The La Jara chronicle., 1906-05-25
FROM NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS
Compiled by bywm,RMackriu.

The center would then attack, press the
they could get across strike them on both
TANKS. or drive them into the water. To
Lowenberg fell the special task 3& Of 3& MOVING ,,,
only other point at which the French
could cross. Here the south bank fell
hills, the center of the trio being really a
small mountain, with fiat top, which
banks of the. Marne for some distance;
The French Notifications 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 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
and the arrival of n regiment of artillery.
Early in the afternoon we heard firing
Hourly it grew heavier The sharp
snappy, bark OF the high-power field guns
wierd howl of the new multpleS ribbon
Gatlings, which sent out a continuous
stream Of explosive bullets bpfsIihs bair vi Sn
Tins horribly. Presently the great twelve
inch guns on the high banks came into
through the heavens, bespeaking enor-
nous projectiles. The din was fearful; l
thanked my stars that 1 was not within
As the darkness came on we could
catch the flashes or light as the French
guns belched out their tons of iron and
the mortars their pots of acid fire and
liquid gas. 1t was not until afterward
that l learned the fun extent of the devil
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 echoinE boom
of an aerial projectile was borne to our
ears. The sparks paled and fell, and from
their midst floated three blue stars II
means that the French are retreaung 10
the river and that Monte Pelicr must he
taken" said Lowenberg. He gave an
order and the word was passed on. The
a matter of fact. Some had blum
dered. But We waited not. Here was our
alacrity.
The woods came to an end. In front OF
dark, rock-strewn mass. its shadows inky
black in the, starlight. Lowenbergi
F'leischmann and We're in advance. and
as we emerged from the woods, the troops
pressing behind, there was "A Hash directly
In front of us and a sharp report, A bull
let whistled past my ear Another flash
only by the tramp of thousands OF feet
We saw that our advance was known 10
the French, but We pushed on. 1t was no
we 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 caEalry went went
down, u struggling mass or men anu
Ihorses. 1t was no place for cavalry.
INgain and again came that terrlble nnsn.
;Ehe crashing report as of thousands OF
rifles and the song of lead in our ears was
terrible. The storm was too heavy. Ofii-
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 nre
became continuous. And now the French
,oisted 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
and cursed and shrieked in agony.
Horses, maddened with pain and fright.
down the hill, killing and manning many.
At brief and regular intervals came that
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
ton 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 well-defined hum
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
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 sin