The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1914-10-13
came on. One, two, three and in some
places four and five successive skirm.

came on. One, two, three and in some
places four and five successive skirm-
ish lines, separated by intervals of
from twenty to fifty yards, swept for
ward. Some of them came into range
OF the German trench fire almost at
once. These lines began to wilt and
thin out. Others were able to make a
considerable advance under cover.
The smoke of the burning village gave
a grateful protection to several regi-
ments. But on they came, all along
the line, protected and unprotected
alike, rushing with yell, pausing,
firing and advancing again.
From the outset of the advance, the
German artillery, ignoring for the mo-
ment the Russian artillery action, be-
gan Smelling the onrushing mass with
wonderfully timed shrapnel, which
burst low above the advancing lines
and tore sickening gaps.
But the Russian line never stopped.
For the third time in two days they
came tearing on, with no indication
of having been affected by the terri
BILE consequences of two previous
charges. AS a spectacle, the whole
thing was maddening. I found my
heart humping like a hammer, and
with no weapon more formidable than
a pair Of binoculars I was mentally
fighting as hard as the men with the
guns. For the first time l sensed the
intoxication of battle and learned the
secret of the smiles on the faces of
the battlefields' dead.
Rush Into Range.
On came the Slav swarm-into the
range of the German trenches, with
wild yells and never waver. Russian
battle flags-the first | had seen-ap-
peared in the front Of the charging
ranks. The advance line thinned and
the second line moved up. Nearer
and nearer they swept toward the
German positions. And then came a
new sight! A few seconds later came
new sound. First | saw a sudden,
almost grotesque, melting Of the adj
vancing line. 1t was different from
anything that had taken place before.
The men literally went down like
dominoes in a row.. Those who kept
their feet were hurled back as though
by terrible gust of wind. Almost in
the second that l pondered, puzzled,
the staccato rattle of machine guns
reached us. My ear answered the
query of my eye
For the first time the advancing
lines hesitated apparently bewiIdered.
Mounted officers dashed along the
line urging the men forward. Horses
fell with the men. | saw a dozen
riderless horses dashing madly
| through the lines, adding new terror
Another horse was obviously running
away with his officer-rider. The
crucial period for the section OF the
charge on which | had riveted my at
tention probably lasted less than a
minute. To my throbbing brain. it
seemed an hour. Then, with the with
ering fire raking them even as they
faltered the lines broke. Panic en-
sued. 1t was every man for himself
The entire Russian charge turned and
went tearing back to cover and the
shelter of the Russian trenches
swept the entire line of the Rus
sian advance with my glasses-as far
as was visible from our position. The
| whole advance OFF the enemy was in
| retreat, making for it's intrenched po-
sitions.
After the assault had failed and the
battle had resumed it's normal trend,
l swept the field with my glasses. The
! dead were everywhere. They were
| -