Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-10-17
When the Beast Rises.

Hand-to-hand conflict hasn't gone out
1t never will go out. There was the in
cident of the Chateau Mondemont, one
of the most beautiful of the old Nor
man keeps. Some recent owner had
Widened its narrow windows to give
light to the banqueting hall. Then he
put iron bars across them to keep ma
RAIDERS out Ten times that chateau
was taken and retaken by the French
and Germans. No sooner did an at
lacking force win it than the artillery
was turned on. The old place became a
shambles. The men striving for it be-
came mere snarling. gasping. foaming
beasts. The iron bars across the win
doWs were Knocked out by shells.
In the last ASA ult," said the man
who told me the story, both French
and Germans came to handgrips. They
nad no time to load and fire their rifles.
Some of them picked up those huge iron
bars and literally beat out each others
brains with them. The bodies we saw
later were covered with the most amaz-
ing and frightful wounds
one recalls the stories of the paladins
OF the middle ages in hearing the story
OF one sergeant of French zouaves. He
found himself alone, by some miracle,
IN rose garden. Around it were high
walls: Although in the very center of
the fire sweep the garden had been
spared by one of those fantastic hap
penlngs that are common in war He
stood there stunned by the silence and
inc .ne color and the perfume. Upon
bench sat an old woman, her white
hair lace covered. She was praying
Suddenly through the open gate of
the garden rode uhlan. No word was
spoken by either man. The old woman
lifted her head from her prayer The
uhlan couched his lance and made at
the zouave at rushing gallop Twice
the zouave avoided the pointed steel
The third time he swung his heavy
sword bayonet. sword fashion, in a
choppIng blow. and hamstrung the
horse. 1t fell. and before the uh!an
could gather himself from the ground
bling
AS he went out through the open gate
ne looked back. The old woman was
on her knees at prayer. Her gray face
was upturned.
1t was only a little time ago that we
We're told that the chief uses of cav
airy had passed. They were to be mill
Yea IN future wars only as scouts
and wire entanglements and wclI-timed
shrapnel had made the o!d-tin,e ring
ing charge an impossibility. And vet
40 you remember the stories of the bat
tie of ST. Quentin:
When Scots Rode to Death,
The Black Watch were there bu.-
ging the ground. being cut to pieces
by the fire Of Germans. They could net
retreat. The distance was too great
for Il charge. They We're dying by the
dozen. Suddenly behind them they
heard the muffled roll of MANY hoofs
and loud cheering. The Scots Gravs
were coming up in open order The
Black Watch knew what that mean,
The Grays had swirled a HIGHLAND
regiment through French ranks at Wa
terloo. the infantrymen holding to the
stirrup feathers.
And so the brave old-time maneuver
was repeated. As the Grays s.alloned
through the Black Watch :, footma n
attached himself to each stirrun
leather of each horse Stecl-shod rife
in each free hand. sword waving
over them, they were pulled into action
by the frantic horses Not many of
the Scots Grays are left today. That
gallant regiment is little more than !. |
memory. But in its history the CHI, rp-e |
of St Quentin will never be forgotten. |
1.-The weight of the galloping horses
broke through the German ranks" said
wounded officer. The men fell upon
them with a great shout"
There have been many fights for
resimental standards. They are valued
by governments because they put heart
into the people, and the men take them
in the spirit in which an Indian would
take scalp.
In the great battle on the. Marine a !
French regiment was assa lied by a |
weight of Germans. They came to close |
quarters at once. 1t was rifle butt and |
bayonet. Twenty times the man who
held the regimental standard was |
stamped into the wet earth, and TWEEN |
ty times another man seized the staff |
before it fell and waved it high 1t |
meant death to him-defenseless death !
for he could not lift weapon and |
still hold the flag. The twenty first
man still carries it. So deep in blood
was the ground around him that his
colonel slipped to his knees as he made
his way over to shout promise OF
ribbon "for valor.
Choking a Man to Death.