The Breckenridge news., 1906-05-16

The center would then attack, press the
French back upon the river, and before
they could get across strike them on both
flanks, or drive them into the water. To
Lowenberg fell the special task of moving
further up the Marine to Monte Pelier, the
could cross. Here the south bank fell
away and the north bank rose in three
hills, the center OF the trio being really "a
commanded the bridge below and the
banks of the Marne for some distance:
The French fortifcatlons did not extend
this far. and the main danger was in the
possibility of an opposing force reaching
the hill before we could get there.
With detachment of ten infantry regi-
ments and one of cavalry we pushed on
through the night, and before dawn
reached the Sillery forest, which extended
encamped to await the signal TO advance
and the arrival of regiment of artillery.
Early in the afternoon we heard firing
Hour Hourly " il e grew grew heavier. @ :' The The Sharp.
snappy. bark of the high-power field guns
blended with the roll of rifles and the
Gatings, which sent out a continuous
stream of explosive bullets. bursting on
the slightest impact and tearing their vic
TINS horribly. Presently the great twelve
inch guns on the high banks came into
play. Their booming reports echoed
through the heayens' 1,h' bespeakitng pea ing enor1
thanked my stars that L was not within
range.
AS the darkness came on we could
guns belched out their tons OF iron and
the mortars their pots OF acid fire and
liquid gas Il was not until afterwar,d
ishness of mans inventive ingenuity In
providing. means for the destruction of
human life.
Then came our signal. High in the air,
TO the east appeared a shower Of golden
sparks. and the mysterious echoing boom
OF an aerial projectlle was borne to our
The arlxQ nalpd and fell and from
their midst hoated three blue stars at
means that the French are retreating to
the river and that Monte Pelier must be
taken" said Lowenberg. He. gave an
order and the word was passed on. The
artillery had not come-it never came, as
dered But we waited not Here was our
task. and we moved toward It with
alacrity.
us the hill loomed up to the sky, a great,
dark, rock-strewn mass, its shadows inky
black in the starlight. Lowenberg,
as we emerged from the woods. the troops
pressing behind. there was a flash directly
In front Of us and a sharp report A bull
snd report P4sS PanoheF end anoReT ae each
farther up the hill Silence fell. broken
only by the tramp OF thousands Of feet.
We saw that our advance was known to
the French. but we pushed on 1t was no
time 10 stop.
We had Covered half of the distance and
top Of the hill lighted up and hail Of lead
descended. The front row of cavalry went
down, q struggling mass OF men and
horses. 1t was no place for cavalry.
Again and again came that terrible fash.
The crashing report as of thousands OF
rifles and the song of lead in our ears was
terrible. The storm was too heavy Ofti-
GERS and men alike threw themselves on
the ground and sought shelter behind the
boulders with which the hill was strewn,
or In depressions In the ground. The fire
became continuous. And now the French
loisted great searchlights that revealed
our ranks. The sharp white rays dazzled
our eyes and we could see nothing. Some
eight thousand troops hugged the ground,
sheltered and unsheltered. Men groaned
Horses maddened with pain and fright.
staggered to their feet and went galloping
down the hill, Killing and manning many.
sheet OF flame and the hail OF bullets. 1t
was death to retreat and death to remain.
SO we lay until daylight.
AS the dawn broke and the sun lit the
tion in a more diabolical fashion. From
the top Of the hill they rolled great balls
of tough paper, which broke on the rocks
and scattered burning acids and noxious
gases Directly above the point where we
three lay there was a well-defined hum
mock which detected these hideous imple-
ments of warfare, else 1 should not have
survived that experience. OF those who
were not so protected few escaped. The
whole side OF the HILL for half mile, was
covered with dead and dying.
During the night the firing on the east
had diminished, but with the dawn 1t
opened again, and the heavens were rent
with the crash and roar of mighty guns,
which continued all day without intermis-
sion. The firing above US ceased, how
ever, and the horrible balls Of acid came
no longer. Lowenberg concluded that the
French ammunition had given out and
that an attack was again possible. A sim !