Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 180, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 August 1917 — St. Quentin [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

St. Quentin

At FOUR o’clock on the afternoon of August 28, 1914, the Germans took possession of the city of St. Quentin on the Somme. Owing to the incredible swiftness of the enemy advance the tiny garrison and the population were taken completely by surprise, and no resistance could be offered. The city being surrounded on all sides, the enemy stormed in at every point.—Without a siege, without a battle, St. Quentin was overwhelmed by the countless hordes of the Germans, who were carrying all before them in that great resistless westward movement towards Paris that seemed to promise complete and dazzling victory to their arms.— Through the changes and chances of centuries of war, St. Quentin has seen heroes in all generations lay down their lives in her streets and about her wails, from- the dawn of history 1111’ present times, says E. Maxtone Graham in Country Life. A prosperous manufacturing town with 130,000 inhabitants engaged in modern industries does not seem suggestive of historical associations. The St. Quentin of todav bas spread over a large acreage, and has grown to be one of the main centers in France for railway communications and for cotton and many other useful, if unpicturesque, industries.

To visualize St. Quentin in old days, imagination must clear away all but a few old streets and buildings, retaining the exquisite Hotel de Ville and tjie glorious Gothic church begun in the twelfth century, with its double transept and arches soaring to incredible height. St. Quentin lay always in the fiery path of war, and, like all other cities of the Somme, even in early days could never count on any lasting peace. The pages of the old French chroniclers of the fifteenth century are almost entirely taken up with records of the wars between the crown and the powerful dukes -of-Hurgundy, one unending list of personal feud and foray, the seizing and sacking of small towns, the skirmishing of small forces. In the spring of 1414, Charles VI, the Mad King of France, who was so keen a soldier between his attacks of Insanity, was engaged in the Congenial task of turning Burgundy out of various towns on the Somme. Having wrested Soissons from the duke, after a siege, he reduced the Captured town to the last depths of misery. A few days later the king rode, well pleased, to St. Quentin with his knights and found

royal lodging there. Was Strong Frontier Town. St. Quentin was for centuries considered the strongest frontier town of Picardy. The wide-spreading marsh of the Somme formed a protection on three sides. The city lay in the direct road of all northern invasions. Whoever held St. Quentin held the key to Paris. Yet In 1557 the Spanish war found the ramparts in ruinous condition and the defenses neglected. The resources of Spain included 60,000 men under Manuel Philibert, duke of Savoy, and the Flemish Count d’Egmont. Against these forces were opposed the finest chivalry of France, hopelessly outnumbered. Gaspard de Coligny, adinlral of France, and Anne de Montmorenci, constable of France, one of the illustrious veterans of Francois I, both men full of'wisdom, courage and greatness of soul, are the outstanding names in the story of the battle and siege of St. Quentin, which yas destined to be for France one of those defeats which add luster to her name. At the outset Coligny forced the Spanish lines and got into St. Quentin with 900 men, before the first attack could be delivered. Once Inside, he realised the desperate condition of affairs, the ruined ramparts, the lack of provisions and of munitions. Unless help could be got from outside, the place could not hold out for a week. The constable was at La Fere with the I French army. The Spanish host was gathered threateningly on the one side of St. Quentin that was unprotected by the marshes. Some of the inhabitants •f St Quentin told Coligny that

through the shallow marshes a stream TTdwed, 3eep'~6iiough to carry large boats. Coligny made a rapid plan to get re-enforcements, food and munitions into the city by this means from, La Fere. The constable thought well of the idea. Five boats ,were hurriedly constructed, and d’Audelot, , younger brother of Coligny, was charged with the task of carrying out theisdieme, bht it failed, and only 450 nren of the tiny expeditionary force led by d’Audelot got through to the relief of the city. Defeat of the Constable. The alm of the constable was to engage the Spanish forces while the operation from La Fere was carried out. Unfortunately, he lost too much time,_ and had no opportunity to draw up his men in battle array. Savoy and Egmont charged his troops too quickly. In less than half an hour they were thrown into disorder with great loss. Retreat was difficult and ultimate disaster seemed imminent. The constable asked an old officer: “What must we do?” “I knew an hour ago, but I do not know now,” was the reply. “And 1” exclaimed Comte d’Enghien, “I know where to find-not safety, buFtm honorable death,” and flinging himself upon the Spanish lines, found the death he desired. The old constable fought like the hero he was, till at last taken prisoner, with all his leading general*. After the battle the Spanish, and especially the German officers, speculated freely In the ransoms demanded for the number of distinguished generals and princes taken prisoners. They bought them for small sums from the private soldiers who-had first captured and disarmedthem, and then resold them among themselves. The arrival on the scene of Philip of Spain himself, from Cambrai, alone put an end to the Infamous gamble. The town of St. Qentin held otft for 17 days after the loss of the battle. Under the brilliant leadership of Coligny, who must have known the impossibility of driving off the besiegers, the little garrison stubbornly resisted. But with the taken from the conquered French army floating before the ramparts, the hearts of the citizens failed them at last. When 11 huge breaches had been made in the walls, through which the Spaniards might surge into the streets, he yielded. The city was given over to the usual horrors of Are ami piHage, while the Inhabitants fled into the open country.

Coligny was taken prisoner. Doubtless in the modern city of St. Quentin little thought is given to such old-world and fast-fading histories, as her prosperous citizens enjoy their leisure on the large’shady boulevards. These walks are situated on the site of the old ramparts, once the scene of so much passionate, effort. They were demolished by Napoleon’s order in 1810. Could he have thought that the tide of war would never surge round the city’s walls again? Sixty years after she had thus been rendered defenseless, the Germans took possession of her on their way to Paris. In January, 1871, General von Goeben routed the nfrny of General Faldherbe, after a prolonged and glorious resistance. The Germans claim' that in the battle their forces numbered 30,000 against 40,000 of the French. They paid dearly in killed and wounded for their victory. But von Goeben took 10,000 prisoners. When, in the last days of AuguSt, 1914, the mighty hordes of the Geririins moved forward and forced back the French army for a hundred miles, pouring on towards Paris, they swept over St. Quentin, engulfing her prosperities and robbing France of Indus* tries very vital to her needs.

THE HOTEL DE VILLE