Evening Star Newspaper, August 13, 1898, Page 18

THE CHAPTER Iv. Le Rreton’s Ride. When the history of the war of the re- Wenge comes to be written the foremost place in that remarkable work will be as- ‘0 the ride of the 5 ee a descendant of one of the 5,000 was a distinction for a youth and a dowry for a den. No similar achievement adorned the annals of their great country. For a proper understanding of the scope and object of this unprecedented military operation it is necessary to quote fully the memorandum drawn up with such care by Vansittart during the meeting of the cabi- Roe collectively addressed to Gens. Vil- leneuve, Daubisson and Le Breton (the last named having attained the rank al- ready), and ran as follow: “It is my intention that a column shall be formed at Sedan forthwith and dis- when fully equipped, for the pur- pose of cutting into and destroying the German lines of communication. “The « 00 selected cavalry ists and engi- neers, of the expedi- tion they will be supplied with two horses per officer and man engaged. The arms | carried will be Ivers, carbines and a small number of machine guns. The order of priority shows the manner of their which must be solely defensiv 0 wheeled vehicles, ambulances, tents | or baggage can be taken. The column must, when occasion demands, be able to Move at the rate of ten Kilometers (seven miles) per hour. Each member of the ex- pedition will carry food and grain for him- self and his horses, but squadding arrange- ments will be made for the conveyance of implements, dynamite approaching an engagement be absolutely avoided. Fighting the last alternative, but if the only way lies through the hostile lines, then that is the way “Those who fall die on behalf of France who live and perform their dutie: will have rendered their country the maxi mum of good service F “The object of the ¢ n is detruction. of value to the enemy must be ed. Railroads, telegraph lines, bridges, rolling stock, commissariat trai equip- age and stores of every description, the Xception being hospital appliances, must be wrecked, burned or blown up. total ¢ of ista to be covered the frontier from ind allowing for digre I I will regard it z ance if the column emerg: Mines (Markirch) within line 2 will provide horses, will su- of off nd men. General le will take command of the column. “I leave as to the whether The measure loss and delay lines of communication. “I would recommend, however, that he divide his force into five small ‘brigades, that at the first halt he should explain to every officer and man the exact nature of the enterprise and the conditions govern- ing it—that he should start on Wednesday, and that the rapidity of his advance should be governed only by the minimum of time Fequired to destroy permanent works. The resistance offered by the enemy, when un- » Le Breton complete discretion icular route to be followed ench or German. territo: of his suc will be t avoidab aid never check the forward Movement of the expedition. “In conclusion, L wish General le Breton and his officers and men good fortune. France commits her destinies to their Fands, and I am assured they will prove worthy of the trust. “My friends—to our next meeting!” Such was the extraordinary “order of the d that Le Breton caused to be read every company in his littl m the evening of Wear it Ited for an hour almost within sight of the charming village of Longuyon, situ- ated at fluence of the Crusne and the Chier steworthy as the jun of two fre nes of rail. Th pe on had gained Montmedy by Fail from Sedan, thus saving horses and men a tiresome and useless march of thirty miles. It was risky, this railway trip. Longuyon, ven miles further on, was in the hands of the Germans, and a strong column would assuredly be detached from the norther to attack Montmedy, thus providing security on the right flank of the i ers. Vansittart had foreseen was more im; above ¢ to get to work be- approach could be Germans. his brigadiers to give to wrtunity of quitting the it was too and to s upon the bandon all whe i as to be unabie to ride. troopers only one ma isth Chasseurs In the m the ranks when had aught ative of Taras : man on, a burly and » had hitherto been re- ‘S$ as somewhat of a w defection was greeted with a tion by the 18th o, Tartarin,” yelled one. “Thou seest for a hooter!”" the laugh at these al- tal birthplace convert- on wrath into scorn. onde turned fiercely on the et the nresident,” Those who are bel- I should think.” S were excellent; they pro- t is It?" said the officer good tty. Me saw that it was no recreant 0 approached him. { ask the honor of a word with the gen- "tis contrary to discipline, but time for ceremony. Come with pair steod before Le Breton, to the orders TI said to t is well thought of, but attending to many The Ger- at the outset op ¢ Such wa: good, soldier. Hast a osen comrades, man and work instr if you ap- . try to get through the en- dusk, find the line to Dam- «quarters of Gen. Kreuz- mnect it up again and tell onnoissance in force is in ¢ right bank of the Meuse nach will think we travel South rather than west?’ ‘So, general.” “Thy name, soldier?* Pierre Larond “Do this, Laronde, and when you next Meet me you receive your epaulets. I like officers who can think.” The man flushed with pleasure. He need- @4 no higher incentive. At 9 o'clock that night @ message from flicted upon the enemy's | his order to mobilize j field telegraph, | NON WO WON OME NON ME O LOST PROVINCES, How Vansittart Came Back to France WRITTEN FOR THE EVENING STAR BY LOUIS TRACY, (Copyright, 1898, by Louis Tracy.) | and plant WOE? the German commander at Longuyon in- forming the headquarters staff that all was quiet o the flank was suddenly interrupted. The « nerator in Longuyon, tinding his in- strume -t useless, reported the fact to his chief, \"ho had also just received the un- pleasaut intelligence that two sentries had apparently been surprised and killed. A cavalry cadet came galloping up. “Col- onel, a strong body of the enemy's horse is advancing down the hill toward