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Show MOOT ON SKIS 10 WIN DEAR VICTORY French Troops Show High Type of Heroism in Advance Ad-vance on Germans. FACING DEADLY FIRE Crest Attained, Advantage Becomes Obvious; Enemy Quickly Put to Rout. Special Cable to The Tribune, PARIS, Feb. C A special oorreepontfeni of the Matin la Alsace gives a rtvld av oount of a French advance on Orbey on the r-oad to CoiraaK, In wlilch troops oiv skts played a herolo and crucial part.' Hi writes: On January 3 the action bei?an with. a violent caiiionade. Our heavy batteries bat-teries to the east of ftalnt Pie rlred fjioeseantly, causing the Germans to believe that we were preparing for an infantry attack toward the plain, fcnow bad begun to fall. JCone th less, one of qut aeroplanes managed o reconnoiter the enemv's position, and brought back the nowa that ther$ was a movement of troops on tha po-utb of Sainte-Marie, and that some of the Prussian advance pasta were retiring towards Saint-CroSx. While the enemy was preparing to noeet jin attack near Sainte-Marie, one of our columns, stationed seven miles further south In the upper valley val-ley of the Muarthe, debouched by th "Col du Bonhorome." The road, narrow nar-row and shut In, lends JtseJf to defense de-fense here. A strong German force occupied the custom house station of Dledolshausen, and machine guns swept the road. Road Limits Rane. Fortunately, the windtasrs path made H Impossible for the enemy, to open fire at further than 700 yards range. The bulk of our forces adV vanced at this distance protected by the granite cliffs. Then our colurruj haJted, and while the advance gnaxd Opened fire on the cup tortus station, one of our compaileja on slda becra to climb In small groups the enow covered slopes. Against the white our men mad 1 easy marks for the enemy, and soma of them fell and .lay there, darlc patches In the snow. But the other, reached the crest hi safety. From hence, under cover of the firs, it was ea'sy for them to descend by a gentle filope on Dlodolshausen. Half am hour later the "skieurs opened a fierce and unexpected tire on the left of the -customs Mation. Surprised by this midden flanlc at- I tack, the enemy retreated, but this i movement of- theirs brought tjiem Into a narrow tan dominated by our rifles. Retreat Becomes Panic. German after German falls, and the retreat soon changes into a rouL Tho fugitives throw away haversacks and rifles and abandon their machine funs. Our chasseurs now make a ash for the custom house, to occupy it In tbeir turn, hut they are met with a Heree fusillade. Some half doicen Germans are there, who have devoted themselves to cover tbeir comrades' retreat, and are determined to sell their lives dearly. It Is not a moment for hesitation. ' A lieutenant seizes a n'fle from a wounded man anfl rushes forward to batter in the1 door. Fie has pone but a yard when ho falls, shot through the head. Next an adjutant makes tho attempt. Flo, too. ts struck and falls. But now a dozen chasseurs malt a concerted rush and, though eome fn)t,' Others reach the door and force it In. The six Germans are bayoineted, and a minute later their bodies ere flunff out of an upper window one by one Into the snow. The customs house Is In French hands, and Is soon organized organ-ized for defense. A fairly strong force Is left In It. while the rest of the column moves ofli through the snow to Tjttschbark, where It joins another French column thnt has come to met It from the hlffh valley of he Muorthe. Of tho enemy, no sign. They must Mve retired re-tired on Orbey. which on be seen in the distance. Th French have made cood on advnnce of an appre ' cloble number of kilometer. |