Liny-devant-Dun, and drove him from the Bois de Châtillon.
During the afternoon our gains in this sector were extended northward;
Dun-sur-Meuse was captured and our line pushed forward a mile beyond
that town, as far as the village of Nièlly. The troops of Maj.-Gen.
Sunmerall’s Corps reached the river at Cesse and Luzy and mopped up the
forest of Jaulnay.
The important road center of Beaumont fell before our victorious forces,
who pushed on to the Bois de l’Hospice, two miles north of that town,
capturing in their advance the village of Létanne.
At Beaumont we liberated five hundred French citizens, who welcomed our
soldiers as deliverers.
The advance of the past two days has carried our line to points within
five miles of the Sedan-Metz railroad, the main line of communications of
the German armies. Between Beaumont and Bar Maj.-Gen. Dickman’s Corps,
in close liaison with the French Fourth Army on its left, pushed forward
under heavy artillery and machine-gun fire through the rugged forest
areas beyond Stonne.
The villages of Yoncq, La Basace, and Stonne were taken.
We have taken to-day west of the Meuse 51 additional guns, making a total
of more than 150 since November 1st.
Thirty of our bombing planes executed a successful raid on Mouzon
and Raucourt this morning, dropping over two tons of bombs with good
effect. Reconnaissance and pursuit squadrons carried out many successful
missions, machine-gunning enemy troops and greatly assisting the advance
of our troops.
Seventeen enemy planes were shot down and two enemy balloons burned.
Seven of our planes are missing.
[15] And now let all those come who love Paradise, the place of quiet,
the place of safety, the place of eternal happiness, the place where
the Barbarian may be feared no more.—ST. AUGUSTINE, _Upon the Barbarian
Persecution_.
[16] “S’Strassburger Münster isch s’höschet, s’Friburgers’ dickscht, aver
S’Thanner s’fienecht.”
[17] Some of the jokes that were Hansi’s undoing were exceedingly
harmless, as, for instance, the domestic revelations of Frau Professor
Kugelberg, who answers to the correspondence column the following: “No,
I never throw away the old trousers of my husband. I have had great
success with cutting them skilfully and employing the least worn parts,
in constructing for my young daughters charming and dainty corset-covers,
which have the merit also of being very inexpensive. Trimmed with white
ribbons, these corset-covers have quite a virginal air, but also with
apple-green and cherry-red bows they can be made most attractive.” As for
“Professor Knatschke” he is now a classic. The Alsatians have, in a very
marked degree, what one might call the wit of border peoples, the tongue
often being the only weapon left them.
[18] Gilles Sifferlen, _La Vallée de St.-Amarin_, 1908.
[19] Fairies: kindred to the “green people” of Ireland.
[20] “I will have thee, I will have thee, I will have thee.”
[21] “To play bridge at Limoges” means that an officer is temporarily—or
permanently—retired before the age limit. “_Être limogé_,” to be limoged,
is another familiar form.
[22] The next morning I learned that Sérin, who had been “ready for
anything, _et comment_,” had gathered together, being chief of the
Gendarme Service, those of his men who were watching over the slumbers of
Masevaux and quite simply “opened wine” for them, drinking solemnly again
to “_la Mistie_,” while they as solemnly drank to the health of their
respected chief. So do great hours fulfil themselves in little ways.
[23] Victor Hugo, _Alsace et Lorraine_, 1872.
Thy people will live,
But thine empire topples, Germany!...
[24] Battery B, 42d Artillery C.A.C.
[25] Edith Wharton.