Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-08-30

the valley where the cavalry were ex-
changing shots. 1t was a broad land
. scape that nearly swallowed up. the few
men and horses. The ridge beyond with
big patches of woods and square clear
ings commanded the ridge he was on.
An agent went back to guide the batter
les into the position. to tell where the
combat train might be halted. where the
limbers were to be posted, and In which
direction the batteries were to fire.
The leading battery coming up turned
to the left in a field behind the crest and
defiladed against the crest Of the opposite
ridge The interval was extended SO
that the battery occupied the front OF a
battalion. The second and third batter
les turned to the right and went into
battery below and in rear of the crest TO
the right of the road. There was a rat
Ting of trace chains as the limbers trot-
ted to the cover of some timber along a
stream at the right rear and there was
a jangie of metal along the line of guns
as the caisson doors were opened and the
steel aprons dropped. The support mac
gone down the hill and was depioying III
the fields below.
The battalion commander sent word
to the commander of the left battery
to fire twelve rounds at three SECONDS,
interval and that his battery was q
"batterie d'amorce." Scouts from the
artillery sent out to locate, IL possible
batteries on the other ridge had not
returned The battalion commander
was saying loud and deltberately
through a megaphone, Aiming point
the red chimney of the white barn near
the grove of trees on the hill above
Bonneauville at the right rear; by pat
TALON from the right; detection, $500
diminish by A; angle of site, 300; cor
rector, 2s: range, 5000; left battery com
mence firing.
There was a clang of breech blocks
a dull roaring cough of guns and
above and apparently beyond the crest
of the other ridge cottonlike pals
of smoke showed suddenly ana iroH
smack of bursting shrapnel. From the
battery on the left arose blush, hlm!
haze and in front of the guns thir
dust rose. High above and at the real
of the battery shrapnel began TO riI
with a crash and smash more tearing
than the sound of gun fire. Shrapne
balls sprayed the rear of the guns ano
yellow dust sprung up from the dry
hard ground and the sun-witherec
grass.
glasses showed as smoke, marked out
the position of the enemy's guns
add 100, increase by 2. down 5, range
1900; commence firing" sang out tins
battalion commander. and then the line
of guns sent their message to the Other
ridge. A little rectification of the mr..
ing data and the next salvo passed
down the line. Then the guns volleyed
Shrapnel soon began to burst shor1
of the battalion, then beyond it, Their
beyond it but not so far behind, ther
in front of it, but not far in front OF
it 1t was drawing closer, but burst
ing too low, though the high explosive
bursting on Craze dug holes and threw
up shovelfuls of dirt. Then they be-
gan to burst higher and to the front
Shields rang as though hit with
sledges. There was thudding patteI
on the ground. Now and then a man
was hit But those guns roared on
Men performed their tasks automati-
cal1y, yet with enthusiasm. There was
no lost motion. The guns were work
ing. It seemed that they were gain
ing the superiority Of fire.
The infantry of the reserve was com
ing up, passing across that field back
there beyond the limbers and finally down
through a winding draw in the ridge
to the right of the guns. To pass this
road over and down the ridge was too
good a target. In the field below they
were spreading out in long thin lines
Out of the woods along the base of the
other ridge little men were pouring.
tiny 'specks on the landscape. The burs
/. of shrapneI over and before the guns
was slackening and the puffs of white
smoke were now bursting above ant
around the lines of men that were going
forward. The friendly guns fired faster
at the hostile guns. Gun squads were
thinned out, but casualties were replaced
and all the guns were still there. II
could not be SO on the other side. The
enemy's fire was weaker. The spitefu