Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1909-01-07
THE CARNAGE OF WAR
Story of a Survivor of the Bat
tie of Gravelotte.
INTO THE JAWS OF DEATH.
An Advance Under Fire From Behind
5arrieadss That Literally Moved
Down the Charging Troops-A Hand
to Hand Conflict In the Streets.

Down the Charging Troops--A Hand
to Hand Conflict In the Streets.
William Guldner, a 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>of
his regiment:
1T must have been, think, about
O'clock when Colonel Won Boehn rode
to the head of the regiment. and we all
Strengthened quick, as on parade. And
he said sharp few words, something
like, Men, the regiment has good
name, and you will give 1t 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 railroad track and went
through another little white village,
and then we faced a slope-a long slope
with a village on it, which the
our regiment and others, were to cap
ture it. and there were many French.
men and cannon there.
"The colonel rode ON horse, he and
the majors and the adjutants. Our
captains usually rode, too. but this
day 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. 1t was hard, for we could
not see the enemy. These first ones
were many sharpshooters in ditch.
and the noise Of their firing was like
that Of a coffee mill-kr-r-rr-r-r. They
drew off as we went forward. 1t was
only at walk that we went-a steady
walk. just as IL there were no bullets
there.
"And now we would run forward
fifty yards and throw ourselves fiat,
then another fifty yards and the halt
and the falling fat, and each time we
could see the village that was for
tress nearer.
And once when we were lying down
and | saw that the officers We're stand
ing, just cool and quiet, 1t came to me
that man has to pay in such ways to
be an officer.
II saw the colonel fall. He was shot
from his horse and carried back.
The first major. he took command,
and he gallopcd to the skirmish line,
and he was shot. Then the second
major, too, was shot, and he tried to
get up. but he could not stand. and he
sat on big stone and shouted: Go
on! Go on. And he took a gun from
dead man and fred II.
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.
II wish could tell you what 1t was
like as we got near that village Of st.
Privat - the noise, the smoke, the
flashes, the falling men and only one
desire In our hearts.
There were three sergeants In the
color section, one at each side of me.
And first the one at my right was
killed Then the one at my left was
shot-eight big bullets in his body
from mitrailleuse eight! Yet he aft
erward got well. while many Il man
died from only one little bullet.
And AT last We went at bayonet
charge. and for the first time there
was cheer. wild and savage cheer,
| and we ran on, eager to plunge the
bayonets. and we could see as we came
near the village that the French were
| firing from behind barricades and gar
den walls and from windows.
And we looked into the wild faces
| of the French. and they met us hand
| to hand. All, we climbed over walls
| and barricades. and we fired and bay.
oneted. and we fought them in the
| streets!
| 'On and on we went. 1t was IL wild
time of shooting. bayoneting. wres'
! Ting, clubbing. shouting. On and on
| but 1t was slow work and terrible, for
the French fought for every step.
| Il was at the front, for had the
colors There were few officers still
left, and they were shouting and way
ing their swords. and other regiments
| stormed into the village with us. and
after awhile-I can't say how long
| the place was ours.
"As tell it TO you ii seems perhaps
a simple thing But when the rcgi-
ment was paraded before the battle
began we were more than 1900 men
and more than fifty officers. and we
..z&S Ia ..;a .ght forty 1.ffieers And