The Princeton union., 1914-09-17
THOUGHTS OF A
SOLDIER in ACTION
Showing the Complications Of
the Human Mind.
FIRST SENSATIONS IN BATTLE

Described as Akin to Fever Attack, but
That Feeling Soon Passes-"l Aim at
Living Targets, Shoot and Watch Ef-
feet Of My Bullet Like Spectator at
a Rifle Competition"
II am in the field hospital now with
a nice little hole in my left shoulder.
My shoulder feels much as if some
playful joker had touched it with a
lighted cigar"
Thus writes a wounded French SOL
dier in a remarkably interesting letter
to friend in London. Describing the
fight in which he was wounded, the
Frenchman says:
"Since some time the rattling Of vol
leys is audible. Then at a distance
heavy detonation Of a gun is heard
Arrived at the crest, we drop ourselves,
and there right in front of us, on the
opposite hills and making for the plain
between, are the enemy engaged in a
fight with a division of the allied troops
II can distinctly see the German ar
tillerymen moving about the guns on
the hilltops and slopes. l see a mighty
flash from one of the guns; the heavy
report is re-echoed by the surrounding
hills. It is strange, but in the face Of
death and destruction I catch myself
trying to make out where the shell hNs
fallen, as if I am an interested specta-
tor at rifle competition. I am not the
only one. l see many curious faces
around me bearing expressions full of,
interest, just as if the owners of the
respective faces formed the audience
at highly entertaining theatrical per-
Torrance without having anything to
do with the play itself.
Fun While Bullets Fly.
1.-The human mind is a curious and
complicated thing. Now that we were
shooting at the enemy and often after
ward in the midst of fierce battle I
heard some remark made or some fun
ny expression used, which proved that
the speakers thoughts were far from
realizing the terrible facts around him.
1t has nothing to do with heartlessness
or anything like that. l don't know
what it is. Perhaps l shall have an
opportunity to philosophize on it later.
"Volley after volley was sent in the
direction of the enemy. A rain of hos
tile bullets passed over our heads. In
>stinctively we stopped, although when
one hears the bullet it has passed al
iS o1,
comes over us the first time we are met
with hail Of bullets. We suddenly
feel as if attacked by fever. but this
feeling soon leaves us.
1.-THE earth was shaken by the inccs-
SAINT cannonading, and the air was torn
by continuous rattling rifle fire. A CON-
rade on my right stumbled, dropped
forward without uttering a sound, kill
ed by a shot in the breast A man in
front of me threw his arms up, fell.
struggled to his feet and fell again.
Shot Man to Put Him Out of Agony.
"A shell exploded near US, followed
by terrible cry. Five Of us were ly-
ing dead in little square. One man
had both legs blown away and was
still alive, conscious and imploring us
to kill him. An officer ran past, STOP
ped, and after short look at the man,
shot him through the heart Ca vaux
mieux,' he said, 'pauvre diable.'
"The officer opened his mouth to Ut
ter a command and at the same mo-
ment got bullet in the mouth. He
turned around twice and fell heavily
on the dixie close by me.
AT a good distance behind us Red
Cross soldiers and Red Cross friars car
rying the Red Cross flag, were stoop-
ing over the wounded and removing
them to an ambulance van. A shell ex-
ploded over their heads, and only a
couple of the Red Cross men We're left.
''More hostile troops have been ad-
vancing. We are retreating. Notwith-
standing the appalling scenes around
me, feel perfectly calm now. Terri
bic though it may seem. confess that
without moments trouble I aim at
my living targets, shoot and watch the
effect of my bullet