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Show "IaTcaptiired HOf GORIZIA Attack Began August 4 on Monfalcone Section Following Fol-lowing Day Artillery Sounds Whole Front. INFANTRY ADVANCES Battle Ebbs and Flows Three Days Italians Make Big Sacrifices and Austrians Stoutly Resist. Rome, Wednesday, Aug. 9. Via Paris, Aug. 10, 10:10 a. m The operations opera-tions which led up to the capture of Gorizla by the Italians are described de-scribed in the following official narrative nar-rative given out here tonight: "The attack began on August 4, in the Monfalcone Bectlon, against Hills 85 and 121 east of Rocca. We stormed a very powerful enemy works there taking 143 prisoners, but the adversary adver-sary had placed In abandoned trenches quantities of bombs which exploded, giving off clouds of poisonous gases just as our troops entered the captured cap-tured lines. Heavy masses of the enemy then made another attacks and our troops stupefied or asphyxiated by the gas, were forced to fall back to their own trenches. Whole Front Sounded. "On August 5 the artillery sounded the enemy's whole front with the object of-dlstractlng his attention and fixing the ranges accurately. On the morning of August 6 our batteries opened fire simultaneously on the rocky barrier, which, from Sabotino to Cavarlo defends the Isatizo, and Gorizla to the west, and agalnlt Monte San Michele, which forms the northern north-ern edge of the Goribian Carso. The artillery action of the day, long and carefully worked out, represented a perfect example of concentrated tire against fortified lines. "Thanks to our aviators and to the observations of battery officers, the positions of the enemy had all been marked off clearly on target maps, and ranges for the extension and lengthening of fire had ben calculated with the greatest nicety. Thus, at the appointed time a veritable tempest of shells fell in a wholly unexpected manner on tho positions of the enemy, demolishing everything systematically. systemati-cally. Infantry Columns Advance. "Infantry columns then advanced with customary dash, well supported and carried tho entire formidable Sabotino Sa-botino rampart, the principal fort which forms the base of the Gorizla bridgehead. On the heights which cover the city to the west they stormed the defenses of Oslavia and of the summit of Hill 206 which command com-mand Graffenburg. On the plain they drove In a defensive lfne between the southern border of Podgora and the Isonzo. They also attacked on the right bank of the river as far as Saint Andrea. On the southern border bor-der of the Caro, Italian troops captured cap-tured the very strong lines on the summit of San Michele and the entrenchments en-trenchments running into the San Martino zone. Finally in. the Monfalcone Mon-falcone section a battalion of ber-saglieri ber-saglieri cyclists from the third, fourth and eleventh regiments after a desperate desper-ate struggle, stormed all the defenses on Hill 85 and held out there against violent concentrated artillery fire, repulsing re-pulsing furious- counter attacks by Austrian irifantry. Three-Day Battle. "Possession of the lateral pivots of the Gorizla brldehead being assured by the conquest of Monte Sabotino and Monte San Michele, it remained to take the imposing barrier formed by the heights immediately to the west of tho city. The battle ebbed and flowed Incessantly for three days Tho ground was fortified stnongly and supported by a great number of lines of defense thrown up by the adversary close to Gorizia, an Important Impor-tant centor which rendered it easy to offer stubborn resistance and enabled en-abled the Austrians to make violent counter attacks. Inch by inch, and at the cost of generous sacrifices, our Infantry, with the admirable co-operation of our artillery, conquered first tho crest and then the southeastern slopes of tho heights and stormed innumerable in-numerable trenches, gradually driving tho defenders before them, notwithstanding notwith-standing repeated counter attacks. "As a result of all these continuous efforts, nil the heights on the right bank of the Isonzo, forming the bridgehead of Gorizla and Monte San Michele on the left bank, were captured cap-tured and securely held by the Italians. Ital-ians. The line of the Isonzo below Tolmlno assured to them, their guns, dominating Gorizla, drove out the enemy ene-my lurking among the ruins. This uninterrupted three-day fight cov.ers with glory the troops of the third army, commanded bv the Duke of Aosta." "Yesterday the enemy attempted to relieve tho pressure on the lower' Isonzo by attacks and heavy bombardment bom-bardment on various other points of tho front," the statement said. "Other attacks of this kind took place on tho Tonale, In the Gludlcarie and Lagar-ina Lagar-ina valleys on the Pasudo, on tho Val TravJgnolo and on the Iesle. Everywhere Every-where wo maintained our positions. A squadron of eighteen Caproni aeroplanes escorted by Nieuport machines, ma-chines, raided tho supply stations at Pravacina and Dorberg. More than three tonB of high explosives were dfropped on the railway stations and on military depota. Good results were observed. Notwithstanding tho internee fire of anti-aircraft batteries and attacks by hostile aeroplanes, one of which was brought down, the squadron returned safely. -tUxalrcr aft dxopjed-boinbB c oxu Venice. Two persons were kfilled and some damage was done." Gorizla Not Burned. Rome, Aug. 9, via Paris, Aug. 10, D:4K n.. m. Nhtwith stun diner the des perate fighting around Gorizia the city itself was not burned by the Austrians or destroyed by the Italian artillery fire; nor were the Inhabitants Inhabi-tants injured. These to the number of 20,000 having previously evacuated the city. It was the desire of the Italian comjnander, General Cadorna, to save Gorizia from destruction by the retreating Austrians, and to thaV end he employed strategy. After taking the mountain tops of San Michele and Sabotino, he attacked at-tacked Gorizla, not only from' the front across the Isonzo, but also from the sides and rear. When the Duke of Aosta, commander of the third army, who was present during the three days of fighting, entered the city after forcing the bridge across the river, at the head of cavalry cav-alry and cycle corps, Gorizia was found to be deserted, save by great numbers of wounded and dying Aus- was accompanied by his cousin, the king. The only damage done by the Austrians was that occasioned by their attempts to destroy military buildings filled with large quantities of supplies. Tho fighting at the bridge across the Isonzo at Podgora, leading into Gorizia, was among the most sanguinary sanguin-ary episodes of the war. Before this encounter the bridge had been named "death cross." After the Italian guns had obtained command of Gorizia from the heights of San Sabotino, San Michele, Monte Santono and Basso Fortln, Italian infantry advanced ad-vanced toward the bridge. After the wildest fighting, In which 100 Austrians Aus-trians were drowned, tho bridge was taken. Entrance to the city then was comparatively easy. Italians Continue Pursuit. Paris, Aug. 10, 9:20 a. m. A Havas dispatch from Rome says that the Duke of Oosta's army, having passed the left bank of tho Isonzo, continues the pursuit of the Austrians, and word came that heavy losses, particularly In respect to prisoners, are being Inflicted In-flicted upon the Austrians. oo |