the bridge.” To give color to this statement a sputter- ing of rifle fire broke out and momentarily grew in volume. In fifteen minutes Longuyon was cleared of uhlans and Bavarians, three bridges were destroyed, two railway viaducts blown up and a working party was busy planting a batch of dynamite cartridges with de- tonating fuses in a long tunnel that pierced the hills leading to the frontier. To the Germans confusion seemed to reign unchecked. Those who kept their senses and were in touch with the fighting could not fail to notice that a vast body of horse, heedless of the conflict, poured headlong through the village in the direction of Diedenhofen. Meanwhile the defenders of the post were actively hunted in every direction. A troop train, with several officers and half a battalion of Hanoverians on board, dashed off toward Spincourt, the nearest point by rail to Damvillers and the main line of German communication, but it plunged into a ravine at a point where Pierre Laronde and his little band had thoughtfully removed a rail. By midnight an entire division had been put in motion by Gen. Kreuznach and was hastening northward with the utmost speed, as not a word of reply could the staff get to the singular and startling message from Longuyon which mace to hand at 9:10 p.m. They encountered stragglers from the threatened flank, who announced that a French column—a division, an army corps of 100,000 men—had occupied Longuyon, and was in full pursuit. Thereupon the commander of the relief thought it his duty to halt until daylight. He did so, marched cautiously to Longuyon and found only the evidences of the preceding night's disaster. At 10 o'clock a duil explosion, followed by a violent earth tremor, meant that two months’ hard work would scarce suffice to make the railway tunnel serviceable again, and Pierre Laronde and_ his comrades: thought it high time to catch some rider- = horses and ride fast after the ma and chaos n’s method of advance was ad- Whenever a bridge had to be de- Tr a section of the parallel railway ed a small party halted a “gan ir Preparations, while the remainder of f pressed on through the darkne: When all had passed the dynamite did its work, and the wreckers rode off to become the rear guard in their turn. Sixteen miles from Longuyon the head of the expedition reached Audun-le-Roman, the erstwhile French frontier custom house Here a small infantry guard was cut up, ard two customs officers, captured in the frst surprise of the invasion, set at Hberty and told to escape as best they might. Half an hour more and the sound of fir- ing in front, instantaneously drowned in a wild outburst of cheering, proclaimed the fact to villagers startled from their sleep that for the first time in a generation an armed force of Frenchmen had set foot upon the soll of Lorraine. This was Fontoy, or Fentsch, as the Ger- mans heve It, and here Le Breton received a severe check, unpremeditated by either side. The leading troopers cantered round a bend into the village street and found themsclves in a swarm of soldiers, infantry and artillery, being the nucleus of a divi- sion now hastily forming in order to rein. force the main body on the Meuse. ‘The hasty resolve of the Kaiser Wilhelm to penetrate into France at all cost was In brocess of realization at that moment. After the first gasp of amazement the stolid Teutons recovered themselves and 2 fierce affray at once began, growing in- stantly in volume as combatants from oth sides packed into the narrow street. Here, of course, the well-drilled infantry had the advantage. In another minute vol. ley firing would have determined the meleo, when Le Breton, who rode ever close to the advance guard, arrived. glance revealed the situation to that his leading squadron be sacrificed if he would save the Spurring his horse into a furious gal- he rode back and halted the 1st lop Brigade. Reaching a cross road he halted the 24 d four machine guns here, simul- taneously retiring the Ist Brigade south- wards to the right. The remainder followed, but the move- ment had barely started when the rem- nant of the advance guard fell back, close- y pursued by some. mounted German gun- ners with a mass of infantry press’ behind. ee But Le Breton’s turn had come. The great adventage of the machine gun is that its fire is : s destructive by night as by day, ence the vosition of the enemy is clearly defined. In this case all that was needed was to align the guns along a comparatively level road and blaze away, the four pouring an absolute torrent of lead into the mixed German force. Nothing could live against it. The pur- rs, unable to retreat with sufficient ra- dity, owing to the crowding and confu- sion behind, suffered frightfully. Hundreds of men fell ir that slaughter house, and those who sought to escape Into the fields were ruthlessly cut down by French cay- airy, posted there to prevent at all hazards @ flank attack on the new line of advance. It must be remembered that the German officers were wholly ignorant of the true Position and conseguently unable to make better dispositions for assaulting this mar- velous foe who had sprung from nowhere. And he disappeared as promptly as he had arrived, l2aving murderous tokens of his visit in the human shambles just beyond the village, while a series of explosions in the distance told the listeners that wher- ever the road cross2d a stream the bridge was destroyed. Two m from Fontoy Le Breton or- dered a much-needed halt. It was now 1 o'clock. There was no im- mediate fear of pursuit or efficiently organ- ized resistance, though the German staff at Damvilliers and Trionville, Metz and Mars la Tour were frenzied with annoyance at their inability to discover 2xactly what was going on. Orderlies raced about on horseback, field telegraphs clicked incessantly, even the em- peror at Fresnes was waked out of a sound -ep—but In vain. The incomparable Ger- man system of intelligence, which would have discovered a stray horse at any point ever their fifty miles of front, was power- s to locate Le