Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-03-27
FRENCH TAKE ADVANTAGE
OF SEM|OPEN FIGHTING
Attain Points They Seek to Occupy
With Precision Little Short
of Marvellous.
CLOSE ON HEELS or GERMANS
Come to Grips on Several Occasions
With Retreating Enemy, Who At
tempts to Make Stand at Southern
Pivot Jof Hintlenburg Line.

From "a STAFF Correspondent of Associate
Press
AT THE FRENCH FRONT IN
FRANCE. March 25 (via Paris. March
"6>.-French troops had chance to-
day to show their dash and skill in
semiopcn lighting. and took ample ad
vantage of it, Al the southern pivot
OF the so-called Iiindcnburg line. which
Is supposed to he about at Vailiy. they
came To sripS on several occasions with
the Germans. who attempted to make
II stand on the edge OF the crouy
plateau. II strong offshoot of the stiil
larger l.aon plateau. The Associated
Press correspondent from "A nearby
height saw the French soldiers grad
ually push away the German opposi-
tion. and attain the points they were
seeking to occupy with q precision
little short OF marvellous
The French had kept close on the
heels of the retiring Germans since
they quit scissors, never giving them
n moments respite until the pursucrs
occupied the sort of triangle formed
by the three points of Crouy. Missy
sur-Aisne and Font Rouge. on the
MaubcrEe road At the last named the
Germans evidently expected to cease
their retirement. as was shown by their
abandoning the useless work of saw
ing down fruit trees.
II was This wanton devastation by
the Germans in the country around
scissors and other places which so in
censed the French infantry. composed
mostly of peasants and farmers. that
they could scarcely he restrained from
desperate rush forward after the re-
treating foe. But prudence prevailed,
and careful handling enabled them
eventually to capture from tho Ger
mans many positions which had been
prepared for stern defense. such AS
Nuillery and Pont Rouge
No sign is SEEN or MEN
ADVANCING ON FOOT
As the correspondent watched the
,ountr! side over which the attacking
troops were proceeding. not a vestigc
could he seen Of the advancing men
on too They tricklod through under
co"er Of the brushwood until they had
assembled in sufficient strength and
near enough for striking "A blow.
Meanwhile German airmcn circlcd
overhead. unable TO locate them Then
an inferno Of artillery fire broke forth
from the French guns after which "A
final squirt Ivy the infantry carried the
position. which. Oh this occasion, was
big farmhouse near Marginal. This
was held in the face of desperate
Commentaries.
The Germans themselves had few
trenches in this vicinity. relying for
the most part on organized centcrs Of
resistance and their heavy artillery.
The correspondent had come up from
SCISSORS through Il territory laid waste
as had been tho countryside evcry-
where else where the Germans had
been forced TO evacu;tc. scissors itself
is still bomba rded almost daily. and
tn" final effort before the Germans left
tho adjacent trenches Oh March is WAS
an endeavor to set fire 10 the town.
and The much battered cathedral The
latter was showercd with inccndiary
shells, bu, these died out without af-
feCtinr tn" heavy stone roof. The re-
maiAder OF the cathedral had been
much dana gcd during the previous
bombardmcnt and ii German officers
. diary found in an abandoned battery
position shows that the attempt TO
destroy il was methodical
The French troops are enthusiastic
over their recent successes in open war
fare in this vicinity, one Of the most
brilliant fcats of which was the cap
lure OF Pont Rouge. by the famous
Alpine Rifle CORPS