The Madisonian. (Richmond, Ky.) 1913-1914, 1914-09-22
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 FIeId-Traglc and Hor-
rible 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 letter |
from wounded Frenchman to an Eng |
lish friend here:
Il am in the field hospital now, with |
a nice little hole in my left shoulder, |
through which bullet of one of the
war lords military subjects has
passed. My shoulder feels much as if
some playful joker had touched it with
lighted cigar. Tomorrow l 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.
"Badinage apart, those nurses have
a fearful time. l 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 it is not
merely our physical sufferings which
they mitigate God bless them!
Army on March Impressive.
Our army marched along 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 We're busy, as if 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 huge serpent, covering the
road over distance of many miles. 1t
was a great view. quite, quite differ
ent from review, and have never
seen anything SO impressive. For this
was not a mere show, as 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
Importance to the result of the battle
and future movements and designs.
And one felt that these masses of
Ioto 20 do 6o;,-
most. This was not dull, low-spirited
army, going to the front to fight be-
cause they were ordered to, but be-
I 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
b bright and lively and happy and brave
;, governed by powerful desire to win
:, and gifted with an almost superhuman
). power of determination. There was
: such splendid enthusiasm.
d Coming Up to the Battle.
IS dispatch riders are galloping past
We are ordered to accelerate oul
h march; the division commanders joir
c their chief; various orders are passed
Il and instead of keeping to the highway
r part of our army has to cross the
q field in diagonal direction. Since
{ some time the rafting of volleys i:
IS audible Then at distance, which
il seems not so far off, heavy detona
IS ton of gun is heard. 1t takes some
of time before another gunshot is fired
Ii but then the detonations are heard a
- oh HI
ID direction of the hills in front of us
is We are met by more dispatch riders
d. and now we hurry across the field anC
is up the slopes of the hills.
lie Arrived on the crest we drop our
n selves, and there, right in front of US
of on the opposite hills, and making TO
r, the plain between them, are the enem.
lie engaged in fight with division 0
s. the allied troops, 1 can distinctly SCI
n. the German artillerymen movini
es about the guns on the hilltops and tn
&c slopes. l see a mighty fash from on
s. of the guns, the heavy report is re
e. echoed by the surrounding hills.
at 1T is strange, but in the face Q
re death and destruction catch mysel
trying to make out where the shell ha
=. fallen, as if were an. interested spec
q. tator at rife competition.
or German Fire Too High.
ne ''volley after yolley we sent in tn
s- direction of the enemy. We Anne
I'd quickly and well. while all the Germa
ia shells and bullets passed over GU
id heads, For the Germans may be, an
nd are, out superiors in executing parad
steps, but they are Internally ba
of shots. In the meantime our heav
es 4 guns we're preparing for action, an
in our quick-frers began to share in tn
,d- general conversation. AS more troop
were ascending the hills to re-enforc
US. we made for the plain. A rain {
- Establish Desirable Trait.
- 1t is no particular hardship or dra'
: back to the development of dairy CO,
to have them milk 10 or 16 months
:. fh ot,- f3rof r,oY-fod of Iacfatfon In far