Breton and his little host, the simple r2ason that he was now many miles in the rear of the main body and had already much disarranged the whole of the northerly communications. ntil daybreak he was comparatively safe. Horses were pickated, some food has- uly eaten and the whole force composed it- self for four hours’ sleep. Beyond ascertaining that his total losses so far amounted to sixty-seven m2n and three officers killed and wounded, with some hundred-odd horses Jost, he had no fresh nxteties to deal with. His route was cut and dried and every detail settled in con- sultation with his officers. Events must be it with as they arrived. They could not be. anticipated. “So far,” growled Le Breton as he com- posed himself to rest with his saddle flap for a pillow, “I don’t think Vansittart him- s2lf could have done better.” ‘The first beams of light found the Uttle force making its toilet after a fashion de- scribed by the regimental wag of the 18th as a@ la mode chien. A hearty shake and a vigorous stretch, followed by a br2akfast of tinned beef, biscult and a drink of wine from the stock of a local cabaret, formed the preliminary to an eventful day. While all hands were busy up the general called to him the in command, Colonel Montsaloy, a slight, act- THE EVENING STAR, SATURDAY, AUGUST 13, 1898-24 PAGES, ive cavalry omicer. whose cheekbones, chin, shouldets and Wibows were all based on a well-known proposition of Euclid affecting the properties of a right angle. “Montsaloy,” he said, “give me your map.” The other produced his miMtary chart, and Le Breton traced a line cn it. “I have Leen thinking out the situation during the last half hour,” he said, “and have decided on an {mportant alteration. My original in- tention was, as you know, to pass south- ward behind Metz, leaving it on my right. That holds good, but if we want to avoid the certainty of being cut to pleces before the evening we must crate a diversion. They will look for us at first between Metz and the frontier. Well, they must find you and a brigade there.” “I understand you fully, general.” “Good! You will procsed by way of Briey, Conflans, Mars la Tour and Verny to Dieuze. If you can get there by 5 o'clock I will meet you. If you cannot—well—au re- voir.” Colonel Montsaloy saluted, mounted and cantered off to place his column in motton. A few minutes later the diminished main body followed, but deviated to the left, and quickly gained the high road to Metz. Here they fell in with some scouting Uhlans, rid- ing furiously toward Diedenhofen to dis- cover ths cause of the complete breakdown in the telegraph to that important center. None of these gentry escaped, else within an hour every cavalry svldier in Metz would have been in hot chase of the yenturesome quarry. Le Breton’s advance now lay across coun- try to Les Etangs, and thence to the ren- dezvous at Dieuze through Courcelles, Fou- Ugny and Foulquemont. The reader who follows the cours2 of events on a good map of Lorraine will quickly see the general's object in splitting his force. fhould the junction by any chance be effected the two sections would have done enormous damage to no less than thirteen lines of strategic railways and twenty-four main roads. Nearly the whole of these were constructed for the sole purpose of conveying troops and war material to the frontier. It would be a phenomenal achievement to render this important sec- tion of the German communications whol- ly useless for a time and very inadequate for a much longer period, as even German THE LEADING SQUADRON WAS IN THE time, and was now sabetitg the gunners and taking -the horse in jfiank. ry & The unequal odds of the combat swung round witha vengeance. In place of Ger- mans carving Frenchmen it was a-case of precipitate flight to avoid being carved in their turn. What puzzied Le Breton most, even in the midst of the melee. was the manner in which Montsaloy’s brigade rode from out the defile. Their chargers lay to it as though taking part in a field day at Ver- sailles, But Montsaloy scon explained: “I came upon six trainloads of remounts on the line between here and Vie,” he shouted. “I boxed them in between two broken cul- verts, helped myself, left a small guard, and the remainder are waiting for you.” CHAPTER Vv. How the Second Day Ended. Success is a wonderful tonic for fatigue. This wholly unexpected escape from threat- ered annfhilation raised the spirits and dispelled the weariness of every man in the expedition. Montsaloy’s lucky find of German cav- alry horses enabled the troops to replace more than half of their own wearied ani- mals, which, by the ruthless law of war, they were compelled to shoot. Another desperate effort enabled them, as evening fell, to gain the shelter of a defile in the Vosges mountains. So tired were many of the troopers that they slept as they rode, and at the earliest possible moment Le Breton halted to enable them to recuperate somewhat. Toward midnight the unpleasant inquis- itiveness of ,the enemy's cayairy scouts forced the French commander to once more arouse his worn-out followers. For two hours they jogged steadily onward through rocky valleys, shrouded in gloom by the frowning heights. Then Le Breton decided that, come what might, his men and horses should have a thorough rest, else they would be absolutely unfitted for the stern work of the following day. ‘The Germans, of course, were now on the alert throughout the whole of their south- ern lines of connection. The emperor sent bitter and scathing MIDST OF THE BATTLE. military engineers require many days, per- haps weeks, to effectively bridge ruinsd viaducts, repair torn embankments and re- lay uprooted rails. Metz, too, would be completely isolated, and this in itself was a magnificent re- sult, the great fortress being a veritable storehouse of munitions of war. Whilst the two columns went on with their work of devastation the entire Ge man host, spread over a superficial area of nearly 2,000 miles, was in an uproar. The German staff was called upon to deal with, not war, but rampant