New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-10
Fear Marched with Germans
Retreating from the Marine
Victory in Our Hands When Order to Fall Back
Came" Wrote Soldier-Enemy Always Seemed
To Be Pressing Near with Death.

one of the tributaries Of the Marine, and
no. far from Champaubert and the
marshes of Sant-Girond. He says:
For three days and nights the battle
RACED. the earth trembled under the
feet Of the horses. the great guns
doomed necessarily and the soil drank
avidlv the red blood. Victory seemed
in our hands. when the order came TO
retreat Nearly all our munitions,
shells and grenades we're gone and the
precious blood had been spilled in vail.
"The retreat Already We. had the
enemy in our hands, ,he needed mum
tions would come, and yet the retreat
was ordered. EXcellency, behind you
there is nothing TO be gained. And vet
YOU give up just on the point OF achleV-
ing all. n,
"Our great masses had carried all
before them. We were on the point o.
taking Paris, when suddenly all was
changed. In the fading light OF even
;np one saw an army from which VIC
tory had been torn. The nlCht came
with all its horrors. and we were
ordered 10 cover the retreat We
camped under the heights of Montmort
I To-day still that name resounds IN
M ears. Montmort The word evoHes
a outrid odor. II makes me think OF
( the tomb and the winding sheets OF the
dead Since that night have seen
many things, but the name OF MONT
mort | will never forget.
The sun. red A. blood, decline / IN tne
heavens, and before US, never ceaslng,
monotonously. passed IN the shadows tho
+ crowd of men and wagons. Then AL
{ became silent. Al some far point n
the blackness ! heard the shoe OF
! horse strike stone in the road. lhe
commands OF the officers came Ike
whispers or the breeze. The thin light
( Of the moon shone on deserted ROADS.
and we remained alone in face OF tie
enemy.
/ with our arms in our hands we
camped in the night, and my officer
murmured low IN my ear: NOW you
T understand, do you not, that we are
LOST
Patrols came and went very near us.
Tn enemy must be there, and more
than one among us whispered in The
agony of his heart: Now thy last hour
/ has come.
Eyes, that Is what we all thought
/ And nevertheless our fingers rested
I re edy on the triggers of our rifles. while
the Comrade Death seized us with his
cold and bony hand
Our orders were 20 stay, and we
must remain there until the morning
/ broke IN the east. The battlefield OF
the Marine was not far distant, but or
/ brothers were safe. We must remain.
our arms in our hands. From time 70
time the tiny noise of :. far-away rife
hot came 10 US. The rain fell with
out sound, our tired limbs shook with
cold. each minute seemed an eternity,
and our thoughts travelled far, over the
mountains and the valleys, regardle 50
Of time and space. and lost themselves
in sweet dreams.
"At last the morning broke, the
/ cocks crowed, and there was no sign OF
the enemy. One dared after little 10
/ whisper TO himself: Perhaps our last
/ hour has not come.
THE guard was relieved, the order
aas given, Shoulder arms and witt.
on loss Of time we took the road, AMI
Montmort was lost in tn mists OF the
morning.
"Since then have seen many things
but the name of MontDort ! VIII never
forget"