The state herald., 1914-10-16
BATTLE Of SOISSONS AS seen
BY WRITER ON FIRING Line

o"'NS "heu IeTmhn snells DeBau
sereeching over our heads. We
scarcely knew where to go for safety.
A fearful crash on our right just be-
hind the hospital showed that the Ger
man range was getting nearer Soma
OF our party naturally became
alarmed, Then We all crouched down
pehind our autos as another shell
"histled close to us and dropped In
garden, Two of the spent pieces ac-
tualiy fell at our feet and few Sec
ohd afterwards another spent piece of
smell, still hot, struck one of our
party on the leg.
II was evident that we we're in
great danger. Some one said, stand
by the cars"
II was a good job we did not take
thls advice: but We might have done
IL If at that moment a woman at the
door of the village wine shop across
.he street had not shouted; Come
inside. for Gods sake!"
Flee Into a Cellar.
we did not need twice asking
hardly had we got across the thresh
oIl when tremendous noise like a
million rawhide whips cracking at the
same moment, followed by the. noise
OF falling masonry, showed that we
were in for regular bombardment
Everybody rushed for the cellar. =
AS soon as the dust and smoke had
cleared away someone crept up the
| In nj
ing one OF the turrets on each side of
me entrance gates to the castle had
oeen completely demolished by the
last shell. And still they came. and
there we huddled looking into each
others eyes. as well as the dim light
would admit, in that little wine cellar
with Its solid vaulted roof that we
prayed might not give way should
The house be struck. shall never
forget the time spent In that cellar.
mere were twenty-three of us, in.
Guiding about seven women OF the
village and little boy. We were
there from 10:30 a m. until little
after noon. with shells dropping all
around us. One dropped Ave yards
from the door, the shock breaking
every pane OF glass In the house and
making an enormous hole In the road.
Another shell struck the ground about
twelve feet In front OF our cars, just
grazing and mashing u portion OF
the village cross.
Everything has an end and we
could hear the shells bursting farther
and farther away. Still 1t was deemed
prudent to lie low for bit.
Eat as Shells Scream.
After a time one OF the villagers
went out at rear door and brought
back big dish of fried Clipped po
tatoes and bread, 80 that with the
wine In the cellar we made u hearty
lunch under the circumstances. We
were very hungry. as we had eaten
nothing since the previous evening.
When II was safe to get cut we
found that the shell that dropped neal
the cars had burst two tires on the
car ! rode In. had smashed all three
OF the wind shields. and filled the cal
bodies and covers full OF holes. The
cars looked as II they had been pep
pered with machine guns. Luckily
the engines were not damaged In the
least.
The Germans. being deeply In
trenched In old chalk quarries. a sort
OF natural fortress In the hillsldes
overlooking Soissons, continued 10
reply to tho numerous French guns
with impunity and occasionally to
lombard Scissors and Vauxbuin. VI
to the time OF my leaving this same
week.
Scissors is In n pitiable state. The
Germans have not spared its old ca
thedrnl with its two Gothic spires.
From the rear OF the hospital nj
Vauxbuin we had fine view OF this
grand old landmark One OF the
steeples 10 broken on about half way
and the other has biz hole in the
side. plainly seen three miles on
passed about four days here
The artillery fring was terrific from
morning to night. The battle ranges
over an enormously extended front
! saw some shockingly wounded
mon Will. nj vauxbuin. The night
before left Ave men were brought 10
with fearful Injuries In different parts
OF the body. A German shell had
dropped among eight artillerymeu
serving one OF the French guns The
other three men were killed on the
spot. This is Just an incident among
hundreds that are happening every day.
Al one village | passed through.
where the Germans had left 100
wounded. most OF whom were brought
In under cover two days after the
battle by the French. the doctors
asked me. implored me, to try and get
some milk for the wounded. Nearly
all tho cattle have been driven out
OF the country to safer places or have
been requisitionod either by the Ger
man or the French forces. Many
lives are lost on both sides through
4 A L.. - "a