Churchill standard. (Fallon, Nev) 1903-1908, 1906-05-12
compiled by wm.RMackrin.

when | became conscious of Il faint,
rumbling sound to the south. l held my
hand TO my ear, straining to hear and inter-
pref the sound. Fleischmann heard 1t IT
the same moment. He gripped my arm.
Listen. he said, " 1t is the French can-
non coming north
For some time we stood in attitudes of
keen suspense. a breeze blew lightly
from the south, rustling the tree tops. The
sound came agatha low, well-defned roll,
as of heavy wheels on a hard road. For
full a minute we heard it plainly; then 1t
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 woods worked
south. After advancing n couple of miles
the lines reformed and awaited the APP
proach of the unsuspecting Gauls. Scouts
reported the road two hundred yards a
way. Later came the lancer sktrmishers.
They had seen the French-a division of
cavalry, followed by infantry and field
batteries-twenty thousand men,, more or
less. They were covering about six miles
an hour.
1t was n trying walt. Loweuberg con-
ferred with his officers, and l could but
stand there beside tleischmann, quivering
with excitement. wondered what L
should do when the crisis arrived. l was
armed with revolver and sabre, but l did
not wish 10 fight, for ! was friendly TO the
French. Yet knew that | could not now
NllnOIuN : lllt IleA Mhull SlTlhO Ut ntt
and that l must strike back or go down.
Finally the CHATTER of hoofs sounded
around "A bend In the road, and n minute
later the cavalry appeared. With helmets
and trappings flashing IN the pale moon
light they Numbered by, Il stream of horse
men "A mile long, hurrying forward to select
Il camp, for 1t lacked but two hours of day
light, and the troops were hungry after
their night march.
A1ong interval of Silence-then the tramp
of infantry, steady and regular, like the
throbbing of a great engine. As the sky
lightened to a siekly, grayish yellow. they
came in sight, advancing in columns of
four. We waited until they were well a
long In front of us. A mile OF the column
had passed. | saw Lowenberg draw his re-
yolver-the critical moment had arrived.
Our front WIS easily half Il mile long.
We were in two lines, each line four men
deep, Will a space of ten yards between.
The hussars formed the center, with Low
enberg, Fleisehmann and myself close be-
hind.
AS the shot rang out our whole line
moved into the open field, broke into n trot,
then into Il gallop. Eight thousand German
voices joined in one mighty cry of battle
"Hurrah, Preussen,' 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
standards, shouting and gestlculating In
great confusion. Some leveled their rifles.
and Il patter of bullets angered the Ger
mans. who opened with their carbines and
let loose a hail of lead.
l can recall little of that mad rush. My
horse was running away. | could not have
held him If l would. The bullets flew
thicker. The French were forming, kneel-
ing at the roadside and firing as rapidly as
they could work their guns. Others We're
running. All, Ii 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
latteled them; Ii crushed them into Il mass
ot shrieking, cupsing humanity. My horse
reared and came down in their midst, his
great hoofs crushing the skulls of two who
were struggling To their feet. My very soul
Sickened at the horrid smash Of iron on
skull. On we went. straight through the
mass of men, and wheeling sharply
in the field beyond the road came back in
another mad charge.
Suddenly Lo%wenberg's horse stumbled.
wavered, and went down with a bullet in
his brain. Fleisehmann was at the left.
like a demon, his long heavy sabre
havoc In the huddled groups of de-
French. But as the Colonel sank
with his steed Fleischmann closed in,
seized him by the collar, dragged him out