The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1916-03-30
FIGHTING TENTH
ADDS GLORY To
THE IRISH ARMS
Makes Most Remarkable Stand
Against Overwhelming Force
of Bulgars.
DIDN'T KNOW THEY HAD LOST
Allied Division Slowly Pushed Back
but Exacts Awful Toll In SIaugh-
ter for Every Yard-Machine
Guns Fire Is Murderous.

1unS' Firc Is numerous.
London.-Although the government
has repeatedly been pressed to give
the country the story of the stand of
the Tenth (Irish) division against
overwhelming forces of the Bulgars In
Macedonia before the retreat of the
allies to Saloniki, the United Kingdom,
and Ireland In particular, Is still wait
ing for the official account of the ac-
ton, which, though 1t ended adversely,
will rank among the finest exploits of
British arms.
The Weekly Dispatch publishes the
story of how the Irish regiments stood
their ground against wave upon wave
of Bulgars. moving them down with
rifle and machine guns to the accom-
paniment of shouts of stick It, Jolly
boys; give 'em hell, Connaughts!"
The account fills moe than a page Of
that newspaper, and the following are
the main points Of the story.
Officers Were Warned.
On December 3, which was a Fri
day, the British outposts brought in
six Bulgar deserters. who had much
OF interest to tell. They said that the
Bulgars not only had suffered very
heavily n their engagements with the
Serbians, but were losing men rapidly
owing to sickness and frostbite.
What is more to the point, they
warned the officers hat a big attack
against our line was impending, that
1t had been arranged to take place that
day. but that the severe snowstorm
had caused them to put 1t off to an
other day. which would not be long
delayed.
These opportune tidings, which, as
events proved, were thoroughly reli-
able. were communicated to headquar.
tiers and the necessary precautions for
battle taken. The ~outposts were drawn
in and finishing touches given to the
trenches.
Dawn had scarcely broken when
the enemy made his expected attack.
The conditions wholly favored him. for
a fairly dense fog prevailed, and I'M
der its cover the Bulgars were able
to get within 800 yards of parts of our
line without being observed, The In
niskillings were the first to be at
tackled; about 5 a. m. their outposts
were driven In and then a great mass
OF the enemy swooped down on the
trenches, but were driven back by the
fire Of IA Maxim guns and by the
steady magazine fire that came from
the trenches.
Mad Rush to Slaughter.
Scarcely had the attack on the ex-
IRENE right Of our line had time to de-
velop when the main body of Bulga-
rians were seen running down a defle
leading to the center OF our front.
They were perceived as a long, inter-
minable stretch Of men-a mass of
shadowy figures revealed half dis
tinctly in the mist. As they reached
the end of the defile they spread out
a. from q hottie neck, and with wild
cheers flung themselves on our line.
But before they had got so far our
guns smashed and battered the thick
procession of men leaping out of the
narrow gorge. It was impossible to
miss them. British artillery had never
had such q target since the first bat
tie Of Ypres, when the guns literally
moved down the half-trained German
troops who attacked on the User.
"The slaughter Of the gums was mag.
niied by the slaughter of the rapid
magazine fire at short range. Wave
after wave OF the enemy came on, each
broken as 1t swept out OF the defle,
but the Bulgars were not to be denied.
Though their comrades fell thick and
fast they came on, and by sheer Inn
petus OF numbers reached our
trenches. where awful work wal
wrought. II was hand to hand tight
ing then-terrible to witness, terrible
to think of. The short bayonet of the
Bulgar, however, vas of little use in
these trench combats, and man for
man the British won, but the Bulgars
had the numbers and temporarily the
first line OF the Twelfth division wal
~overborne. The British were driven
out.
WouocrIot oayonct SnaFne.
The British artillery had been do
ing splendid work. but now the enemy
artillery was ia full blast, and they
poured q devastating and whitening
hail Of IRE on III positions. which
through faulty ranging put out Of ac-
tion more OF the Bulgars than Il did
Of us. The MINISTERS and the Con-
naughts and the Dublins quickly raj
lied, and with = wonderful bayonet
charge drove the enemy out OF their
trenches again. The enemy, mas6ed
Ii close formation. swarmed in once
more hut 1kainst the deadly 1re
ez#rs9s*oeAene4hey ean44 Hake4An
.Ifieh rexImentS were pouring lead into
them a. fast N theY could load. THAR.
I6s. 0dfSd i6t1 dc 06con.
IL massea o much - ia rounds 1T
polnt blank range.
: sBut IL ri. .for ~ our grim resist