The Washington herald., 1914-10-11
TEAMSTER PENS
FAITHFUL DIARY
Recounts Bare News Of Fight
ing, but Says He's Sick
of Rabbits.
LONG MARCH TO PARIS
In Several Hot Corners, but Manage to
Get Out. Though 10000 Ger
mans Surround Them.
LONG MARCH TO PARIS

London, Oct. 1o-Here is the faithful
diary. penned iaboriously in a washing
book, of a driver in a British ammunition
train:
At Campeigne We got into touch with
the Germans. Very hot work. All our
guns in action all round. and - people
/ OF the villages hoclIng in a paI4e toward
Paris 1t made US feel down-hearted,
what We saw here.
We marched from Campeigne about II
| O'Clock on the 31st, which was Sunday.
Our way was through. a pretty little viii
lage, where the people tore down the
heavy-laden branches Of the damson
trees and sent US on munching the fruit
and very cheerful.
We got within six hours Of Paris when
the Germans surprised US and drove US
back. We scooted quick and dodged
them in the dark until l O'Clock in the
morning. when we lay on the roadside
men and horses together, tagged out.
Slept until a. m, and then marched on
again. Still retreating. Hot as -.
We marched through Ralentir and
Pierreponds- Food on the way-appIes
and water. Now we make our way
through twenty-three miles OF woods to-
ward the ferry. We thought We should
never get out-they seemed everlasting.
1t was night and moonshine when we at
last got to Satiness Satuern(9.
At a. m. next morning we got TO
Reary and right into the middle OF it.
with our tired horses and US tireder StiIl
nothing to eat and dry as bones. The
Germans were lambing in at US with
their artillery.
Half the horses of L Battery, Royal
Artillery. got smashed. and We had to
bung In our poor old tired ones to hn up.
Only few gunners were left, but they
stood by. firing on still, and singing
Onward. Christian Soldiers" Then the
Germans charged, and our gunners did
bunk. but not before they had drove
spikes into the guns.
September 2-More fighting and worser
than ever. 1 don't believe we shall ever
get to Paris Now we come to Montasny.
and fighting all the time. Rabbits and
apples to eat galore.
September 3-We progressed this day
four miles in twelve hours. Took the
wrong road, and had to crawl about the
woods on our stummoks like snakes to
dodge the German snipers. We shot one
blighter and took another prisoner.
At last We found the main body again.
They wanted more horses, and we were
Just bringing them up and putting them
to the guns when a German areyplane
came over us and flue round pretty low.
The troops tried TO fetch him down. and
some bullets went through the wings,
but then he got too high
Next day we started on a night march,
and got to Lagny Thorigny. and camped
outside the town. where the people fed
US on rabbits again. said I was sick
Of rabbits. and me and Bill walked acrost
to a farmhouse and borrowed three
chickens which we cooked. II waSfne.
Outside Lagny there was more fierce
fghting-twenty miles Of it-and the Ger
mans were shot down like birds We got
In another hot corner, but managed to
get out just in time.
September (continued)-Firing Is still
going on, but II Is not SO fierce, though
scouts have come in and told US there are
1000 Germans round US this day.