Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1920-03-05

enemy to attack him on his own
ground. Not far below Berry-au-Bac
the. Aisne receives from the northeast
This becomes almost dry In summer.
but 1t is bordered by marshy ground.
Between the Miette and the Aisne.
Caesar placed a camp, the location of
which has been determined by exca-
vatlons. The area Of the elevation at
the point selected was large enough
for an encampment Of $4,000 or $4,000
men. The camp was surrounded by
a palisaded rampant and trench. and
strengthened against attack from the
northeast by ramparts and trenches
running out from opposite corners to
the two streams. Caesar placed a
small fertilization at the south end of
the bridge. and posted attachments
Of troops at both ends.
Romans Opposed BelsIans
The army of the Belgians apparent
ly numbering several times as many
fighting men as the Roman force, en-
camped north Of the Miette. On the
gentle slope Of the ridge facing them.
on the opposite side of the brook,
Caesar drew up his infantry In battle
formation, hoping that the impulsive
foe would be tantalized into charging
across the marsh and up the hill
against his triple line.
But the Belgians, whose bravery the
hon
mends, were not so easily tricked.
They concluded that II would be bet
ter to ford the Aisne. destroy the Ro-
man troops guarding the bridge and
break the bridge down. This would
cut Caesars line Of communications.
and prevent the bringing of supplies
to him from the direction Of Reims.
Below the junction Of the Miette.
the Aisne on that day happened to he
fOrdabls. No sooner was the move
ment Of the Belgians started than
Caesars patrols FASTENED to report 1t.
Instantly he dispatched cavalry and
a contingent Of sharpshooters. con-
sisting of singers and bowmen.
across the bridge. When these de-
tachments reached the south bank of
the Aisne, only a few of the enemy
had crossed, and these were quickly
surrounded by the cavalry. The
sharpshooters stationed themselves
opposite the fords and killed so many
of the Belgians In the stream while
crossing that the river was choked
mi
domitable host continued to press for
ward till the appalling losses checked
their ardor, and they gave up the at
tempt.
Disastrous Retreat.
AS their provisions were running
low, the Belgians decided to adopt
different plan Of combating Caesar.
and in the night started for their
homes, only to be done to death the
following day by the rapidly pursuing
Roman forces. which cut them down
without mercy.
This battle of the Aisne was of
great Importance to Caesar. Yet
what mild affair II seems when con.
trasted with the means and methods
employed In the war which lately
closed
For reasons analogous to those
which made this part of the Aisne
a scene Of battle In Caesars time, In
the autumn Of 1914, and In the last
two years of the war, the struggles
took place at Berry-au-Bac, In the
angle formed by the Miette and the
Aisne. and on Hill 10s, so frequently
mentioned In the dispatches.
Hill 10S is directly east Of Berry
au-Bac. on the other side Of the
Aisne. and Is of q whitish chalk for
nation, easily worked. It was mined
and countermined until the whole sur
face became complex Of yawning
mine craters. One Of these, near the
west end Of the hill, Is some 60 feet
deep and $50 to 800 feet across at the
top.
Below Berry-au-Bac, near the begin
ming of October, in 1914, French and
British troops constructed pontoOn
bridges In the face of artillery fire
accurately directed from the high
ground on the north side Of the Aisne,
and again, as was reported by dis
patches at the time. the Aisne was
choked with corpses. Near the Aisne
in October, 1919, II months after the
Germans withdrew from this region,
we found a few temporary wooden
buildings erected to house the men
who were cleaning away the debris.
Over near the Miette brook, at the
left Of the highway reading north, Is
a camp for German prisoners.
Tanks Where caesar's Army Stood.
On the slope where Caesars army
was drawn up are the wrecks Of two
French tanks, one Of earlier, the 9TH
er Of later pattern. The latter had
not reached the first German trench
when 1t was hit by a shell which blew
the motor entirely out Of the machine.
1t stands just az 1t was when aban-
doned.
To He,S NO FH,fN