lunacy. Somewhere in their midst a number of madmen, estimated variously from a regi- ment to an army corps, were raging about with antics similar to the struggles of a blue-bottle in a spider's web. The speed of their movements, the as- tounding effect of their passage, the con- flicting reports as to their location at any particular time, were well calculated to upset the theorists bred in the school of the last war with France. There had been fighting in many places, that was clear. But effectual pursuit was a different matter. Infantry was useless and neither cavalry nor guns could hope to travel rapidly along a road once Le Breton or Montsaloy had passed that way. Nevertheless, as the day wore, som thing akin to definiteness took the place of the frenzied statements of the night and early morning. ‘The object of the raiders was now clear enough. Not lunacy, but superb military genius, had dictated this deadly blow at the German organization. The authorities at Forbach and Sarrebourg hastily concert- ed measures to defend every important railway junction between those centers, and when Gen. Le Breton halted his troopers at 2 o'clock on the arid, salt- laden plain between Chateau Salins and Dieuze, the presence of numerous vedettes en the horizon warned him that his next forward step would be severely contested. He was not mistaken. The salt mines at the latter towa were crammed with German infantry. But they opened fire at a long range. This helped him a little, as he took ground to the right—only to find the railway line to Nancy swarming with men. At the range his machine guns were useless, and to give the necessary dra- matic touch to the situation, threa regi- ments of cavalry with six guns trotted into view right ahead, the artillery prompt- ly trying his metal with shrapnel. With tired men and exhausted horses, Le Breton knew that he was in a tight fix. In fact, he afterward admitted that he was quite certain his enterprise had The Dynamite Did Its Work. there and then come to an untimely end. But if he despaired he did not hesitate. Riding to the head of his column, he pointed with his saber to the enemy's cav- alry and shouted, “There lies our Toad, my children,” and his wearied troopers made a brave effort to follow him. For the purpose of a charge they did not number 2,000, as the lead horses, otherwise so useful, were row an embarrassment, and half of his men were guiding three animals apiece in the rear. The frightful dust, too, rising from the saline plain, added to the general discom- fort. In a word, every one expected that the foray had collapsed. ; ‘The German guns were on the enemy’s left, which rested on some ketene eden g By rare good luck for the French the artil- Jerists, reserve men hurrying to the front, were new to their work, and thelr practice was bad. ing too s sequence given for a powerful telegrams to the generals of division at Ferbach and Sarrebourg for having allowed the quarry to slip through their hands, and the latter unfortunate officer was sum- marily degraded in rank. The headquarters staff felt certain, from the latest details to hand, that the French Marauders would endeavor to regain the shelter of their comrades’ intrenched camp at Luneville; imperative orders were in con- force to gather in the neighborhood of Avricourt and Belmont in order to cut them up when they appeared. And cut up they assuredly must have been had they tried to force this passage at any time after daybreak on Friday morning. Every hilltop was lined with scouts, every road and possiile outlet crowned with furious German troops, long- ing for the opportunity of revenging the in- sults heaped upon their arms, and the frightful havoc done to their communica- tions by this intrepid body of horse. Hour after hour the Germans waited, eagerly scouring the eastern horizon for the first signs of their approaching ene- mies. At last they were roused into fren- zied activity. The enemy had indeed ar- rived, but from a wholly unexpected quar- ter. General Daubisson, in person, leading a strong reconnoissance of cavalry and horse artillery from Luneville, was now forcing a passage through the new rear of the German invaders. Of this more anon. At 9 o'clock on a bright May morning Le Breton and his brigadiers rode along the ranks of their gallant followers, addressing words of encouragement and good cheer to the men. The general had resolved upon the execu- tion of one last bold coup before the final dash was made for liberty and France. There, five miles away, on the other side of the Shirmeck pass, lay the little town of Mutzig, a great depot and manufactory of small arms and ammunition, but now, he learned from the peasants, denuded of de- fenders save some hundreds of busily occu- pied workmen, most of whom were secretly enthusiastic Alsatians. Fifteen miles further east the Rhine flow- ed between vine-clad cliffs, and in the in- tervening country were the main line of railway between Strasburg and Colmar, two branch lines, the Rhine canal, and two main roads north and south. To ruin Mutzig and its stores and destroy the thoroughfares by rail, road and water, would indeed provide a glorious finale to the most remarkable achievement ever car- ried through by so small a force in a coun- try held by such armies as owned the sway of the kaiser. Le Breton made no secret of his des- perate enterprise, and his men acclaimed him as he told what he wanted them to do. After all they had already accomplished under his guidance they would have fol- lowed him in an attack upon Metz itself! The column had crossed the top of the pass when the rear guard saw through their glasses a solitary horseman spurring furiously after them. He was hatless, dressed in civilian attire and obviously alone. They waited in silence until he drew near. When they halted him he explained, with an unmistakable British accent, that he Was one of the war correspondents of the Times, and asked to be brotght before the general. 