steel.
According to French reports. the
bcmbardment has continued for forty
eight hours. Terrific attacks In ths
Douaumont region have been across
terrain, wiped clear of entanglements
by the curtain of FIRE.
The village OF pouaunont changed
hands three times before the Ger
mans finally established possession.
according to dispatches from the
front
The first attack was made early in
the morning. after a night made
hideous By the blasting Of the big
guns and the shrek OF shells. A
strong storming column advanced In
the face of a heavy French fire from
guns posted in commanding positions
beyond.
No sooner had the Germans wrest-