The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-10-11

American Against
rcesofth Gar


Forces Of the Gar.
in the line OF advance which had not
been occupied by German machine
guns during the night So Tar 1 nao
been witnessing a battle Of obviously
tremendous magnitude, had not seen
the enemy From our position slightly
in the rear OF the German flank It was
comparatively easy to trace our own
lines through the glasses but the gen
eral line or Russians was hard to de-
termine, being indicated only by oc-
casional gun flashes. With the start
OF the Russian attempt on the Ger
man center, however, the entire scene
changed.
Yesterday, for the first time since
the start of the battle on Sunday, the
Russians attempted to carry the Ger
man position by storm All Sunday
and Monday the opposing artillery had
been hammering away at the opposing
trenches. The craftsmanship OF the
Russian artillery had been bad. was
told that a Russian aeroplane mao
mace a reconnaissance OF the Ger
man position shortly after dawn yes
terday. 1 saw no machines in Tight.
Twice, under cover of their field ar
tillery, the Russian infantry advanced
In force yesterday. Twice they were
forced back to their defensive posi-
lions. Now they were to try again.
The preliminaries were well under
way without my approaching their
Significance until one of my officer
escorts explained. At number Of
points along their line observable to
us, but screened from the observation
Of the German trenches In the center,
the Russian infantry came tumbling
out and rushing forward took up adj
yanced positions awaiting the lorna
ton of new and irregular battle lines.
Dozens Of light rapid firers were
dragged along by hand. Other troops
the reserves took up seml-ad-
yanced positions. All the while the
Russian shrapnel was raining over the
German trenches.
Sweeping Forward.
Every move Of the enemy was oo-
viously being communicated to the
German center The German reserve
column moved in closer. The rifle fire
from the German trenches practically
ceased. German officers moved along
in the open besides the trenches, en-
couraging and steadying their own
men and praising them Finally came
the Russian order to advance. Al
the word. hundreds OF Yards OF the
Russian fighting line leaped forward
deployed in open order and came on.
One, two, three and in some places
four and five successive skirmish
lines, separated by intervals OF from
twenty to fifty yards. swept forward.
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 con-
siderable 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 forward with yell, pausing.
firing and advancing again.
From the outset Of the advance the
German artillery, ignoring, for the
moment, the Russian artillery action.
began Smelling the on-rushing 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 hay
ing been affected by the terrible re-
suits of two previous charges. As
spectacle, the whole thing was mad
dening. l found my heart humping
like a hammer, and. with no WEAPON
more formidable than pair OF b1noc-
ulars, I was mentally fighting as haro
as the men with the guns.
For the first time sensed the In
toxication of battle and learned the
smile on the oattlefield's dead.
On came the Slav swarm into the
range of German trenches with wild
wells and never waver. Russian pat
tie f,ags-the first I had seen ap'
reared in the front of the charging
ranks The advance line thinned and
the second line moved up. Nearer
and nearer they swept toward tne
German positions. And then came
new sight A few seconds later same
a new sound First / saw SUDDEN
almost grotesque, melting OF the al
vancing line. 1t was different from
ANYTHING that had taken place before
The men literally went down hAe
domfnoes in a row. Those who KEEP
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