2 . This newcomer was in strange plight. His clothes were torn and shot through in sev- eral places, ae: his righ’ cheek a bullet had torn a slight fu , Which had never- theless bled profuselygend tendered him a sorry object. His horap, aifine hunter, was in the last stage of exhaustion, and barely able to support himself by propping out his fore legs when the fiysterious rider dis- mounted. The man, $00, though strongly built and hard looki: clearly suffer- ing from hunger and Yet his manner w. the French soldiers how he had reache noted, with silent app: thought was for his he obtained a pail of The officer he add: how to deal with tl promptly acceded to him to the general. A “Whom have we here?” was Le Breton’s first question. . The Englishman produced his official pass, sizned by Villeneuve and Daubisson, setting forth that he was Mr. Herbert Fairfax, war correspondent of the Times, and fully ac- credited to accompany tke French armies in the field. % = “But how is this?” erled the astounded general. “Whence come you?’ - “From Luneville. @¢ seen arent in ae es Gen. Daul es “Column! What colamn, “or “A cavalry reconnaissance in force, which by this time is breaking through the Ger- man front at St. Die.” “With what object?” ine “In order to ascertain your whereabouts and assist you if possible.” © ‘Diable, ‘tis well. Yet how could Daubis- son guess my position so accurately?” — Sevan & guess, Mr. Vanaittart, infcrmed from England and Belgtunt of your progress, estimazed that you would be in this neighborhood today, and~prob- ably hard pressed; so he asked the com- mander-in-chief to try and help you.” “Monsieur, you bring good news. Nev- ertheless, I am at a loss to know by what means you have reached me.” “Oh, I just started, and here I am.” “By St. Denis, I see ypu, but my brains do not travel so quickly as my eyes. Here you are, indeed! How did you get here? Why did rot the Germans siop you?” “They tried all they knew,” said Fair- fax, indicating with a smile his scarred fa 2 and torn clothes. “But it is difficult to shoot straight at night and I was better mounted than the uhlans. I regret the necessity that compelled me to bore hoies in three of them.” = “Monsieur,” cried Le Bretot an Englishman! Let it suffice’ for me that you are a brave man. I wel- come you. Yet must I add that you have joined us at a ticklish moment.” “I wanted something to write about,” laughed the other, “and if all I hear be true, you are providing first-rate ‘copy.’ But before we proceed, general, may I sug- gest that a few trustworthy men, hiding among the hills, may fall in with Gen. Daubisson and give him definite news of your intentions?” The hint was acted upon—with excel- lent effect. Mutzig was attacked at 11:30 a.m. The small body of defenders were taken by surprise, but they were able to close the gates and line the ancient fortifications on the threatened side. A vigorous use of the machine guns and the carbines of dismounted troopers soon settled this effort at resistance. The sap- pers crossed the trench and tore the iron- work of the gate into pieces with dyna- mite, whereupon the Germans surrendered at discretion. While this busy work was in progress Colonel Montsaloy and his brigade again struck off across country on a four miles’ ride to Obernat, where a railway and a main road intersected each other. In Mutzig the Frenchmen speedily dis- mantied the small arms factory. The ter- rified townspeople, unable to escape into the country, and fearful of the destruction now being wreaked upon a colossal scale, remained in their houses, furtively peeping from their windows at the unwonted spec- tacle provided by French soldiers riding through their streets. The last time Frenchmen swaggered about Mutzig in uniform the arsenal of today was the pal- ace of a bishop. Le Breton did not forget to station cav- airy vedettes on all the approaches to the town. Nothing of moment occurred until 2 o'clock. At that hour a chasseur came riding hard to report that a troop train was discharging an infantry regiment on the further side of a gorge about a mile distant, where the junction line from Stras- burg and Saverne crossed a turbulent stream. The viaduct had been blown up long be- fore, and the French officer in charge of the outpost had sent him to give the ear- liest warning of this hostile move. Another scout, and yet another, arrived, breathless with the news that train after train, obviously sent from Strasburg, was bringing infantry, with horses and guns, that the German skirmishers had crossed the torrent, driving the French vedettes before them, and that a temporary bridge was in process of construction from the ruins of the viaduct for the passage of guns and hors It was possible at this moment for Le Breton to retreat toward the Vosges, with the hope of falling in with Daubisson’s re- lef expedition. But he had promised Mont- saloy to wait for him until 4 o'clock. It was now (0. In an hour and forty min- utes Mutzig would be surrounded by fresh and infuriated opponents. This, then, the close of the brilliant raid! That “you are Enough ght he and his gallant comrades must be killed in battle or shot in squads afterward. He knew well that quarter would not be given to a solitary officer or man once the Germans had them in their power. It was hard to be caught like a rat in a trap at the precise instant when there did seem to be some chance of escape. There, toward the west, lay the unoccs pled road across the Vosges to Luneville but not a sign from the east of Montsaloy’s return, Le Breton summarized the maddening sit- uation in a few words of emphatic collo- auial French and set himself to examining the defenses. Unfortunately, his zealous men had al- ready destroyed every piece of modern ord- mance, with all the ammunition, in the town. Soon a German battery, undeterred by a steady long-range fire from the walls, was labortously hauled into position on a clifé barely three-quarters of a mile dis- tant, and the eager gunners hardly gave themselves time to align one 12-pounder be- fore a shell screamed through the air and Struck a house in the little market place, sending fragments of brick and mortar in all directions. “You had better have remained with Daubisson,” said Le Breton, grimly, to Fairfax, who was recuperating from his fatigue by sitting on an empty packing box and smoking. “Not I,” was the cheery reply. “These chaps are afraid of you. Instead of try- ing to rush the place forthwith, they will proceed by set rule. And every minute they hesitate is probably worth a year's life to you.” “And you, also, monsieur.’”