Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1914-11-11
Wounded Frenchman Describes a
Rapid March and Bloody
Conflict Following.
THROUGH RAIN OF BULLETS
Desperate Rush Of the infantry Across
Open Field--Tra9ic and hor-
rible Scenes Witnessed in
a.t Midst Of the Carnage.
international News Service.)


he terrific fighting in France, where
the British and French allies have bat
tied for many days against the Ger
mans. are beginning to reach London
In letters from soldiers at the front. The
following admirably written story Of
actual battle is contained in letter
from a wounded Frenchman to an Eng
lish friend here: ., ." g. ...r
II am in the field hospital now, with
q nice little hole in my left shoulder
through which a bullet OF one of the
war lords military subjects has
passed. My shoulder feels much as il
come playful joker had touched it With
a lighted cigar. Tomorrow. shall be
quite right again, but the wound had
to be washed and dressed by 4 pretty
little nurse. who is SO sweet and love.
ly and kind.hearted that one should
like to get wounded for the sole pur
pose OF being nursed by her s@ ~,
'sBadinage apart. those nurses have
a fearful time. wonder when they
have any time to rest. Day and night
they are busy, and when you ask them
Are you not exceedingly tired they
inst smile. and with a laugh in their
eyes they make some comic reply
They are real herOines, and it is not
merely our physical surferngs which
they mitigate. God bless them
Army on March Impressive.
Our army marched along broad
sunny road, bordered on either side
by vast, cultivated plain, on which,
from distance to distance, little groups
OF harvesting peasant girls and old
men were busy, as if they lived in the
most peaceful region of the most
peaceful OF countries.
Here and there the horizon was
bordered by hill ranges, and right in
front of us, and somewhat to the left,
the wooded crests Of other hills were
discernible. Sometimes when we
reached an elevation of the road
looked backward upon the army, which
was like a huge serpent, covering the
road over a distance of many miles. II
was a great view. quite, quite differ.
ent from review, and l have never
seen anything so impressive. For this
was not mere show, as military re.
view is, but these men were to be en-.
gagged in part of an action on which
the fate OF nations would depend, ana
the way in which those men would full.
fill their task might be of the greatest
Importance to the result of the battle
and future movements and designs.
And one felt that these masses OF
men were determined to do their ut.
most This was not dull, low-spirited
army, going to the front to fight be-.
cause they were ordered to, but be.
cause they wanted to- They wore no
stern. grave faces, or they would not
be French soldiers; nor were they
boisterous or Dragging, but they were
bright and lively and happy and brave,
governed by powerful desire to win,
and gifted with an almost superhuman
power OF determination. There was
such splendid enthusiasm.
Coming Up to the Battle.
Dispatch riders are galloping past.
We are ordered to accelerate our
march: the division commanders join
their chief; various orders are passed,
and instead Of keeping to the highway,
part Of our army has to cross the
field in diagonal direction. Since
some time the rafting OF volleys is
audible Then at distance. which
seems not so far of, heavy detona.
fion OF a gun is heard. 1t takes some
time before another gunshot is fired,
hut then the detonations are heard at
intervals of about minute from the
direction OF the hills in front Of US
We are met by more dispatch riders
and now we hurry across the field and
up the slopes Of the hills.
Arrived on the crest we drop our
aelves, and there. right in front of US.
On the opposite hills, and making for
the plain between them, are the enemy
engaged in fight with a division OF
the allied tfoo2s. | can distinctly see
the German artillerymen moving
about the guns on the hilltops and the
slopes. I see mighty flash from one
Of the guns, the heavy report is re-.
echoed by the surrounding hills.
ut is strange, but in the face OF
dslth and destruction catch myself
trying to make out where the she'll has
fallen, as II were an interested spec
tator alta rife competition.
German Fire Too High.
.eVolley after volley we sent in the
Of the enemy. We aimed
ruickly and well, while all the German
shells and bullets passed over our
,cads. For the Germans may be, and
/ re- our superiors in executing parade.
,taps. but they are internally bad
,hots In the meantime our heavy
yuns were preparing for action, and
,ur auick-firers. began to share in the
r1,,neral conversation. AS more troops
vare ascending the hills to reenforcs
4 ~ wsls ,isr tAs B1sia. \ reae q