The state herald., 1914-10-16
BY JOHN ASHTON.
speclal Correspondent Of the Chicago


front OF the left wing OF the allied
armies who are facing General Won
Kluck's army.
Farther to the east In line ex-
tending from Reims to near Verduh
the French are holding their ground
against fierce onslaught of the Ger
mans under the prince OF Wrrtem-
burg.
will recount what l have wit
messed during the last few days
Leaving Meaux, we made our way
through Varennes and Lizy, the scene
of fierce fighting during the battie 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 severai
eserted villages through which we
passed
Find Wrecked German Plane.
efore arriving at Leerte Milon we
came across German neroplane
which had been brought down by the
British. The English flying squad
cir not only as scouts but in attacking
hostile air craft. II is reported tha'
| no less than seventeen German AVA
| tors have fallen victims to the Eng
| lish flying 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 we're marked Field Post
| field or military postD. A little iar-
ther 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 al
villers Cotterets. Before we had time
to get out OF our auto heard cry:
Wolfe les Allemands!" there come
the Germans,) and, indeed. 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 a few officers among the
bunch. Their expressionn was sour
and sullen, but considering their prf-
vations, they looked At enough phys
icalIy.
| These were men that had got iost
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 q Chateau.
We passed the night In an old chat
eau. The town was full OF troops,
and the hotels packed with officers.
30 we were very lucky to get under
cover at ali. A few days previously
the Germans had occupied the town,
the stan having made their headquar-
tiers at this same chateau. The cham
ber maid left In charge OF the house
| 1.-THE owner and his wife having nedl
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 IL
brnry, In a separate building. one OF
the finest private libraries ! have ever
seen. containing several thousand vol
umes. A very elegant secretaire In
the library had been forced up. the
contents ransacked. and the top
wrenched on and thrown on the floor
! had nothing to cover me with. and
AZ 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
OF Soissons, We came upon the Thir-
teentb regiment Of French artillery.
at but Ave miles from the latter town.
We could hardly believe we were 50
close TO the nring line. but there they
were. twelve guns known ms the Sew
enty.nve), pounding away across the
valley to where The Germans we're in.
trenchcd
We stopped our auto at respect.
able distance and approached the bat
tertes on foot. The ammunition wag'
ons and extra horses and men were
all drawn MP silent and motionleas
behind a hedge u short distance from
the guns There was no danger then.
NJ the Germans were replying only to
other French batteries lower down the
valley.
Very soon tha men not busy AT the
guns began to surround us. begging
tobacco and cigarettes. II IN an aN-
ful thing for these poor soldiers to be
deprived Of the comforting weed I
saw grea, deal OF this later on the
| field and Mt hospltalH