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THE FIELD ARTILLERY JOURNAL VOL. VI JANUARY-MARCH, 1916 NO. 1 The Combats in Pursuit Following the Great Battle in Lorraine, August, 1914 A FIELD ARTILLERYMAN'S RECOLLECTION OF THE EVENTS OF AUGUST 20, 1914 BY MAJOR A. SEEGER, COMMANDING THE HORSE ARTILLERY BATTALION, 15TH FIELD ARTILLERY, GERMAN ARMY (From "Artilleristische Monatshefte," September–October, 1915) TRANSLATOR'S NOTE: The first article by this same author, entitled "Our Baptism of Fire," appeared in the "Artilleristische Monatshefte" for June, 1915. This article discussed the mobilization of the Cavalry Division, the first advance of the Germans from Saarburg to Lunéville, the resulting engagements and the subsequent order to retire, the movement being evidently a reconnaissance in force. In order to assist the reader to better understand the movements and engagements described in this former article, a map covering the events described therein, which was found after a tedious search, is here published. A translation of this former article appeared also in the "Cavalry Journal" for December, 1915, and later in THE FIELD ARTILLERY JOURNAL for October-December, 1915. In the present article, the writer takes up the operations of the Horse Artillery Battalion and the Cavalry Division, after the retirement to Saarburg, which followed the engagements described in the former article "Our Baptism of Fire." Maps accompany the present article. This is a remarkable article, pregnant with lessons and of intense and absorbing interest to every field artilleryman. The author discusses with the same delightful frankness mistakes and deficiencies as well as successful accomplishment. His 5
THE FIELD ARTILLERY JOURNAL unstinted praise of his opponent and the unbiased and strictly professional manner in which he discusses the events, makes this article of more than ordinary value not only from an artillery view point but also from the point of view of the other services. On August 20, 1914, the great battle in Lorraine had begun, extending over an area from Metz to the heart of the Vosges Mountains. Many hundreds of thousands of combatants fought on both sides with dogged bitterness; we Germans to clear our land of our uninvited guests, who after all remained only four days on German soil; the French, in order to realize completely the redemption of Alsace and Lorraine. With the greatest confidence in victory, the French had entered, on August 17th, the city of Saarburg, without having to strike a blow, orders from Army Headquarters having directed the evacuation of the city, so that in the general battle with the whole Sixth Army, now fully concentrated, the enemy might be the more decisively defeated and expelled. Those were indeed sad days for us. Without being able to ascribe any reasons therefore, after our first victorious advance which took us almost to the River Meurthe, we found ourselves ordered to withdraw in an orderly retreat to the River Saar. From the 14th of August on our cavalry had maintained constant contact with the enemy who, in endless columns and over a broad front, was advancing from the south and west. During their sojourn in Saarburg, French officers in triumphant glee had proclaimed to the populace: "In three days we will be in Strassburg, in two weeks in Berlin." It happened, however, quite otherwise. As an example of the overconfidence of a portion of the enemy, the following little occurrence is interesting. On the day of the battle there was found in the pockets of a dead French sergeant a letter addressed to his fiancée, in which he also expressed himself, as did the officers, to the effect that in three days they would be in Strassburg and in a couple of weeks in Berlin. The shoes worn by the sergeant 6
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Concealment and Protection of Artil
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CONCEALMENT AND PROTECTION FROM ART
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Notes on the Recent Tractor Test at
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FIG. 5 FIG. 6
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RECENT TRACTOR TEST AT FORT SILL pr
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In the Field BY GERALD E. GRIFFIN,
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IN THE FIELD responsible are either
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IN THE FIELD 4 ounces sweet spirits
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IN THE FIELD argued that the remova
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IN THE FIELD in which its watering
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IN THE FIELD may be in front of the
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IN THE FIELD in the minds of our pe
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IN THE FIELD When this kind of sold
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A Belgian Battalion of Field Artill
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BELGIAN FIELD ARTILLERY ON THE YSER
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BELGIAN FIELD ARTILLERY ON THE YSER
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TRANSPORTATION BY MOTOR TRUCK It is
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RECONNAISSANCE OF BATTALION POSITIO
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FIG. 1.—NEAR WHEEL HORSE FIG. 2.
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THE FIELD ARTILLERY JOURNAL box (Fi
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EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT Appreciation T
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BOOK REVIEWS EMPIRE AND ARMAMENT. T
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Index to Current Field Artillery Li
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THE FIELD ARTILLERY JOURNAL Guns—
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Exchanges LOANED TO MEMBERS ON REQU
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BATTERY E, NEW YORK CITY Capt. John
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BATTERY A, INDIANAPOLIS Capt. Gavin
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NINTH INSPECTION DISTRICT Lieut. Em
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