The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-06-11
Some of Wars Most Dashing
Deeds Done on Historic
Old Ground.
NAPOLEON WAS THERE
Hurtebise Farm, F.iucher's
Stronghold, Lost at Last
by the Germans.

french front. - correspondence VI
the Associated Press.)-Some of the
most dashing acts of heroism OF the
great war are related in connection
with the capture and holding. in spite
OF desperate German resistance by the
French colonial troops. OF the farm OF
Hurtebise. This place has been often
mentioned in the official communica-
tions of the war office in the course
of the recent battle for the possession
of the Chemin des Danes. or Road OF
the Women. to the west of Craonne.
The Associated Press correspondent
who watched the whole of the fighting
in this vicinity. later came into touch
with many officers and men who had
distinguished themselves there, and
heard from them stories OF the series
of actions. details of which were not
0btainable in the thick of the engage
ments.
Hnrtebise farm. now as in 1914 when
Butcher was turned out of it by
Marshals Ney and Drouot under the
eyes of Napoleon, is in reality the
key of the position. sine" those who
possess it are in command Of all tn"
observation points dominating the val
lcys.
Storm Strong Defense.
The Germans had decided to hold ii
at any cost and they had constructed
a most skilful system Of defensive
works, consisting Of deep fields OF
barbed wire entanglements. trenches
and Shelters in which were disposed
dozens of machine guns. NotWiih-
standing all the difficulties Of the task
the colonial infantry, which formerly
was the French marine infantry corps
stormed the position and took ii on
the morning Of April 16.
1t was foreseen that the Germans
would make an attempt to regain the
position. so valuable to them, and dur
ing the night of April II, a regiment
of Zouaves was sent up to relieve the
colonials. who were exhausted and
had suffered much from exposure, after
the fight. to cold winds and heavy snow
and rain.
Two battalons of the Zouavcs We're
deployed to the right and left of where
the farm had once stood and on each
side of the ruins of the monument
commemorative the Napoleonic battle.
They lay in the demolished German
trenches and in shell holes with bodies
of dead soldiers all about them, and as
they lay they scraped up the earth
with their entrenching implements so
as to form some sort of defense. A
third battalion was held in reserve.
In front of the Zouaves was Il stretch
OF ground interspersed with deep cav
erns and wooded raVines. which de
seconded down to the valley of Nauclerc
and the banks of the river Ailettc.
Here for seven DAYS the Zouaves
fought their way inch by inch with
hand grenades under a constant bar
rage fire from the German big guns
and all the time exposed to the sweep
ing showers of machine gun bullets
The Germans fought with determined
Sisor, sticking to every point until ac-
tually forced out.
The line was very uneven, some OF
the sections of Zouaves having ad
yanced further down than their com
rades, and often islets of Germans
held out and pesterod the French troops
11om the flanks. Progress had to b,
made from she'll hole to shell hole un-
Ill, eventually, the Zouaves, by cap
turing the German Dusseldorf trench
were able to command an advantageous
position and straightcn and solidif,
their line.
Bitter Counter Attack.
Even then the Germans did not Civ,
mp hope, and on April % opened :
strong counter attack, for which tn,
First regiment of the Prussian grart
was brought specially into line Tn,
left Of the French line held firm. b.
the right gave way slightly, and
French fn1mtpr. al LEAF. 1,
be carried out to regain the groun,
lost
Some Of the men of an Algerian tir
aiileur battalion had been almost en-
off, but they We're relieved by In
Zouares and other battalionS and som
of the prussan guard were taken ,ris
oners.
One Zouave. who in peace times j
Partisan confectioner, while maxim
his way across the sieve-like gruun
Tell among a patrol Of Pmssian guards
men and was captured. He did ne
lose his wits. although some of hi
captors treated him with the creates
brutality. He was ordered 10 the rea
through a communication trench an
was accompanied in that direction b
a number of guardsmen. His captor
who had come on the scene only thu
morning soon lost their way in Il
maze of twisting trenches and virtual
left it to their prisoner to show thel
the way.
Suddenly an idea of tricking the
struck him and instead of turning
the right he turned to the left ar
soon he and his captors found then
selves looking into muZzles of Zoua,
rifles. The prisoner shouted, Fir
my lads He threw himself on Il
ground and seized an abandoned riff
with which he killed one of his captol
Most of the others surrendered
STAMPEDE BIDS.
Bids q f0lloN,in To no