The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1916-03-09
General Joffre'S Forces Every
where Holding Own and From
Superior Positions Ward
ing Off Blows.
TERRIBLE CARNAGE GROWS
Confidence of Defenders In
creases as Each Assault Fails
- Use Bayonets When
Other Means Fail.

With the French center in the
Douaumont district still apparent
ly holding firm, the Germans are
again turning their attention to
the flanks of the French positions
around the stronghold.
Intense artillery activity in the
Woevre region was reported in the
Paris night bulletin, the first cen
tering upon the regions of Haudo-
mont and Fresnot, about 10 miles
southeast of Verdun. On the ex-
IRENE French left, across the
Meuse river, the heavy artillery of
the Teutons is pounding the
French defenses in Lemort HON.
mer region.
Meanwhile the testing of the
French strength by furious as
saults on the main defenses is con-
tinuing.
Correspondents who have been
at the front quote French military
men as declaring that the German
achievements so far in the great
battle for Verdun have resulted
merely in restoring the lines to
the positions they occupied at the
beginning of 1914, before the
French, in a series Of local attacks,
began expanding the defensive
area about the fortress.
Indications that the Germans
may be planning another often
sive movement on the western
front are contained in reports
from Dutch sources that 10000
German cavalrymen are on their
way to the battle line near Ypres.
| Paris. March 7.-Yesterday was a
| good day for the French at Verdun. aC
cording to information received this
morning, and public confidence is
| greatly strengthened by the news of
the continued repulses Of the German
attacks. In military and political cir
| cles lively satisfaction is expressed re-
| garding the situation and the opinion
| now begins to prevail that the great
|
| easily disposed Of than was at first eX-
| peCted.
| Having failed to make any impress
! sion on the DouaumOnt position and on
Vaux TO its right. the German general
| staff determined to smash the French
| left on the VaCherauville wood Cote du
| POivre position. Without regard to cost,
| the best troops were hurled forward,
! but with no more success than else
| where Pomeranians and what was left
! of the Brandenburgers dashed them
| selves Vainly against the French who
! stood as imInovable as a rock wall.
Plenty Of Ammunition.
AS at Vaux the Germans finally fell
! back, leaving heaps of dead on the
| ground. The French infantry, supported
by their formidable artillery. which will
never henceforth lack ammunition,
| showed themselves able 20 resist every
onslaught. On the, left bank OF the
| Mouse. artillery on both sides thun-
| dered all day long. The French in
fantry in that section had little to DO,
but 1t remains there ready for any
! eventuality.' although the military au-
thorities believe 1t is extremely doubt
| full that the Germans will attempt to
storm the Mort Homme key position,
| for to do so they must deplOy over a
plain a mile wide under cross fire from
| the heights around.
which is involved in the Woevre fight
| ing. The French hold the outskirts Of
| the village OF Manheulles firmly, and
have stopped all attempts of the Ger
mans to debOuch in that direction.
! An idea of the relatively small per-
| Centage Of French casualties in the
| Verdun battle is considered as deduct
| BILE from statement made by lieu
| tenant who has arrived here wounded:
! Our losses" he said, are compare
| lively slight. My regiment for instance,
| had only AZ killed and SIS wounded. This
is small for unit which has been act,
| ing as support and which was engaged
in the most violent of the fighting"
Two Days of Carnage.
| The fire of French guns poured
! death for two days into the ranks of
! the forces attacking en- Gnasse the viii
| lage of DOuaumOnt. The French hold
the summit of the knoll. which domi-
mates the village from the south. Parts
| OF the town had been taken and re-
| taken repeatedly and each time that
: the fortune of battle changed more dead
| from the thick masses of German as
! SatlantS have been added to the piles
behind which their surviving comrades
1 sought brief protection.
Each time regiments already cut to
pieces were pushed ahead by other
bodies Of troops charging the field UNI
til the ground was Strewn with bodies;
, 1t is the opinion in all quarters that the
crown prince had determined to pay
the price necessary to capture Ferdun
and if possible drive the French from
the right bank OF the Meuse
| Finished With Steel.
! Whenever the German assault on the
French line reached the danger point
the blue clad troops leapCd forward
with fixed bayonets to the strains of
the national battle hymn. Accounts Of
this fighting from French sources say
that on each occasion the soldiers Of
the republic got the better of their OPP
ponents, pushing back Germans who
did not fall under the cold steel.
F'irmness OF Fl ench bonds on the
bourse today reflects the confidence
which is felt here in the outcome of the
great struggle.
Fighting is still going on for definite
possession of the village of Douaumont.
The situation is in favor of the
e