* “Oh, no. I'm safe enough. This is too big a thing for the Times to miss it. I must get through somehow.” “I like your spirit, my friend,” said the general. “But pray, make no mistake. These Germans will spare no one attached to this party.” “General,” said the other, lighting a fresh cigar, “I mean to leave Mutzig to- night with an escort of French saber: Fairfax was undoubtedly sanguine. Mut- zig was at that moment undergoing a hail storm of lead. Bullets swept through the streets from the neighboring heights and a couple of shells from the battery hav- ing smashed the defenses of the northern gate the gunners were adding to the fusil- lade by salvoes of shrapnel. Le Breton'’s orders to his men were to seek all possible shelter and confine them- selves to strictly defensive tactics, so the casualty list was not large. At last the inadequacy of the Teply from the town encouraged the attackers, who Were momentarily increasing in strength, to eae Peoaae the dismantied gate, e Frenchmen were ca; claws were still sharp, sean asa he machine guns, drawn u; a fective angle, quickly cleared as ond its approaches, and the Bavarian regiment that had essayed the charge left sufficient killed and wounded on their path to form two compani2s when they retired. _This sharp repulse showed the Germans that the assault would not be the easy matter they had assumed. A change of tactics was necessary. The town must be completely surrounded aad a plunging fire rom all sides would tend: 01 rapidly render it un- Another battery arrived and start gallop to a point which commanden nie south. The guns were unlimbered and their first batch of shells hurtled through the streets before a burst of cheers from the defenders on that side made known to their Surenes oer fact that this new enemy ha en = reife Somewhat discon- Whilst the German gunners were busy correcting the adjustment of their cannon Colonel Montsalcy’s brigade suddenly ap- peared over the crest of the hill and ina few strides the leading squadron was in the midst of the battery. No cavalry escort had been Provided or thought necessary by the Germans, so the affair was over with the speed of a sum~- mer squall. The six guns and their attend- ants were literally ridden down. A German infantry battalion, perceiving the disaster, changed front in order to re- turn the compliment to the French cavalry, but Le Breton, heedless of the northern artillery, ran his machine guns out ints the open and gave the deploying infantry other occupation than emptying saddles at 500 yards. In five minutes Montsaloy and the sur- vivors of the brigade—they had met with some trouble before they finally blew upa lock in the canal—entered Mutzig. This temporary success elated the troops, yet the most sanguine amongst them knew full well that there was no chance of bein, extricated. All they could do was to sell their liv.-s dearly. ‘The German fir2 became fiercer and more effective. The wretched inhabitants of the town suffered even more than the sol- diers. Shell after shell burst among the houses and set them on fire, the flames Ariying forth those who had escaped from the projectiles to encounter greater risk ‘from the bullets that flew in all directions. ‘Wounded horses screamed with pain and fright. The number of burning houses in- creased at such a rate that all Seemed to be or collapsed, speechless and horror-stricken, where they chanced to fall. Many thousands of German infantry had now reached the locality from Strasburg, and a determined attack was made upon the two available gates. whilst fresh ar- Ullery took the place of the destroyed bat- tery. Even Fairfax was beginning to think the Times would miss its most enterprising “special,” when a shatp rattle of musketry and the deeper boom of cannon on the w: caused th. hearts of the defendipg force to beat with tremulous anticipation. Was it only a development of the Ger- man assault, or could it be that Daubis- son— Uncertainty soon yielded to conviction. French guns were engaging the nearest German battery, dismounted French cav- alry were driving back the wings of the German infantry so unexpectedly taken in flank, the French horsemen were massing in squadrons preparatory to a superb charge through the entire length of the German position on the north. Le Breton’s eyes were aflame as he roar- ed the necessary orders to his officers. There war no time to wait for regularity or precision. Every man who could ride caught the nearest horse and slung a wounded comrade up behind him. Rabble- like, but methodically enough for their purpose, the troopers poured out of the town toward the relleving force. In five minutes Le Breton was shaking hands with Daubisson and Fairfax was biting the end off another cigar with the equable serenity of the man who is able to say, “I told you so.” Ten minutes later the French reconnats- sance column was in full retreat toward the Vosges, not forgetting to blow up every bridge it crossed in the march. The last sight of blazing Mutzig enjoyed by Le Breton and his comrades was from a hillside where the road enters the Schir- meck pass, whence they could clearly see that their erstwhile assailants had found fresh occupation as amateur firemen. Utterly spent with the labors and ex- cltement of the past sixty hours, too ex- hausted to eat, too weary to even, speak, they jogged on through the night #nd the strenuous efforts of their comrades were needed to keep more than half of them from lying down by the roadside. Whenever a halt was necessary it was with difficulty the men were started again. Curiously enough, the