Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1914-10-21
BATTLE OF SCISSORS AS SEEN
BY WRITER ON FIRING Line
BY JOHN ASHTON.
Special Correspondent Of the Chicago



Tribune.
Paris--I have just returned to
Paris to rest up Cay or two and get
a few necessaries after a week at the
front OF the left wing OF the allied
armies who are facing General Won
Kluck's army.
Farther to the east in a line ex-
tending from Reims to near Verdun
the French are holding their ground
against a fierce onslaught OF the Ger
mans under the prince Of Wurtem-
burg.
will recount what have wit
messed during the last few days:
Leaving Meaux, We made our way
through Varennes and Lily, the scene
of fierce fighting during the battle OF
the Marne, some details Of which l
gave in my first letter. All the dead
have now been inferred and the
wounded removed from the several
deserted villages through which we
passed.
Find Wrecked German Plane.
Before arriving at Leerte Milon we
came across a German aeroplane
which had been brought down By the
British. The English flying squad
have been doing grand work IN the
air not only as scouts but in attacking
hostile air craft. 1t is reported that
no less than seventeen German ayia-
tors have fallen victims TO the Eng
lish flying men.
On approaching Villers-Cotterets, In
the middle of the forest OF that name
we came across several military auto
mobiles, lying by the side of the route,
which the Germans had abandoned IN
their hurried fight to the north TWO
Of these we're marked FIELD Post
(field or military post. A little far
Their on we encountered six large Ger
man motor trucks which had evil
IDENTIFY been destroyed by the Ger
mans; everything was burnt up ex-
cept the iron work. These wagons
had been left in the road to delay
pursuit, but the French had over
turned them into the ditch on each
side of the road.
Meet German Prisoners.
II was dark when we arrived at
Villers-C otterets. Before we had time
TO get out of our auto heard cry:
Wolfe les Allemands!" (here come
tha Germansl) and, indeed, a moving
gray loass soon came into sight, sur
rounded by a cavalry escort. There
we're about 100 of them, prisoners,
marching In the cold rain. Many of
them wore Red Cross arm bands, and
/ noticed a few officers among the
bunch. Their expressionn was sour
and sullen, but considering their pri-
vations. they looked fit enough phys
ically.
These were men that had got lost
in the forest and failed to catch up
with their columns. Many prisoners
are taken in similar way on both
sides Sometimes they come strag-
Cling in half starved to death.
Pass Night In g Chateau.
We passed the night in an old chat
eau. The town was full Of troops,
and the hotels packed with officers.
so we we're very lucky to get under
cover at all. A few days previously
the Germans had occupied the town.
the stan having made their headquar-
tiers at this same chateau. The cham
Der maid left in charge OF the house
(the owner and his wife having fed
told us that the Germans had taken
away some valuable Gobelin tapes
tries; the smaller tapestries had been
left. They had also taken away some
silver plate, but had left behind many
pieces of considerable value.
We slept on the floor in the H.
brary, in a separate building. one OF
the finest private libraries have ever
seen, containing several thousand vol
umes A very elegant secretaire in
the library had been forced up, the
contents ransacked, aud the top
wrenched off and thrown on the floor.
had nothing to cover me with, and
as it was cold l slept very little.
We could hear the guns booming
the greater part OF the night
Approach the Firing Line.
Starting out early in the direction
Of Scissors, we came upon the Thir-
teenth regiment of French artillery,
at but five miles from the latter town.
We could hardly believe we were so
close 70 the firing line, but there they
were, twelve guns known as the Sew
enty,hvel, pounding away across the
valley to where the Germans were in
tTsnched.
We stopped our auto at respect
able distance and approached the bat
teries on foot. The ammunition wag-
ons and extra horses and men were
all drawn up silent and motionless
behind a hedge short distance from
the guns. There was no danger then.
as the Germans were replying only to
other French batteries lower down the
valley
Very soon the men not busy at the
guns began to surround us. begging
tobacco and cigarettes 1t is an aw-
full thing for these poor soldiers to be
deprived Of the comforting weed.
saw great deal Of this later. on the
field and at hospitals.
We had intended to go directly into
scissors by the main road. but the
French officers dssuaded u.s. saying
that the Germans would certainly
shell our autos. So we went by an
other route. 10 go by Vauxb lin. a
village lying IN the bottom Of the val