The Keota news., 1915-07-02
IN THICK OF FIGHT
Fierce ExaItation Of Battle Told
by Frenchman.
Corporal Describes :he Hoarse Shouts,
the Rasp Of Steel on Steel. the
Appeals for Mercy In Street
Fighting.

PAI10.-"N0 more axCltemonts IN
astonishing calm nils US a. we open
fire upon the Germans who have taken
cover In the houses In the outskirts
Of the village" writes Charles Tar
dieu In Q recent installment Of his
Impressions of Corporal" published
in the Figaro.
From windows, embrasures. from
tho cover Of doorways they blaze away
at us. Forty bodies are strewn across
the interval between US; few wound
Cd men are sorambling and wriggling
In tho mud. Little by little we re-
gain our breath.
AT the top Of the village street de-
bouches . company of German infan-
Try. A hellish flre welcomes them.
but still they come on. sowing their
dead BY nles. Faster and faster we
pump our breech bolts. Their 6rst
ranks crumple. they tramp over them:
the next rank falls, still they come
On. At last their chief, . huge devil
of IN on,cer. who 10 waving them on.
goes down. A new volley drops seven
or eight more men. This time they
stop. hesitate . second, then turn and
run.
'Charge!' roars the captain. Give
them the steel!' We rush In, our two
buglers. their neck veins swelling,
playing ~ the heazt-stirring notes Of
the charge. A heroic intoxication
swells through u and We run like be-
inss possessed into the narrow streets.
through the humming bullets.
Into houses. through gardens, past
open doorways the skirmishers throw
themselves. to come out with dripping
bayonets. No more shots-death
shrieks. groans. hoarse shouts, piteous
cries for mercy are mingled with the
crash Of falling furniture, the slam.
ming Of doors. the nasty rasp Of steel
on steel. And over 1t all the strident
notes Of thescharge!
From each house a. It ID silenced
pour our men. some Of them wounded,
Hatess. coatless. without their packs:
one man has discarded his blouse and
10 working with his sleeves rolled up.
Trampling on the corpses that
strew the way. leaping over obstruc.
tons. we make our way up the street.
when a machine gun section appears
In front Of us. But before they have
time to unlimber We are upon them.
An instant Of hard work with butt
and steel and its crew 10 down be.
side their overturned piece. We pass
On.
Into the cross street We turn. A
few bodies are lying there: one house
10 burning briskly. Spiked helmets
bob over the walls as their wearers
retreat through the gardens. A scat.
tered hre 10 heard on all sides. At
the end Of the street, behind a bar.
r1cade Of overturned wagons and wine
barrels. some Of the Germans who still
hold out open up on us. Charge bay.
onetP
We rush on. when q shuttered win.
dow bursts open and the head of
Lugagne. the bugler of the Third. pops
out, blowing q frantic charge. Our
comrades. making the frontal attack,
have won their way through.
sweeping everything before them.
our comrades Join US, shouting with
the Joy Of battle as they scale the
barricade. BY groups. rallied at hax.
ard. we search the houses. All who
show tight are finished: those who sur.
render are rapidly hurried to the rear.
Al last there are no living forms but
those clad IN French uniforms and we
arrive at the other end Of the village.
which 10 now completely cleaned out.
Our officers. in the dusk. rally their
men. bringing order out Of the confu.
&Qp. Soma thraa hnndraA nni.nnan.