worst sufferers were those who retained their vitality to the last. Le Breton and his 5,000—now, alas, little more than three—had ridden nearly 130 miles in sixty hours through a hostile coun- try swarming with foes. They had fought several severe battles; they had worked like navvies in their task of destruction; they had slept little and <aten less. But the blow they struck at the German arms was incalculably severe. Above all else it gave Vansittart the one great essential he lacked in pitting his brains and his money against the German emperor. Time alone, to his view, was what he required—time to recuperate the exhausted energies of France, to arouse her dormant strength. (To be continued.) IN THE CHURCHES Revs. Dr. Power, E. B. Bagby and W. J. Wright of this city have returned from Gordonsville, Va., where they have been in attendance at a big tabernacle meeting un- der the auspices of the Disciples of the Piedmont district. The association is known as the “The Piedmont Assembly of the Disciples of Christ,” and is maintained by the co-operation of forty odd churches, composing the Piedmont district. A taber- nacle, with seating capacity of 1,200, and buildings for the entertain- ment of the public, were specially erected, and the grounds were inclosed for the oc- casion. The grounds are located in an ele- vated grove, one and one-half miles west of Gordonsville. The first three days of the meeting were devoted to the business of the churches, Sunday schools, C. W. B. M. auxiliaries and Christian Endeavor societies. After this, for eight days, the meeting was in the hands of the assembly subcommittee on program, composed of Rey. B. P. Smith of Chariottesville, Richard Bagby and E. D. Coffee of Louisiana. A number of prominent divines from other parts of the state and adjoining states were in attendance. Among those, besides those from the city, were Revs. Peter Ainslie and B. A. Abbot of Balti- more, lL. J. Spencer of Lexington, K: E. L. Powell of Louisville, Ky.; Dr. C. A. Young of Chicago, W. J. Cook of Union- town, Pa; V. J. Book of Clifton Forge, Va; J. N. Harman of Tazewell, Va. Many of the church workers of this vicin- ity have been at Chautauqua, N. ¥., for the past two weeks, where a few days ago, for the twenty-fifth time, Chautauqua cele- brated her birthday, and the last was the greatest in every respect that has ever been known in the history of this unique institution. Much has happened since that first assembly held its fifteen-day session in August of 1874. Chautauqua was then merely a geographical term. Now it is an idea realized. It stands for more than a place, far more than a school or summer resort. its growth has been marvelous, its work intense. At the first assembly there were twenty-one lectures delivered; this year there will be ten times that numbe Since that time over two thousand lectures have been given, 500 concerts, 350 illustrated lec- tures, not to speak of minor lectures and talks. In addition to this there have been over 400 readings and other entertainments. Nearly 2,000 men and women have appear- ed upon Chautauqua’s lecture platform, and more than 200 artists and soloists have charmed with superior music. In sum- mer schools 500 professors have given their skill, learning and experience for the bene- fit of 10,000 students. In the greater school of the Chautauqua literary and scientific circle the students have numbered nearly a quarter of a million, representing every section of the civilized globe. The “Chau- tauqua idea” is a thing which gets more respect the more that is known about it. A unique band of exhorters on a tour of the country is now on its way to this city. The exhorters call themselves the Hutchinson Morgans and the wagon in which they travel is called the “Gospel Chariot.” The party is composed of four persons, a man, his wife and two small boys, who travel in a peculiar-shaped wagon, drawn by a bony gray horse. On the rear of the wagon is a sort of extra dashboard and platform, on which is perched a very small organ, upon which the woman plays, the male members of the family gathering about her on the platform. The main attraction seems to be the voice of the woman, which is said to be singu- larly clear and sweet. It is intimated that at one time she was an opera singer. Sometimes she sings solos, and at other times the two lads and the man join with her, making a chorus. The man has not the usual way of street talkers, but is ap- parently intensely in earnest. The voice of the woman can be heard several blocks away, and people can distinguish the words of her hymn. The two boys generally rest on the seat of the wagon when not singing. Mention has been made from tim? to time in The Star of the coming meeting of the triennial convention of the Protestant Epis- copal Church in Washington in October. The committee on the revision of th: con- stitution and canons, which was appointed at the last convention, keld in Minneapolis in 1885, will report to the general conven- tion on several matters of great moment to the church. The first in point of interest will be the committee’s report on the pro- Posed canon on marriage and divorce. The preliminary r2port of the committee has al- ready been issued, in which it is recom- mended that the church enact legislation forbidding the clergy to solemnize the mar- riage of any divorced person while the other party to the divorce is living. At the present time the Episcopal Church, by its canons, recognizes only one cause as being sufficient for a divorce, and permi its clergy to remarry the innocent party, but now the committee advocates abolish- ing this exception, so as to follow the prac- tice of the Catholic Church. Naturally, so _radicat a change in the practice of the Episcopal Church is calling forth vehement protests from many quar- ters, and th> opposition to the proposed new canon has assumed such proportions that it is doubtful whether the convention will adopt the canon. The low and broad church elements bitterly oppose the tightening of canonical bands on the