The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-10-11

i their feet were hurled back as though
BY terrible gust Of wind. Almost IN
the second that | pondered, puzzled,
the staciato rattle Of machine guns
reached US. MY ear answered the IN
quiry of my eye. For the first time
the advancing lines hesitated. appar-
emily bewildered. Mounted officers
dashed along the line urging the men
forward. Horses fell with the men. !
saw dozen riderless horses dashing
madly through the lines adding new
terror Another horse was obviously
running away with his officer rider.
The crucial period for the section OF
the charge on which had rivited my
attention probably lasted less than
minute. To my throbbing brain It
seemed an hour. Then, with thu with
ering fire raking them even as they
faltered, the lines broke. Panic en-
sued. It was every man for himself
The entire Russian charge turned ana
went tearing back to cover ana the
shelter OF the Russian trenches.
swept the field with my glasses. The
dead were everywhere. They were
not piled up. but were strewn over
acres. More horrible than the sight
OF dead though were the other pic
lures brought up by the glasses.
Squirting. tossing, writing figures
everywhere.
The Wounde.
The wounded, all who could tumble
or crawl, were working their way back
toward their own lines or back to the
friendly cover Of hills or WOODED
spots But there appeared to be hun.
dreds to whom was denied even this
hope, hundreds doomed to lie there IN
the open with wounds unwashed ana
undressed. suffering from thirst ana
hunger until their merciful shadows
or darkness made possible their
rescue by the good samari-
tans, hospital corps. who to-
night, covering that field OF
death for the third time since Sunday.
After the charge we moved back into
the German lines at safe distance
and found the hospital corps bringing
back the German wounded. The num-
Der OF these was comparatively hgnt,
due to the strongly entrencfed posi-
lions they had occupied. Nearly all
the wounded were hit by shrapnel as
they lay in the trenches.
After tour along the rear OF the
German positions where we saw the
reserves, ammunition and supply wa
CONS all drawn up in close formation
with the hospital corps in the extreme
rear, we moved up until directly be-
hind the German trenches. The ar
Ittllerymen had resumed their duel and
AZ we came up in the lee Of the out
buildings OF deserted farm house q
shell struck and fired the farm house
Immediately in front Of US. AZ We
paused to see IL the shot was chance
one, II Russian gunners had actually
gotten the range, regiment OF fresh
reserves, young men who had come
np from the west, passed us on their
ways to their baptism OF fire. Their
demeanor was more suggestive OF q
group of college students going TO q
football game, than the serious Dust
ness on which they were bent. They
were singing and laughing and as
they went by. nonAcommissioned OF
fcer INQUIRED rather ruefully whether
there were any Russians left for them
Az we stood on slight rise overlook
ing about three miles OF the battle
front, staff officer came dashing
toward US, yelling and pointing to
something. We turned In time TO see
a shell burst 500 yards away. A few
seconds later another dropped about
ZOO wards, then one about 300. When
one broke 200 yards away. we under
stood the officers frantic gesticula-
lions. We went on the dead run to
cover and a moment later shell burst
with terrific force on the spot on
which we stood, furnishing splendid
target in the open field. AS we worked
our way slowly through a dense WOOD
| in the direction OF the German
/, trenches we were almost deafened BY
the shrek and crash of bursting shells
sweeping overhead as the Russian
gunners felt out the German position
| IN an effort to locate the German am
munition train 900 yards to our right
where 1t probably had been sighted
Inv a Russian aeroplane. Throughout
the day we watched the fight waSeo
! from the opposing trenches ana pS
TIN. artfllerymen. The German FORCES
seemed content to hold their present
position for the time being and barr