Churchill standard. (Fallon, Nev) 1903-1908, 1906-05-26

The center would then attack, press the
french back upon the river, and before
they could get across strike them on both
TANKS, 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
small mountain, with a fiat top, which
commanded the bridge below and the
banks of the Marine for some distance.
this far, and the main danger was in the
possibility of an opposing force reaching
the hill before we could get there.
With a detachment of ten infantry regi-
through the night, and before dawn
reached the Sillery forest, which extended
to the base of the Monte Pelier. Here We
encamped to await the signal to advance
and the arrival of a regiment of artillery.
Early In the afternoon we heard firing
Hourly it grew heavier. The Sharp,
snappy bark of the h~igh-power field guns
blended with the roll of rifles and the
wierd how of the new multipleX ribbon
Cuttings, which sent out a continuous
stream of explosive bullets. bursting on
Tins horribly. Presently the great twelve
inch guns on the high banks came into
play. Their booming reports echoed
through the heavens, bespeaking enor-
nous projectiles. The din was fearful. l
thanked my stars that l was not within
range
AS III udIh1SSS CdIIl6 OIL we COuiu
catch the flashes or light as the French
guns belched out their tons of iron and
the mortars their pots of acid fire and
that l learned the full extent of the devil
lshness of mans inventive ingenuity IN
providing. means for the destruction of
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 projectile was borne to our
ears. The sparks paled and fell, and from
their midst tloated three blue stars. 1T
TAKEN" said Lowenberg. He gave an
order and the word was passed on. The
a matter CT fact, Some one a blum
dered. But We waited hot. Here was our
task, and we moved toward 1t with
alacrity.
The woods came to an end. In front of
us the hill doomed up to the Sky, a great,
dark, rock-strewn mass, its shadows inky
Fleischmann and l We're in advance. and
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
let whistled past my ear Another flash
and report, another and another. each
farther up the hill. Silence fell. broken
We saw that our advance was known to
the French, but we pushed on. 1t was no
We had covered half of the distance and
were climbing steadily when the whole
top of the hill lighted up and a hail of lead
descended. The front row of cavalry went
down, a struggling mass of men and
horses. II was no place for. cavalry.
Again and again came that terrible flash.
The crashing report as of thousands of
rifles and the song Of lead in our ears WIS
terrible. Thu storm was too heavy. OIL
GERS and men alike threw themselves on
the ground and sought shelter behind the
boulders with which the hill was strewn.
or in depresslons in the, ground; The fire
became continuous. And now the French
loisted great sea~rchlights that revealed
our ranks. The sharp white rays dazzled
our eyes and we could, see nothing. Some
eight thousand troops Rugged the ground.
sheltered and unSheltered. Men Groaned
and cursed and shrieked in agony.
Horses, maddened with pain and fright,
down the hill. killing and m~aimiSS~many,
At brlef and regular intervals came hat
sheet OF fame and the hail of bullets. 1t
was death to retreat md death TO remain.
So we lay until daylight.
AS the dawn broke and the sun lit the
sky the French continued their destruc-
ton I'm a more diabolical fashion. From
the top Of the hill they rolled great balls
and scattered burning acids and noxious
gases. Directly above the point where We
three lay there was a well-deflned hum
mock which DETECTED these. hideous imple-
ments of warfare, else | should not have
survived that experience. OF those who
were not so protected few escaped. TIL
whole side of the hill, for half a mile. was
covered with dead and dying.
During the night the firing on the east
had diminished, but with the dawn II
opened again, and the heavens were rent
with the crash and roar of mighty guns,
which continued all day without intermis-
ever. and the horrible balls of acid came
no longer. Lowenberg concluded that the
French ammunition had given out and
hat an attack was again possible. A sin