Las Vegas optic., 1914-10-09

feet, plunges forward and nerve
raldng hurrah' smashes through the
woods. The enemy's fire begins a
veritable hail of lead. Some fall. but
onward crashes the 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 then many a 'Red-pant' lies
on the floor of the forest. But our
bullets do not find mark long-the
enemy has disappeared; we after him
only to meet another terrific hail OF
lead. Again we fall TO the ground for
cover, and this time | felt blow--a
bullet had struck my cooking utensil.
owe my life to the quick fall to the
grGund-for another second and l
would have never risen again. Anoth-
er bullet hits the ground just beside
me-but never mind that. Up and at
the nat the very hide of the fellows.
1--WE soon reach our goal-a trench
of a slight elevation to the left from
where a heavy fire has done much
damage in our line. Many of us are
down, and others crawl to the rear to
get their wounds attended to. Now,
| fire The crest of the trench becomes
cur target The rattle of musketry
from both sides becomes deafening.
One of us will have to give in. Fire,
fire! We have learned how to shoot
straight-the fire in the trench weak
ems: the trench itself is veiled now by
a cloud of dust raised by our bullets.
Advance, comes the command
again. We all are impelled forward by
the mad desire to get at them. One
hundred meters separates us from the
enemy Many sacrifices are demand
ed in the final charge Again the
enemys fire weakens-then it almost
ceases.
|
fellows must be driven out of the
trenches. Some of them already are
lleaving, but our bullets lay them low
as they run. Another halt-another
advance. Only fifty meters to the
ltrench--barbed wire entanglements
block our progress.
But the fellows in the trenches have
lost faith in themselves. They desert
their position in masses-running,
sciambling, stumbling, falling-some
in manner that shows they will nev-
er rise again. We forget to take cover.
Standing, we pour our fire into the
Igroups of fleeing men. Good COM
trades fall-cry for hefp-bid you fare
well with the last breath. Farewell
good friends, we must advance.
"Soon we have disposed of this en-
emy, who has laid so low many of
us. The barbed wire is hacked
through with our bayonets. We reach
1.-THE trench. It is filled with wryth-
ling. struggling bodies. We aimed we'll
In the ditch lies a Kaleidoscope mix
ture of bodies swathed in blue ard
lred-and pale ones from which glas
sy eyes look into the azure sky.
"But on with the pursuit. Some of
lus remain behind to disarm the
wounded so that they cannot fire in
our back. Many others sprawl, falling
on the soft forest floor.
"The height is taken, but the day
lis not yet done. Everywhere the
French have taken prisoners to stem
1.-THE tide of retreat. There is yet
many a bloody encounter. but we get
the enemy out of the forest, and once
they reach the open our waiting ar
lt:llery does the rest Our share of
the work is done, the gruesome forest
Ian1 its experience are ours.
"Most of us had lost their comrades
in the mad rush through the trees and
brushwood. Indescribable were the
scenes which followed when we found
one another still asfve.
so we take rest, and Vhile doing
this listen to the humming and whist
ling of our shells as they go over us
on their way TO a village in which