The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1914-10-22
BY JOHN ASHTON.
Special Correspondent Of the Chicago
Tribune

=
few necessaries after a week at the
front of the left wing of the allied
armies who are facing General Won
Kluck's army.
Farther to the east in a line ex-
tending from Reims to near Verdun
the French are holding their ground
against fierce onslaught of the Ger
mans under the prince of Wurtemr
burg.
will recount what l have wit I
messed during the last few days:
Leaving Meaux, we made our way |
through Varennes and Lily, the scene |
of fierce fighting during the battle OF |
the Marne, some details of which |
gave in my first letter. All the dead |
have now been inferred and the |
wounded removed from the several
| deserted villages through which we
passed.
Find Wrecked German Plane.
Before arriving at Leerte Milon we
came across a German aeroplane
which had been brought down by the
British. The English flying squad
have been doing grand work in the
air not only as scouts but in attacking
hostile air craft II Is reported that
no less than seventeen German ayia-
tors have fallen victims to the Eng
fish hying men.
On approaching villers-Cotterets, In
the middle of the forest of that name,
we came across several military auto
mobiles, lying by the side OF the route,
which the Germans had abandoned In
their hurried flight to the north. Two
OF these were marked Field Post
ttield or military posO. A little Tar
Their on we encountered six large Ger
man motor trucks which had evil
IDENTIFY been destroyed by the Ger
mans; everything was burnt up ex'
cept the iron work. These wagons
had been left in the road to delay
pursuit, but the French had over
turned them into the ditch on each
side of the road.
Meet German Prisoners.
II was dark when we arrived at
Villers- Cotterets. Before we had time
to get out OF our auto heard cry;
Wolfe les Allemands!" (here come
the Germans!l and. indeed. a moving
gray mass soon came into sight. sur
rounded by cavalry escort There
were about 100 OF them, prisoners,
marching in the cold rain. Many OF
them wore Red Cross arm bands, and
noticed few officers among the
bunch. Their expressionn was sour
and sullen. but considering their pri-
vations, they looked NJ enough phys
lcally.
These we're men that had got lost |
In the forest and failed TO catch up |
with their columns. Many prisoners |
are taken In similar way on both |
sides Sometimes they come strag. |
Cling in half starved TO death,
Pass Night In n Chateau.
We passed the nigls In an old chat |
eau. The town was full OF troops, |
and the hotels packed with officers. |
80 We were very lucky to get under
cover at all. few days previously |
the Germans had occupied the town. |
the stan having made their headquar-
ters at this same chateau. The cham.
Der maid left in CHARGE OF the house
told us that the Germans had taken
away some valuable Gobelin tapes.
tries; the smaller tapestries had been
left. They had also taken away some
silver plate, but had left behind many |
pieces OF considerable value.
We slept on the floor in the II,
brary. In a separate building. one OF
The finest private libraries ! have ever
Ieen, containing several thousand vol.
umes A very elegant secretaire In
the library had been forced up, the
contents ransacked, and the top
erenched of aud thrown on The floor
I bad nothing TO cover me with. and
as II was cold slept very little.
We could hear the guns booming
the greater part Of the night
Approach the Firing Line.
Starting out early In the direction
o. scissors. we came upon the Thir.
lesnth regiment Of French artillery.
at but flve-miles from the latter town
We could hardly believe we were so
close 10 the firing line. but there they
we're, twelve guns known as the Sew
suty-nYel. pounding away across the
valley TO where the Germans were Ia.
trenohed
We stopped our auto ut respect
able distance and approached the bat
tertes on foot. The ammunition sag.
ons and extra horses aud men were
all drawn up silent and motioniess
behind a hedge shor, distance from
/ he guns There WAS no danger then.
as the Germans were replying only TO
other French batteries lower down the
Falley
Very soon the men not busy al tho
runs began 10 surround Us. begging
tobacco and cigarettes. II IL an aw.
| ful thing for these poor soldiers TO be
deprived OF the comforting weed
| cav a great deal Of this later, on the
/ ield and Rt hospitals
We had intended TO go directly into
/ SCISSORS by the main road. but the
/ French officers disEuaded ~, saying
| hat the Germans would certainly
shell our Autos soswe went by an.
other route 70 20 by vsuHbnin. a
village lying IN the bottom 81 the val
ey. two and one-hAt miles from
E Scissors
Under German Shell Fire