HOT FIGHTING IN THE MEUSE VALLEY

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2243, 1 September 1914, Page 5

HOT FIGHTING IN THE MEUSE VALLEY

• ENEMY'S LOSSES VERY HEAVY . I GALLANT STAND BY FRENCH AT MEZIERES (Reo. August 31, 11.5 p.m.) London, August 31, morning. The "Daily Chronicle's" correspondent at Amiens says after the battle at Dinant the Second and Seventh French Army Corps were heavily outnumbered, -and retreated slowly, awaiting reinforcements. Artillery perched m the,wooded hoights above the 'Meuse swept the German lines. The French infantry entrenched on the right bank was supported by field and machine guns, and held tenaciously to each position. The Germans, however, were utterly reckless of life, particularly when fighting for the possession of bridges, of which the French destroyed thirty-three as they retreated up the Mouse Valley. Twenty thousand Gorman infantrymen at Barvillo engaged five thousand French with quickfirers. The French held off the enemy for twelve hours, inflicting heavy; punishment and suffering comparatively slightly. The Germans fought their way along the Mouse to Mezieres, which is divided from Charleville by the Meuse. Nearby is the gap which led to Sedan in 1870. This time the French determined to possess the and took up magnificent positions commanding Charleville 6 three bridges. Mitrailleuses were hidden in abandoned houses, and ninety-five field guns, captured from the Germans in the fighting in the Meuse Valley, wero also put into good positions. ' , The German outposts were allowed to cross tbo bridges'into the apparently deserted town of Charlevillo, then the three bridges were blown up, and their retreat cut off. The mitrailleuses in the houses slaughtered the Uhlans, who had a few_ quickfirers, with winch they fought to the last. When the main body of the Germans came into the yalloy, _ the French artillery from the heights raked them. ■ Tho Germans, with grim coolness, built pontoon bridges, until the shell s forcod the French gunners to retreat. Charleville and .Meziqres Ho on opposite sides of the Meuse, thirty-five miles south of Dinant. Charleville is a manufacturing town of 20,702 inhabitants, and Mezieres, the ohief town of the department of the Ardennes, with 9393 inhabitants, is situated, on a peninsula formed by the Meuso, and until .recently was strongly fortified. Mezieres surrendered to the Germans in 1871 after a severe bombardment, during which it was almost totftlly destroyed. The' town figured to some extent in tho famous battle of which ended m disastrously for the French in' 1870. Tho town on that occasion was occupied only by a portion of Vinoy's corps (tho 13th), but all advance towards Mezieres might have extricated the French Army from tho trap in which it wnß soon held fast. After Marshal MacMahoii, having been wounded and laid, down tho command, .General Dvcrot orrlered- ai'movement of tho whole army under cover of. rearguards towards Mezieres, but tho order was countermanded by General AVimpffcn,who superseded General Dvcrot and assumed the supreme command by virtuo of a secret commission entitling him to succeed'MaoMahon. In tho event tho French plans were thrown into confusion. 1