The Washington times., 1905-08-22

frightened horses as We stumbled ur
against patches Of men.
Suddenly I was aware that some
thing had seized me, and was holding
me fast to the spot: something was clos
ing IN on me ike iron bands. 1t was two
hahds grasping my feet and digging into
my nesh ike hooks of steel. while :
man s teeth were trying TO tear through
ne leather of my high boots, and all
lhe time amid a horrible bowling hkA
me paying OF a dog. ] cried aloud from
IIlght' and some of my men came run
hing up. We saw lying before Us a shat
tered man. bIood-soddeued body for
both his legs had been shot away As
II was quite impossible to get me fres
from the poor fellow, some Of the men
with me smashed the mans skull with
their musket ends
HOW | survived those moments I can
not tell Ny heart seemed TO cease TO
peat. and wild, delirious thoughts pass
ed through my brain as If 7 were il, a
deep fever. I felt that | must escar,
from the terriers of that a.sfrI nier1t
SO pulled myself together and called
our 10 the men: Stop 1t; stop #; quick
~. quickly; can bear if no longer.
A Horrible Dance.
4 was about to return to the eanau.
when suddenly We heard on our right
bowling and shrieking wilder ana mora
penetrating than the piteous calls for
help which came TO us from all sides.
As l could not refuse to follow tho
bowling. l went, much against my will,
in the direction whence Ii came In the
weird light cast by the torches, which
could scarcely pierce the darkness. I
saw before me-and It was In no haIIu-
nation-hfty, a hundred, probably two
hundred, men, all stark naked, and
capering and dancing about In all man
ner Of movements. and all the time they
uttered curses Yes, they did dance.
Thermometer Below Zero.
With the thermometer standing at
dc grees below zero. Fahrenheit, naked,
and with their bodies covered with
wounds. scars. and scratches, and with
the blood dried upon them from head to
foot, these men, such OF them as could
do so, danced wildly and Hladly. Some
of them could only manage to drag
themselves about on the blood-covered
remnants of their bodice others, car
rying receivers rifles. or swords. ran
about uttering the most piercing shrielzs
and braudEshfng their weapons IN the
air.
'''They rushed upon us-upon us. who
had gone out to help them. But they
did not recognize US, and they called
out, Don't come near Us; don't come
near us. Get away with you. Then
we saw that they were all ravtng mad
of my men rolled over ana writhed as
he lay, and then another toppled over.
What could / do? / ordered the retreat
to the camp For hours after eur tor
ches had gone out the cries of the mad
men reached Us. and grew fainter with
distance. until at last they ceased Ihe
cold had eilenced them. IN the morn
ing every man Of them was stiff and
stark for not one of the wounded men
had survived that night.
Next day bullet hit NE in the left
shoulder. Whenever I look back on the
horrors of that awful night l lose the
wish TO live. Neither by day nor BY
night can | get rid OF the remembrance
of the terrible picture. There is always
before me the horrible picture of that
body. with both legs shot away, which
bit my leg, and l cannot rid my eyes OF
the sight of those naked. blood-stained
madnaen dancing and bowling in their
madness.
Il often ask myself. VIII not that
same madness seize me2 Shall l not
also lose my reason? And, if It is to be
so. would II not be better for me 10
have been left on the battlefield