Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-07-09


peered through the puff Of smoke as he
removed the rifle from his shoulder; then
rapidly half dozen more bullets Whlst.ed
by us. and the warning sent us all TO
earth. Tie order to lie down is theO-
retically infrequent. but practically it is
often given in modern warfare. Our dou-
ole lines ',f Battle sought the shelter of
the ground as soon as blood was drawn.
This had the effect of hiding us from the
enemy. or partially SO, for the fusllade
slackened
II was irksome to keep one position.
even at full length, but the watch over
us was very viSilant. hardly a move
ment was made at any part Of our line
that did not draw fire from the wall.
Necessity compelled US, however. TO keep
up something OF lookout upon the
enemy at any risk. cautious inspection
showed great carelessrass in their lines,
the men still strolling and lounging-a
group at cards, even, evidently ignorant
or careless of our proximity.
What 10 do about it was to us topic
second only in interest to the proba BILE
action OF the enemy. Could we long lie
thus without waking up the Ing guns.
whose black muzzles looked down at us
from the hliitops on our right? And if
not, what then" From these guns Their.
would be no possible shelter. Retreat
alone was more dangerous than to re-
main as We were, or even to advance.
The field behind us stretched away to-
ward the town, level and exrosed-the
win no inequality OF kI,uad - pcotcc.
us from conveyance of fire that would
be slngularly effective.
The situation had already forced upon
US policy OF mastery inactivity which
alone seemed to meet our immediate DIFF
fculties. So we drifted into common
understanding that no doubt an ADLER
council Of war would have approved
Shots might rouse the enemy from his
carelessness or ignorance: certainly
volley from our line would not go unan-
swered, and the odds were great Let
them stick to their cards and forget US
If they would, But we arrived at this
policy only as the least of many evils
The enemy riddled every moving thing
I'm sight. horses tied to the wheels of
broken gun-carriage behind us. pigs that
1ncautiously came Eruntng from across
the road even chickens We're brought
down with an accuracy of aim that told
OF fatally short range, and Of a better
practice than il would have been wise
for our numbers to face. They applauded
their own success with niarty We
hardly shared in. their chicken shoot
ing was across our backs. leaving us no
extra room for turning.
But this wantonnpSS Of
slaughter, not INDUCED in when the high
er game in blue uniform was in sight.
The men who had left our ranks for
water Or from any cause. before we
were pinned 10 the earth, came back at
great peril. Indeed. | believe not one IF
them reached our l.ne again anhurt Some
We're killed outright: others We're MOI ,al-
y wounded and died within a few steps
OF us. and several who tried to Drag them
selves away HAT upon their faces were
put out Of their misery.
This, too, showed us plainly what We
might expect. and fixed our bounds to
such segmen,s of the field as were hid
den from The enemy. This was not alike
throughout the line. 1T point the
exposure was absolute. and stiffness
absolute Was the only safety a slight
barrier was afterward formed at this
point by a disposal OF the dead bodies
in front. that the dead actually shell
tered the living.
After two or three hours Of this ex-
perience we became somewhat accuS-
toned TO almost anythin. that savors of
routine-and learned with considerable
exactncss the limit inside which We might
move with safetE. and tn limit also Of
endura BILE constraint. Ii was somewhat
curious to see how strong the tobacco
hunger was with many-perhaps with
most. Men would jump TO their feet and
run the length of 4 regiment to borrow
tobacco. and so doing run the gauntlet of
hundred shots. ThS was rarely
accomplished in entire safety that it won
the applause or our line and hearty con
gratulations TO any one fortunate enough
to save his life and sweeten it with the
savory morSel
All this would have been ludicrous but
for the actual suffering inflicted upon so
many Men were mortally hit. and there
was no chance to bind up their wounds;
thew were almost far beyond our help
as IL they had been miles away. \ little
was accomplished for their relief by pass
ing canteens from hand to hand. keep
ing them close to the ground out Of sight.
and some Of the wounded were where a
little manipulation could b done in
safety.
1t was sad to hear the cries fade away
to low means, and then to silence. with
out a chance to help. The laugh over a
successful chase for tobacco would die
away only TO change into a murmur OF
indignation at the next cruel slaughter.
A young officer, boyish and ruddy. fresh
from a visit home. with brighter sword
and shoulder straps than most of US.
raised his head to look at the enemy.
and a bullet at once pierced his brain.
Without a word or groan his head sank
again. his rosy cheek grew livid. and his
blood crimsoned his folded hands. Next
a le. i arm, 1as shattered as il became