The Goldfield news and weekly tribune. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1911-1947, 1914-10-17

of the news of the war gets into the
German press in the form of letters
which officers and privates at the
front send to their families. Writ
ten by men who describe what they
actually see and feel, some strange
mixtures of sensations experienced
and actually encountered result =
documents of strong appeal and
wide human interest. One of these
e in the Koelnischer Zeitung
of September 16.
From a wild French forest, on
the anniversary of the battle of Sc
dan (Sept. 2)-The best greetings:
During the last two days we have
again been at the extreme front,
after we had given up a chance to
rest up and get enough to eat. Our
position is a dangerous one, being
we'll advanced into the French lines,
and we are obliged to fight off many
attacks on the part of an enemy
much superior in numbers
Yesterday we fought from early
morning till late in the night, oppos-
ing Alpine chasseurs and negroes,
whose courage it would be foolish to
question. The woods here are very
extensive and cover a ground which
is much broken up. They are so
dense that often you do not see
the enemy until you are within so or
even 80 PAGES of him, and quite fire.
quently we get so close to the blacks
that we can look into their eyes.
I'VE are greatly indebted to the
color of our uniforms. The French
are constantly at a disadvantage be-
cause of their red pants and blue
coats. The Alpine chasseurs are
fine fellows, and in German uniforms
they would make a good appearance.
In the French hotel porter uniform
nobody looks smart. The chasseurs
wear read or blue knee breaches,
ribbon puttees, long blue cutaways,
and a blue cap. Prisoners without
arms make an appearance of utter
neglect. There are prisoners taken
every day, because the ordinary
French soldier is only too ready to
throw away his arms, make hands
up and shout Pardon
ut is now one O'Clock in the aft
ernoon, and so far we have not been
disturbed. The dead are buried, and
now We are lying under the trees
enjoying a spell of quiet and the
peace of the forest. l have just fin
ished reading the newspapers to my
worthless, and most of them are TAX
ing a little noon nap. Everything
about us is peaceful. The forest is
fragrant with the smell of foliage
and pine needles, and the sky laughs
in a wonderful blue. 1t is hard to
believe that this is a seem on which
men are butchered-the scene of
what l saw yesterday. But the dull
thud and thunder of artillery in the
distance reminds me of this"
Two days later the letter is con-
tinued:
1--WE r out of our position.
Yesterday we began another advance
and attack on the enemy's positions.
We are still in the forest, and so far
as / can judge from the map there
are several kilometers of it yet, part
brush, part high growth.
This is dangerous territory for
us, because the alternating strips of
high trees and new wood make it
easy for our opponents to get the
best of us. The greatest caution is
nannccorv and ~ aIu,.no "a, r,ck
ter of taking one foot of ground aft
er another. We just advanced 200
meters and then down for cover.
Bullets began to chirp through the
air. But of the enemy nothing is
seen.
When the trees are big enough
fairly good cover is offered by them.
Directly the fire opens the battle
line halts and falls fiat to the
ground. every man waiting and look
ing for {. target. There is no shoot
ing done here with the German rifles
except n has somebody on a sight.
But often there is nothing to be
done but to advance again, and to
brighten the fellows with our 'hur-
rahs.' Along the lines travel stem
torian Fix bayonets,' then comes the
command March, and the line
springs to it's feet, plunges forward
and a nerve-raking 'hurrah' smash
es through the woods. The enemy's
fire begins a veritable hail of lead.
Some fall. but onward crashes he
German line.
"As soon as We reach the position
of the enemy his fire ceases, and all
take to flight. Our bullets follow
them and many a 'red-pant' lies on
the floor of the forest. But our bull
let's do not find a mark long-the
enemy has disappeared; we are after
him, only to meet another terrific
hail of lead. Again we fall to the
ground for cover, and this time I
felt a blow a bullet had struck
my cooking utensil. l owe my life
to the quick fall to the grOund-fOr