The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-05-28

The article continues:
~. Nio,.. month ~ i'.o. ual, had
~en marked by a series OF local Of
'e1sves by he Germans a,ong the whole
'front.' except the Nerdun sector, THIS
MAS an attempt 10 deceive the French
- % the po.ni where the great attack
was 70 De- made and prevent troops be
.fg concentrated to meet 1t. petain's
army. reserved by the high command foi
his honor, was no, in the Verdun reg on
and only reached il after the battle had
.mied several days.
Several great military leaders were
'ot deceived by his siratagem and some
weeks IN advance announced that the
srtai a;'ack would pc on the Meuse and
'st the Germans a concentrated I'M
uenss reserves of men and munitions
FOR Il.
"Opinion in our General STAFF was
cFlded. some officers thought that
'erdun was 70 be he German objective.
while Others refused TO believe IT, our
'.ont' which then ran along the height
~ caures woods. wa chiefly held b.
.%err''orial and African troops As Gen.
HttT' then commanding the Nerdun camp
.'d Us advanced posts. called for reen-
N~fcenents. the Twentieth Corps. then
sting n the Manly camp. was placed
nj disposal "ut was not despatched
N the scene
Tie attack on February II was made
uhaer these conditions For t~hirty-six
rourS ~ iull gravity was not realized.
" VS. "rI} when GUY retirement was
d'"r'ld'"1 We We're fighting with
rec iIViso'S AGAINST five army corps-
'.q We haI ." rectify our front below
'iH"sicuN beaumont and Orues that
situation appeared IN it's true light
"hal was To- ne done" II seemed i'm
'ss''." 10 stem the German onrush. II
st no remembered that no new rail-
way rack had been built in the Verdun
soh and that We had hu, one line 20
"'Sut' he transport of our troops to
FL" fortress. Moreover, the Meuse was
.'oH' anu The ciossins OF bridges under
10 e'"'nNs heavy guns was precarious
"'"d' 10 Cross the Mouse.
f~'''Son, which was believed TO b.
= message ~ pru Hence, was prepared
Nv evacuation of the whole Of the right
"a"N "l the Mouse. The screen of ,rouvs
III" nfSt line WAS to retreat delaying
'.'mN = advance az much as pos.
,''' 10 allow the rest OF our forces. and
possible our material, to withdraw to
we lct bank NJ the Meuse.
These orders had already been re-
,.'ed when Gen. de Castelnau reached
.ernnn We saw, he Judged, and ~ his
"" n 'n'Nh0vc. possessing as Major
""rai me delegated powers Of the
..neral IN Chief, ne decided to take the
'pp'ets plan 20 the u drawn no and
oppose the enemy on the Douaumont
ta'eau al any cost. Thus Verdun would
savc,' The task presented immense
.tn'uIles' and Gen. Petain was COM
,-.oned 70 put II into execution.
Inc first act, which had "A decisive
"na'nee on the Interior course OF events,
%" the employment OF automobile
uucks for transporting troops and NUM-
"o"s' N~eighbor'ng armies were levied
upon and 800 trucks were KEEP, coins
Vsrdun. an"
ihanks to these trucks the Twentieth
roips' brought from Mailly camp 10
par-ie-Duo by train. was forwa rded from
~a.he-i'uc to the Douaumont plateau in
Nv" nouns. The troops were cent on
r'oruary - at 7 p. NJ and took part
~ HsA' days action at 10 A. NJ. These
nu'hs on the following days brought I'D
r whole OF Petain's army and have
.sp' up the supplies OF food. munitions
nma fresh troops during the ten weeks
we battle has lasted. ~ we'll as bring
n.y. pack the wounded and the units from
W. rom who have been relieved.
H'though Gen. de Casteinau took
.p'n himself to modify the orders orig
"any given. these orders had, at GER.
I'm points, begun to he put into execu-
,"n' Ihe development of the battle in
me iast few days of February appears
" w AZ particularly confused, because
I've ,as'eianu's countermanding orders
u,u'd not reach all units In time. md
T.r!ain units had conformed to the orig
nai instructions at q when the
s',mial plan had already been changed"
ANS article 10 signed "A Con batant."
Retreat Order Dested.
IN tho afternoon Of the day after Il
WACO the nswspapsfs received the
BlUVInR NNAn-AA A->- 49,