The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-08-28
WHAT WARFARE MEANS
TO SOLDIERS ENGAGED
Letter, Written by French Trooper,
Gives Vivid Impression of Bat
tic. Now ItnyiUn.
HEARTS or MEN ARE LIGHT
But Faces Arc Grave, for They Real
ize a. They Advance Through Rain
Of Lead That Fate of Nation l.. nj
Stake.

tSncclt' tahl" TO The Times Dispatch.
LONDON August 27-A vivid i'm
preston Of wha, u'ojorn warfare means
is given by IN. following letter writ
ten by wounded French soldier.
II am in hcld hospital NOW with u
nice little hole in my left shoulder
1t feels as If some playful joker had
touched il with Il lighted cigar.
The wound is washed mud dressed
by nrcitH little d:c-,nukcr. who has
turncd nurse. She - sweet and
Lowell, ard kind hearted tha' one should
like TO Get wounded for the sole pur-
pose of hein. nu'scd and bandarcd.
Part of our army was marching
along the broad sunny road toward
charlcroi rh' road was hurdcrcd on
either side IL! = vast cultivated plain.
where it'll" groups Of peasants were
husiiN engaged in harvesting.
''ihc peasant girls and ihc old men
we're as busy as If there WAS nothing
hut peace on Garth
Sometimes when We reached an ole
vation 7 look oil backward and sayv oar
army like huge scn,cnt covering the
road for a distance Of man! miles.
HEARTS AHE LIGHT.
HuT FACES GRAVE
Tho hearts Of the troops were II. Int.
but thei faces were grave. Every on"
fcl; that We were engaged in an action
on which the fate of nations depended
There were many jokes. however
for til" French soldier is always bright.
lively. happy and brave.
The Commissary IL perfect. AMI the
men have been so cxcellcntlv looked
after that the soldiers spirits have
been kept up In good shape.
In distance on our. left clouds Of
dust hover over the held. and now and
again our cars catch tho sound Of NOV
ing troops and the tranplinE Of horses
feet Apparently they are moving par.
allcl with our troops II is rumorcd
.
body knows but the commanders, and
thrN keep silent.
Heavy cannonadiuc is heard ahead.
and ii becomes more FREQUENT 2s NC
advance. Aides bearing dispatches gal
lop by US every few moments
CARRYING al tn" crest Of the hill.
We drop ourselves there. Right in front
Of us OF the opposite hill. and adj
enemy. Their advance is covered by
the artillery on tho hills behind them.
our own artillery is coming into action.
Smelling the valley below
IT is stranG" that in face Of death
10 make out where the shells arc
falling, rs II I We're merely AN in
tcrestcd spectator At rhc compcu-
inr these strange feelings. ! saw many
curious faces All around me, hearing
expressions full of interest. like an
audience highly fascinated by a theatri-
cal performance.
These impressions crossed my mind
in a thouSaudtl part OF a second. FOL e
lowed by numerous others. always allen
. from the seriousness or what is han
pcnine. Tho human mind Us mex
Dlicable.
FAN FROM REALIZING
THE TERRIFIC FACTS
we begin to shoot. Between rounds
hear many funny cXnrcssions used.
proving that the speakers thought
are from realization Of tho ter
rible Facts. II 10 not heartlcssness or
anything like that.
! "Volloy after vollev We sent al the
"'rhe German bullets passed mostly
over our heads Instinctively we
stopped. although when ono hears a
bullet II has already passed II is a
queer sensation when one is first IN
u rain Of bullets.
We are ordered 10 advance. Alter
10 fire and then jumping 10 our feet to
approach the enemy.
THE enemy now is shaken by inccs-
SAINT caunonadinR The air Is torn
10y The continuous roar OF rifle fire. We
rush forward TO seize = piece Of ground
surrounded by low dykes"
''lialf way across the Intervening
space ! was struck and lost conscious.
ness. | only regret that ! could not
have seen tho finish Of this. my first
battle Rut will nc hack on the line
3Gaiu--aud hope il may he ON tho first
fighting lin. and that may have my