The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1918-06-05
HOW ENEMY won
AT ST. QUENTIN
Captured British Colonel Gives
Description of Fight.
ESCAPES after Six HOURS

Acting Brigader General Held Behind
German Line Says Mist Defeated
the British Fifth Army-knocks
Down Two Teuton Guards end
Then Makes His Way to English fo-
stions.
1t was the British Fifth army which
let the Germans through toward Ami
ems. For time the facts were some
what obscure. Much new material has
been collected. and the authorities are
now able fairly accurately to recon-
struct its opening stages. One of the
most valuable stories is that supplied
by colonel, acting brigadicr, who
was temporarily taken prisoner and
had the unique experience of watch
ing the German advance from the-Ger-
man side for period of more than six
hours.
General Cough, who was in COM
mand of the Fifth army, was relieved
of this command as an unsuccessful
general, but. subsequent information
about the battle does not show that
any specific charges can be brought
against him.
From the facts now known it Is as
tonishing, not that the Fifth army
failed to hold the Germans but that
they were able to resist as they did.
The men fought like lions. Rear
guards died where they stood to save
the rest OF their comrades, and the
retreat this army accomplished has
been described as a miracle"
Line Held Lightly in Men.
For reasons which are not disclosed
the line of the Fifth army was lightly
held in men, but strongly in every
artifice of modern defense. It was the
mechanical part of the defense which
failed or, rather, was neutralized at
the crucial moment.
It is not possible to go into very
great detail, but the most serious of
the minor breaks which occurred and
the one which developed into the most
menacing, was that in the neighbOr-
hood of st. Quentin. 1t was through
this principally that the German forces
poured. A few divisions OF local re-
serves were thrown in, but these were
soon mopped up in the fighting with
superior German forces.
In the reports of the battle it will
be noted that the reserves came to the
rescue of the retreating Fifth army.
This was not chance happening de-
cided upon after the battle began. The
battle dispositions o. the allied armies
provided general reserves for the Fifth
army. In point of fact, these re-en-
were delayed In coming up,
which makes the work done and the
retreat of the Fifth army all the more
1t was between the break-through |
by General Won Hutier at st. Quentin !
and the arrival of re-enforcements /
that the nondescript forces of en-
gineers and laborers collected by |
Brig. Gen. Sandman Carey saved the
line.
Secret OF German success.
The secret of the German success
against the Fifth army was the ex-
-raordinarlly heavy mist which devel-
,ped on the morning of the attack.
The British knew the attack was In
preparation, and in anticipation of II
had developed most elaborate sys-
EN- of traps and cross-fire arrange
nents, which were considered sufli-
lent TO shatter any advance by the
enemy.
What perhaps the British did not
Know was the exact moment when the
lttack would be delivered, and what
hey could not foresee was the extraor-
linsry weather conditions which pre-
'ailed
The British line of defense consisted
lrst of all of line of outposts; in
lde of this was the carefully sighted
'attle zone. at the boundary of which
vas the line of resistance. What hap
'ened on the day of the attack was
hat the Germans effected surprise
y advancing right up 10 the outposts
without being seen and by terrific
'eight Of numbers rushed the battle
one In which the carefully planned
ross-fire which was to wither up the ,
nemy forces could not be used to ef-
ect on account of the binding mist.
The personal story of the above
Mentioned brigadier who was captured
by the Germans Is prob