The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1914-10-08
SOLDIER TELLS
VIVID STORY Of
FIERCE BATTLE
Wounded FrenChman Describes a
Rapid March and Bloody
Conflict Following.
THROUGH RAIN OF BULLETS
Desperate Rush Of the infantry Across
Open Field-TragIc and Hor.
riblo Scenes Witnessed In
Midst Of the Carnage.
international News Service.)


London. - Graphic descriptions Of
the 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 a letter
from a wounded Frenchman to an Eng.
llsh friend here:
Il am In the field hospital now, with
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 II
some playful joker had touched 1t with
lighted cigar. Tomorrow | shall be
quite right again, but the wound had
to be washed and dressed by a 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. g..
'Badinage 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
just smile, and with laugh in their
eyes they make some comic reply.
They are real heroines, and 1t Is not
merely our physical sufferings which
they mitigate. God bless them!
Army on March Impressive.
Our army marched along a 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 II 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. 1t
was a great view, quite, quite differ
ent from a review, and | have never
seen anything so impressive. For this
was not a mere show, as a 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, and
the way in which those men would full.
fill their task might be Of the greatest
iTY1n prf IN ha 81 he hot L.
and future movements and designs.
And one felt that these masses OF
men were determined to do their ut.
most. This was not a 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 a powerful desire TO win,
and gifted with an almost superhuman
power Of determination. There was
such a splendid enthusiasm.
Coming Up to the Battle.
blEpdLCu ItuCIS hlC pdbI.
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 a diagonal direction. Since
some time the rafting of volleys Is
audible. Then at a distance, which
seems not so far of, heavy detona.
tion OF a gun is heard. It taxes some
time before another gunshot is fred.
but then the detonations are heard at
intervals OF about a 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.
selves, and there. right in front of US,
on the opposite hills. and making for
the plain between them, are the enemy
engaged In a fight with a division of
the allied troops. ! can distinctly see
the German artiIlerymen moving
about the guns on the hilltops and the
slopes. see a mighty fash from one
of the guns, the heavy report is re-
echoed by the surrounding hills.
1T Is strange. but in the face OF
death and destruction ] catch myself
trying to make out where the shell has
fallen. as II / were an interested spec
tator at a rife competition.
German Fire Too High.
"voiiey after Volley we sent In the
direction OF the enemy. We aimed
quickly and well, while all the German
shells and bullets passed over our
heads. For the Germans may be, and
are, our superiors in executing parade
steps, but they are internally bad
shots. In the meantime our heay.
guns we're preparing for action. and
our quick-nrers began to share in the
general conversation- As mors troops
were ascending the hilla to reenforcs
Us, vs Inads Tor the plata A rain d