Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1914-10-24
BY G, w. WILLIAMS.

sentatives of American newspapers
was permitted to pass several days In
the zone of military activity" on Gre
dentials obtained at the personal re
quest of Ambassador Herrick. that we
might describe the destruction caused
by the Germans in unfortified towns.
Although | have given a pledge to say
nothing concerning the movement Of
the troops or of certain points visited
| am permitted now to send a report
of part of my experiences.
We crossed the entire battlefield of
the Marine. passed directly behind the
lines OF the battle on the Aisne, ac-
cidentally getting under fire for an
entire afternoon and lunching in a ho-
tel to the orchestra OF bursting shells,
one end Of the building being blown
away during the bOmbardment.
We witnessed a battle between an
armored French monOplane and
German battery, and also had the ex-
perience of being accused OF being
German spies by two men wearing the
English uniform. who. on failing to &C
NChiAN lOA AAitlt Wv II ttTIud0 accent,
were speedily taken away under guard
with their numbers up" as the French
commandant expressed what awaited
them.
Llkens Battle to Cyclone.
On account Of our exceptional Gre
| dentials we were able to see more
actual war than many correspond
ents, who, when they learned that
permits to get to the front were not
forthcoming, went anyway, usually
falling into the hands Of the military
authorities. Getting arrested has
been the chief business. Of the war
correspondents in this war. even our
accidental view Of the fighting being
sufficient to cause our speedy return
to Paris under parole
Going over the battlefield OF the
Marine, we found the battle had fol
lowed much the same tactics as a cy-
clone, in that in some places nothing.
not even the haystacks. had been dis
turbed, while in others everything,
the villages, roads and fields, had been
utterly devastated by shells.
We talked with the inhabitants Of
every village and always heard the |
same story-that during occupation |
the Germans had offered little trouble |
to the civilians and had confined their |
activities to footing and wasting the |
provisions; also that when retreating |
they had destroyed all the food they !
were unable to carry.
Fire Baptism in Church.
Our baptism Of fire appropriately
came while we were In a church. At
noon of the second day We motored
into a deserted village and were
stopped by a sentry, who acknowl-
edged our credentials, but warned us
If we intended to proceed to beware
sound to alarm u.s.
AS we drove carelessly over the
brow of a hill where the road dipped
down valley into the town we were
In direct line with the German fire,
as great holes in the ground and fall
en- trees testified
1t is a wonder our big motor car
was not an immediate mark. On the
way we noticed a church steeple shot
completely off so, after finding an inn.
where the proprietor came from the
cellar and offered to guard our car
and prepare luncheon, we decided first
to examine the church. The inn-keep-
er explained that We had come during
a lull in the bombardment, but the ST.
lent, deserted place lulled all sense of
danger.
Shell Hits Sanctuary.
The verger showed us over the
church and we were walking through !
heard sound like the shrill whistling
of the wind.
1T begins again." our conductor said
simply.
AS the speech ended we heard a
loud boom and the sound of falling
masonry as the shell struck the far
end of the building
We hurried to the hotel, the shells
overhead. We saw the build
Ings tumbling into ruins, glass fall
Ing like fine powder, and remnants of
furniture hanging grotesquely from
scraps Of masonry. {
All my life l had wondered what l
would be the sensation if / ever was
under fire-would l be afraid? To
my intense relief | suddenly became
'atal!stic. / was under fire with
vengeance, but instead of being afraid {
kept saying to myself: S
Being afraid won't help matters; {
besides, nothing will happen II we l
ust keep close to the walls and away v
rom the middle of the streets" t
Accusers Taken as Spies. I
On the way me wet two men In
English uniforms, who later de-
bounced us as spies. We hailed them
md they replied that they had been {
ut off from their regiment and were {
low fighting with the French. Just !
IS luncheon was announced eight sol /
Iiers filed into the hotel, arrested US
nd marched us before the command U
mt, who saw that our papers were t
IL right, but suggested that on ac- a
cunt of the dangerous position we s
cave as soon as possible. We asked
'ermission to finish our luncheon.
1t was lucky that we were arrested I
hen-before the accusation that we I
we're spies-for when that question p
rose there was no doubt in the mind h
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