Evening journal., 1914-12-10

PrlnceS chief of stan and one OF
Germany's famous strategists. Cap
tain Wahl, of the general staff, who
speaks perfect English, was detailed
to accompany me.
II was a clear. bright, but cold
morning. We travelled by automo-
bile for 20 miles to where horses
awaited us near Cornay. AS we rode
away a French aeroplane appeared
high in thu sky a little to the south
Of us. German guns from unsuspec-
ted places opened a slow fire, but the
aerial scout made his escape.
We entered the Argonne by broad
avenue-like corduroy road. which the
Germans had cut and built through /
the woods. Heavy rains and the /
columns of wagong bringing supplies /
and ammunition to the frort had left |
an indescribable condition. Under /
the mud and water. the round sap |
lings forming the base of the road. |
were more slippery and treacherous (,
than ice. We were over an hour |
riding three miles. We passed a
column Of smoking "goulash can
nonf' as the field kitchens are call |
ed, filled with steaming coffee, soup
and stews Each was drawn by
three horses. The column was NOV
ing toward the front
The rifle fire deeper IN tie woods
became louder. From the left camc
! the laundering of guns around YER
dun, the bombardmont of which has
/ for some unknown reason been post |
poned.
Soon the occasional "zing-zing" Of
a stray bullet was noticed. We then |
/ dismounted. A dozen German sol |
diers were buried where we left our
horses. Major Witte and Major
| Menge. both pioneers" as the sap
pers are called in Germany, greeted
us and took us to General Won NJ,
/ commanding the division in this vi
cinity. The general came out of his
underground headquarters. Numerous
holes in the ground led to quite COM
Portable habitations. They resem-
bled the Nebraska dug-outs" of
pioneer days, but are far more sub
stantially built. being thoroughly
timbered to make them shell-splinter
proof Some had fre-places and
even rugs or pieces Of carpets for
floor coverings.
Moving forward we met a number
of wounded coming back. They said
a French trench had just been storm
ed and taken. Confirming their
statement. a single file Of 165 prison
ers, including a lieutenant, followed.
The trenches were half full Of
yellow. clayish water Captain Won
Prittwitz. Of the artillery, had joined
us and waded in. | followed. The
muddy water came to my knees. With
long stick sounded for expected
depths. but soon forgot about them
in keeping my head below the edge
of the trench. Before going a hum
dred yards / fell and was plastered
to my shoulders. Captain Won Pritt-
Wits battery was firing point blank
at the French $50 yards away.
He said they we're sometimes most
tenacious and very hard to get out"
Moving on. we met soldiers carrying
a dead comrade-a youth Of 19-in
, canvas slung from a pole.
Stuck his head above the trench
: and got a bullet through IT," was the
= laconic explanation.
AS we advanced a sharp lookout
i was kept for windy corners"-points
-, where the tLilets we're flying parti.
= = cularly thick over our heads shells
and shrapnel shrieked. The French
: were shelling the road by which We
: entered the woods. In the trenches
: rifles peered over the edge every few
= feet. They were thrust through a
! loophole in steel plates large enough
: to protect the head and shoulders
= Germans and French sharpshooters
! spend hours daily trying to bulls
eye" each other through the little
sight hole above the rifle barrel.
= There was a heavy roar just ahead
7 Major Witte said il was hand gren-
ade. These ugly looking missiles Of
death were plentiful in the German
: trenches. Many of them are hand
a made and around the explosives are
= wire nails bound by heavy wire.
Since the leaves have fallen, tree
. lighting has been impossible. Until a
:, few weeks ago. the French often
;, climbed into tree-tops and from
= there shot into the German trenches
g The French would tie themselves into
the trees. Several times the German
sharpshooters succeeded in picking
= them off. Held fast by the rope with
y which they were tied. their bodies
would hang suspended in the air
: was told that several such bodies
were swinging from trees Throughout
the fighting zone.
Among all these conditions-damp
cold, increasing chill at night an'
ceaseless fighting-the men In thu
trenches we're in excellent spirits
While the fighting has been desperate
at times. II has been carried on will
certain chivalry between the tw'
sides lying so close together TO
weeks Like the boy in school whit
raises his hand q Go out" the Ger
mans and French have agreed on
similar signal when a man wants L
leave the trench and he is not fire.
on. Recently a COW wandered be
tween the sputtering lines OF stee
iacketed bullets. A Bavarian seize
| his cooking pot, ran to the COW out
side the trench and hastily begai
milking. Heads appeared above IN
trench on the French side in ute
amazement and not a shot was fired
North of the Argonne forest, tn
} lines run through potato patches.
was told that the Germans an
French agreed that at certain time
a certain number from each sid
might dig potatoes and not be fire
on.
"Donnervetterl Where is my COT
\ fee?r shouced a German soldier /
the trench the other day. Twent
minutes later there came a hail /
perfect German from the Frenc
trench 80 yards away: Hey. Deui
scher. have you got your coffee ye