Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-11-17
aatiserllanruu5 Readins.
THE CARNAGE OF WAR.
Story of a Survivor of the Battle OF
Gravelotte.

GraveIotte.
William Guldner. survivor OF the
battle of Gravelotte, the most hard
fought victory of the Franco-Prussian
war, tells in Harpers Magazine how
he saw the victory as color bearer or
his regiment:
1T must have been, think, about 4
o'clock when Colonel Won Boehn rode
To- the head of the regiment and we all
straightened quick as on parade. And
he said sharp a few words. something
like. Men, the regiment has good
name. and you will give it still bet
ter one / was in front and could hear
part Of what he said.
The colonel led US to the left, and
we crossed a railroad track and went
through another little white village
and then we laced a slope-a long
slope-with a village on it, which the
French had made into fort, and We
our regiment and others, were to cap
ture it, and there were many French
men and cannon there.
THE colonel rode on a horse, he ana
the majors and the adjutants. Our
captains usually rode, too, but thls
dav the captains sent their horses back
and went on foot
And soon our first men began to-
fall for we came under the fire OF the
chassepot. It was hard, for we could
not see the enemy. These first ones
we're many sharpshooters in dltch'
and the noise of their firing was ike
that of a coffee mill-kr-r-r-r-r-r'
Tbev drew off as we went forward. II
WAS only at a walk that we Went-a
steady walk. just as if there were ho
bullets there.
And now we would run forward M
~ wards and throw ourselves t1at' then
another fifty yards and the halt ana
the falling fat, and each time we could
see the village that was a fortress
nearer.
And once when we were lying down
and I saw that the officers were stand
ing. lust cool and quiet, 1t came 10
me that a man has to pay IN such
WAYS to be an officer.
"1 cav the colonel fall. He was shot
from his horse and carried back
"The first major, he took command
and he galloped to the sklrmlsh hhe'
and he was shot. Then the secohu
major, too, was shot, and he trleo 10
get ND, but he could not stand ana lie
cot on big stone and shouted: 60
on. Go on And he took gun from
a dead man and fired 1t.
I'VE were ordered to fix bayonets'
and that made US glad, but even YET
the men carried their rifles on their
shoulders as they ran. We were not
near enough to charge with bayonets'
o1 u,ish could tell you what 1t was
like as we got near that village Oh 81
Privat-the noise, the smoke Ihe
flashes, the falling men and only ohe
desire in our hearts.
There were three sergeants III 'He
oo,or section. one at each side OF me-
And first the one at my rlgh' was
killed. Then the one at my lett was
shot-eight big bullets In MS DouS
from a mitrailleuse-eight! Yet ne ai
terward got we'll, while many man
d;Ad from only one little bullet.
And at last we went at a OaSone'
charge. and for the first time there
was a cheer. a wild and savage cheer'
and we ran on, eager to plunge 'ne
hoyonets. and we could see as we came
near the village that the French were
firing from behind barricades anu
Garden walls and from windows.
"And we looked into the wild races
OF the French, and they met us manu-
70 hand. All, we climbed over walls
and barricades, and we fired and pay
oneted, and we fought them IN 'he
streets!
"On and on we went. 1t was VIII
time of shooting, bayonettng, Wres'-
ling. clubbing, shouting. On ana oh'
hut Il was slow work and terrible 1or
the French fought for every step
81 was at the front, for hao tiie
colors, There were few othcers SUN
left. and they were shouting ana ""'
ing their swords, and other reglireii'o
stormed into the village with u.s. anu
ofter while-I can't say how long
the place was ours.
"AsI tell it to you it seems perhaps
q simple thing. But when the res,-
ment was paraded before the pattle
began we were more thar $500 men
and more than fifty officers, and we
lost in the fight forty officers and more
than a thousand men. Yes that was
the loss of just my regiment alone II
was murderish, but it was necessary
well, it was over. The village was
b,azing, and many dead man lay III
eve r,,;ns Some sat upright. dead
craiDSt walls.