Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1914-11-04
Nv LAWRENCE ELsToN.


gnns by the British troops.
We were in a field" he said,
auben the Germans dropped on us
oil of a sudden as though from the
skv The first hint we had Of their
rresence was when a battery of guns
On the right sang QUIT dropping shells
into mob Of us WHO were waiting
for our turn at the washtub-the
river. There was no panic as far as
7 saw. only some of our fellows who
hadn't had a wash for long time
said strong things about the Germans
for sDoiling the best chance we had
had for four days. We all ran to our
Dosts in response to bugles which
rang out all along the line, and by
the time we all stood to arms the
German cavalry came into view in
great strength all along the left front.
AS soon as they came within range
We poured a deadly volley into them,
emptying saddles right and left, and
thew scattered in all directions.
Meanwhile their artillery kept work
ING ND closer on the front and the
right and a dark cloud of infantry
showed out against the skyline on our
front advancing in a formation rather
loose for the Germans. We opened
on them, and they made fine target
for our rife fire, which was very well
supported by our artillery. The fire
from our guns was very effective,
the range being found with ease, and
We could see the shells dropping right
into the enemy's ranks.
Race for Hill.
Here and there their lines began
to waver and give way, and finally
they disappeared. Half an hour later
more infantry appeared on our right
front. but we could not say whether it
was the same, or another body. This
time they were well supported by ar
tillery, machine guns and strong
forces of cavalry on both TANKS. All
came on at a smart pace, with the
apparent plan of Selling hill on our
right At the same moment our cav
airy came into view, and then the
whole Guards brigade advanced. IL
was really a race between the two
parties to reach the hill first, but the
Germans won easily, owing to their
being nearer by half mile.
AS soon as their guns and infantry
had taken up a position, the cavalry
came along in a huge mass with the
intention of riding down the irish
Guards, who were nearest to them.
When the shock came it seemed ter
rife to us in the distance, for the
Irishmen did not recoil in the least
but flung themselves right across the
path of the German horsemen.
We could hear the crack OF the
rifles and see the German horses I'M
paled on the bayonets of the front
ranks of the guardsmen. Then the
whole force OF infantry and cavalry
were mixed up in one confused heap'
like so many pieces from a 1lg-sa"
puzzle. Shells from the British ana
German batteries kept dropping close
to the tangled mass of fighting men,
and then we saw the German horse
men get clear and take to flight as
fast as their horses would carry them.
Some had no horses and they were
bayoneted where they stood.
Ten Guns Captured.
While this was going on there was
a confused movement among the Ger
man infantry, as though they were
going to the assistance of the cavalry
but evidently they did not like the
look Of things, for they stayed where
they were After this little Interrupt
ton the whole of the Guards cont1n-
ued their advance, the Coldstreamers
leading this time, with the Scots IN
reserve and the Irish in support.
Taking advantage of the fight De-
tween the cavalry and infantry, the
German artillery had advanced to
new position, from which they kept
up a deadly fire from II guns. our
Infantry and cavalry advanced s1mui-
taneously against this new position
which they carried together in the
lace of a CALLING fire. In the excite
ment the enemy managed to get away
TWO of their guns, but the remainder
Tell into our hands. The infantry anu
cavalry supporting the guns dian
wait for the onslaught of our men,
but bolted, pursued by our cavalry
and CALLED by a heavy fire from our
Infantry and artillery, which quickly
found the range.
We heard later that the Germans
we're in very great force, and had at
tackled In the hope of driving us back
and so uncovering the French ieIt,
but they got more than they bargalneo
Ior. Their losses were terrible III
What little Of the fight we saw, ana
when our men captured the guns
there was hardly a Eerman left al1ve
or unwounded. Altogether the ngnt
lasted about seven hours, and when
II was over our cavalry scouts report
ed that the enemy were in retreat
ArgyIls Are Hard Hit.
A private in a Highland regiment
Who was wounded at Mons, In the
course of letter to his parents IN
Musselburgh says:
The poor Argylls got pretty Wen
nit, but never wavered a yard for all