marriage and di- vorce question, whil2 the high and Anglo- Catholic churchmen almost unanimously fa- vor the new canon. There is, therefore, sure to be a prolonged debate on this ques- tion, with a strong probability that the whole matter will b> referred to a new committee, with instructions to report at the convention of 1901. Other matters of interest which will come bi pea the convention will be the question aD: the aw constitution for the church and 08 ie of the i sys- tem. The subject oi Revision e con- stitution hag been the church for tions for yé’rs to come. The-provinclal system is intended to join contiguous dios Geses into groups, each group of dioceses te have ah afchbishop afid a provincial coun- cil for transacting certain business now done only by the general convention. This plan has many opponents. The tyatter of a primate for the Episco- pal Church was brought before the last convention, but the pian failed to material- izé, as the depittics thought the proposed primate, or archbishop tended in the direc- tion of a papacy, cr at least toward too much cehtralization, and so the matter rests, The subject of a primate may, how- ever, be brought before the convent again in October. Possibly if a new should b» laid before the house of dep: embodying the idea of a primate, but using the designation of president or moderator in place of primate or archbishop, the depu- ties would pass the measure. Another matter of much intorest to claim the convention's attention will be the sub- ject of the use of the revised version of the Scriptures in the services of the Episcopal Church, only that known as the King James version being authorized at present. The Star has beon furnished with a « nopsis of an interesting report, which will be submitted at the coming meeting of the general assembly of the Presbyterian Church, as follows: “There is first the ministerial supply, YS subject to fluctuations. the number of candidates was 1,317; the next yezrr showed a falling off of 37; then came a period cf steaty in- creasc, 1893 showing a gain of 20; 1804, of 134; 1895, of 43: with the meximum of 1.508 in 1896, a showing not equaled by any cther church in the whole country of men in course of a thorough preparation. The following year, 1897, there was a failing cf of 75, and for the past year the figures ere the smallest since the year 1889, = 1,161, or 272 less than the year INf7 and below the high-water mark of 1896. Ten years ago there was a parallel and something more, as the figures of 188% were barely 97. But these were regarded as large figures for their time, 1881, the ini- tial yer of that decade, showing only G62 ‘cardidates offering,” or 580 lees than the figures of the current year. “Our local evangelisia have been a di- minishing number for the iast three years. A considerable number of them bec: pastors and others, it may be, find on ac tual test that they are not well adapted to the work. Then many of our pastors are not at all backward in undtrtaking special efforts that promise resul Au henor, however, to faith helpful evan- gelists! Happily for the church, there are Many active and devoted men and women Whose work and spirit rank them under this head. Of eciders there are now a round 28,000 all told and of deacons 9,696, of whom many hundreds, or rather mafiy thousands, are active men and influential in the work of the church. “The total of our ministers is 7,190. The gain is only 61 over last year, but it is to be said that this item was never in a sin- gle year since the reunion a diminished one, and the total has nearly or quite dou- bled since the reunion. Our churches have been increasing until their total is 7. or 445 more thaa our ministe Supposed to supply them all. A total 124 new churches has been ‘organtzea’ 63 ‘dissolved’ the past year. Whut pro- Fortion of these latter had houses of w: ship we do not krow. Probab them were merely organized societies shiping in house or hall. Our city ters, especially the ntown ones, la- ment the yearly flu¢tuations of popule- tion; not reflecting perhaps hundreds of their brethren at the far w as well the east suffer from the same cause. there is nothi we suppose, but to follow where the people go. “The number add examination this year, 57,081, is almc antical bh the year before, as also those comiyg tificate, 5. Glancing back, w. that the former totals have cevelopment, so t> speak. mark was reached in 1894, were received on confessio years before that, 184. the number re- ceived was 34.938, and still back to ISSI the total was onl 44. The round fieure of t ched In 1856, when the total was 51, which was a marked in- crease from the previous year, and that year (iS¥5) an advance from 34,938 in 2584. —— A Witness’ Response. From the Indianapolis News. One of the noticeable features to one whet has visited the courts of law is the mannet in which different witnesses take the eath that they will tell “the truth, the whol truth and nothing but the truth” in the case involved. Almost as striking is the manner used by the clerks in administering the oath, with various degrees of sincerity. One clerk, who ts a church member, binds the witness with a high degree of serious« ness, while the less spiritual clerk rattles off the words without any especial meaning, A witness a day or so ago was greatly im- Pressed with the solemnity of the trial in which she was concerned. To her the court was an oracle, and the lawyers unapproach- ible dignitaries. She cast furtive glances about the court room, in anxiety lest she night overstep the rules. When the judge told her to arise to receive the oath her discomfort was complete. She listened at- tentively to the words of the clerk, and at the end of the ceremony responded, with much feeling, “Amen.” Why She Enjoyed Them, From the Chicago Tribune. “I like to attend these band concerts at the parks,” said Miss Quickstep. “You can always get so far back that the music doesn’t disturb your conversation at all. +] (Copyright, 1898, Life Publishing Company.) As Sarah brought in the boar’s head—