The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-10-25
In Three Hours Ground Is Recaptured Which Took Germans Months to Gain German Lines "Burst" Under Fierce Attack, Par
 is Says-Attack Planned For Ten Days.

Paris, Oct. 25.-The French attack Iat verdun apparently took the Ger mans completely by surprise and not at one point did they succeed in stop. ping the impetuous rush. In three hours the French reeaptured ground, Ito gain which required months of pa ltient effort by theSGernans, including such positions as Douamont front and IThtaumont work, which in the past were won and lost repeatedly.
 The official French account of the battle, every word of which was weighed carefully, does not say the German line was forced buck but that 1t was burst" Later details of the French victory show that its extent was as much of a surprise to the French as it must have been to the Germans. General Petain regarded the front east of the Mouse as too cramped and suggested to General Melville, the commander at Yerdun, that he give himself more elbow room. With that end in view, infantry was sent up to reinforce the French and artillery was ordered for the estab- lishment of new batteries. The avia- tion department was commissioned to make an exhaustive survey of the po- sitions of the German batteries and points of assembling. This work was carried out and the secret was kept so well that to all. appearances the Ger mans never had an inkling of what was in prospect. Furthermore, they evidently believed the energies of the French were being ascribed by the battle of the Somme and made no preparations to meet a thrust at Ver- dun.
 Thus it came about that what was intended for small maneuver became a brilliant tactical success.
 The attack was planned for ten days ago. Artillery began preliminary work but rainy weather set in and grand headquarters ordered a postponement. When the time came, the attack was delivered by four columns of a divis- ion each, first on the left, between the southern slopes of Pepper Hill and Thiaumont Farm. This met with little difficulty. The attackers carried Thiaumont Work and farm and the Haudremont Quarries set as the ob- jective and gained the Bras-Douau- mont road beyond. There the attack CTS stopped, having advanced about . mile.
 4 1Ho ScCOuu COIuIIlH WdS d COlOuldl division under General Mangin, from the corps which retook Douaumont fort last May. The task assigned to it was to take Hill 320, northeast of F1eury, and the edge of Caillette Wood. The offensive there was even
 more rapid than on the left wing. General Mangin immediately saw he could advance farther and the com
 manding officer was therefore i'm formed that preparations had been made to- continue the attack. Hill 1 320 was rushed by troops from F1eury which approached Cailiette Wood through the celebrated Ravine of Death. They then crossed the wood and reached the approaches to Douau- mont Fort. Everywhere the Germans gave way before them. However, the garrison of the fort hurriedly pre- pared to, defend the important posi- ton assigned to it.
 The French troops surrounded the fort and extended their gains every where without an instant's delay. Fa- tigue parties set to work turning the defenses so as to be ready to resist counter-attacks.
 West of the fort, the village of DOuaumont had been carried at a run and passed beyond. Meanwhile, a stiff struggle went on between the French and the defenders of the fort. The Germans refused to surrender and ! the French killed nearly all of them before they forced their way into the ruins.
 Things went equally we'll on the right. The third column advanced half mile, reaching the edge of Vaux Pond and carrying the part of the Vaux-Chapitree Wood still held by the enemy. as well as Fumin Wood The column stopped north of these woods, on the outskirts of the village of Vaux.
 The fourth column, which was or dered to operate in the vicinity of vaux Fort without taking it, followed out the program exactly. It drove i put the Germans from Chenois and Lauffe Woods. captured Damloup battery, and, pushing ahead. encfrcled vaux Fort on the east, south and west, so that the defenders have no way of issue except to the north.