The La Jara chronicle., 1906-05-11
FROM NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS
Compiled by wm-RMackriil.

when I became conscious Of faint.
rumbllng sound to the south. 1 held my
hand to my ear, straining TO hear and inter,
pret the sound. Flelschmann heard 1t al
the same moment. He sripped my arm
LISTEN he said, =" Ii is the French can
non coming NORTH
For some time we stood in attitudes Of
keen suspense. a breeze blew light.
from the south, rustling the tree tops. The
sound came again.a low, well,dehned roll,
as of heavy wheels on a hard road; For
full minute we heard it plainly; then ,it
died away as the breeze fell.
They are not less than FIVE miles away, ="
said Lowenberg. God, how they creep!
Well let us move down.
We descended through the forest, and
reaching the end Of the wood, woods worked 'l,s;e.
the lines reformed and awaited the ap-
proach of the unsuspecting Gauls. Scouts
reported the road two hundred yards a
way Later came the lancer skirmlshers.
They had seen the French-a division Of
cavalry. followed by infantry and field
batterics-twepty thousand men. more or
less. They We're covering about six miles
an hour.
1t was n trying wait. Lowenberg con
frrred with his officers and l could but
stand there beside Fleischmann, quiverlng
with excitement. l wondered what
should do when the crisis arrived ! was
not wish to tight. for l was friendly to the
French. Yet knew that could not now
withdraw: that they would strike at me-
and that l must strike back or go down
Finally the clatter of hoofs sounded
around a bend In the road, and "A minute
later the cavalry appeared With helmets
and trappings flashing In the pale moon
light they thundercd by, stream OF horse
men n mile long, hurry ling forward 10 select
a camp, for 1t lacked but two hours OF day
light, and the troops We're hungry after
their night march.
A long interval Of silence-then the tramp
of infantry. steady and regular. like the
lightened to a sickly, grayish yellow. they
came in sight, advancing In columns OF
four. we waited until they We're well a
long in front OF us. A mile of the column
had passed. / saw Lowcnberg draw his re-
voIver-the critical moment had arrived.
Our front was easily half mile long
deep, with space OF ten yards between.
The hussHrs formed the center, with Low
enberg, Fleischmann and myself close be-
hind
AS the shot rang out our whole line
moved into the open field, broke into trot
then into eallop. Eight thousand German
'Hurrah, Preusscn'' And again: 'Hur-
rah. Preussen. Norwaerts!''
Down we swept with thunder OF hoofs.
Cheer after cheer echoed back from the
high hills. Fifty yards-a hundred yards
the French were rallyins around their
standards. shouting and scsIculnung In
great confusion. Some leveled their rifles,
and a pnttcr Of bullets nngered the Ger
mans. who opened with their Curbiues and
let loose a hail Of lead
can recall little OF that mad rush. Ny
held him If / would. The bullets fcw
thicker. The French were forming. kneel-
ing at the roadside and firing as rapidly as
they could work their guns. Others were
running. All, 1t was no use either to run
or to fire. That solid wall Of men and
horses slid like an avalanche down the
grassy hill. 1t brushed the French back; it
tattened them; 1t crushed them into mass
of shreking, cursing humanity. My horse
reared and came down In their midst. his
great hoofs crushing the skulls of two who
We're struggling to their feet. My very soul
sickened at the horrid smash of iron on
skull. on we went, straight through the
seethng mass of men, and wheeling sharply
in the field beyond the road came back in
another mad charge.
Suddenly Lowenberg's horse stumbled,
wavered. and went down with a bullet In
his brain. fleischmann was at the left,
fighting like demon, his long heavy sabre
playing havoc in the huddled groups of de
moraliZed French. But as the Colonel sank
with his steed F'leischmann closed in.
seized him 10y the collar, dragged him out