The state herald., 1914-10-09
WRECKAGE- -STREWN BATTLEF|ELDS
LOOK AS IF SWEPT BY CYCLONE

When the meal was over the propri-
etor called us to witness what had
happened to the far wing of the ho-
tel. 1t was demolished.
Alert" had just been sounded and
the soldiers were running through the
streets. We ran out in time 10 see
building fall half block away, CON-
pletely filling the street by which We
entered the town an hour earlier.
In a few minutes we heard the sharp
crackle of infantry about half mile
away and had sudden desire to get
away before khe automobile retreat
was cut of. Just then we heard the
sound of an aero engine overhead. 1t
was flying SO low that through
glass we could easily see the whir-
ring propeller
Germans Fire at Aviator.
The machine was mounted with
rapid-fre gun, which was trying to To-
cate the German gunners, who i'm
mediately abandoned the destruction
of the town in an attempt to bring 1t
down.
For ten minutes We saw shells
bursting all about 1t. At times 1t was
lost In smoke, but when the smoke
cleared away there was the mono
plane still blazing away. always
mounting to a higher level and finally
disappearing toward the French
lines
There was another lull in the can
nonade and we were permitted to
pass down the street near river,
where. by peering around building
I'VE could see where the German bat
teries were secreted in the hills. We
were warned not to get into the street
which led to the bridge, as the Ger
mans raked that street with their
fire il person appeared. We then
took advantage OF a lull in the fir-
ing and departed to the south at 70
miles an hour, to beat the shells II
any were aimed our way as We
crossed the rise in the hill.
Shells Strike 100 Years Apart.
We passed the night at village
where considerable execution had
been done by German shells. We saw
one curious effect OF them. In .
historic building near the city hall
there was q shell imbedded in tho
wall with a plate fixed beneath It
showing it struck there In the year
1914. Just next to It was an unex-
ploded shell OF 100 years after stick
ing In the wall.
We again struck out toward the
battle line, but when we were with
in sound OF the firing the authorities
decided we had seen enough Of war
and detained us for two days ~
guests OF regimental stan, which
was quartered In a courtyard. There
we were privileged to see how the
French soldiers lived and became such
hardened fighters as they were prov
ing themselves to be. We ate with
them and slept with them In the straw
until orders came to send US to Paris.
As we were leaving our cowyard the
authorities grabbed another group Of
correspondents. four in number. head
ed by Richard Harding Davis. They
were ordered to accompany US to
Paris instead OF passing several days
In the straw sampling hardtack and
army fare.
Tells Of Horrors Of War.
London.-The Standard correspond
ent, r. st. Beaman. writing from .
town In France. says:
The fearful horrors OF war can
never be grasped by seeing the care
fully tended wounded who come back
to England and hearing their tales.
however gruesome. while there 10
scarcely day In any OF the French
towns near the armies that does not
bring with It some live terror from
the front. One example will suffics
TO point out this truth. Four days
ago the hospital corps and voiun-
teers were notified that convoy was
expected. Towards midnight II ar
rived. bringing French and German
wounded. The latter were abandoned
by tho Germans In Senlis when they
retreated after setting hre to the
town.
We had had many trains OF wound
ed before. aud MI necessary arrange
ments were made as usual. but when
this convoy arrived even the most
hardened had TO summon all fortitudo
TO tho task OF cmptying the carriages.
When man had broken log or
arm or bullet through his lungs the
skilled ambulance stan soon had him
comfortably backed. but hero were
human vcstiges no mnngled that II
was difficult to iind n place TO touch
them without causing screams and
moans An insuifcrable charnai house
stencil pcrvadca the whole night air.
Laid Out Four Days.
Most OF the wounded had lain for
-four days und nights where they had
fallen before being picked up. and
had not yet had their wounds exam.
incd. much less dressed. Under tho
burning sun and myriad OF nioB and
under later rains they had been loft
A.. .nN.. ,h.. satgp,. 81 Natn bupuaf