Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-05-17

La Marscilaisc." and I will answer
for victory
"A hundred years and more have
passed since then. but tho tune has not
gone stale. and the words have not lost
their magic. Again and again in thc
orders OF the day, one reads that the
company went into action singing La
Marsctllaisc." Lieutenant X. was still
singing when. after carrying the
cncmy's position, he was shot in the
throat; or The Chasscurs Alpin
climbed the ridge 10 the song of La
Marseillaisc" and achieved their pur-
poso in spite of heavy losses
In the ArSonne.
"a French infantryman has written
n letter describing a recent action in
tho Argonnc, where his regiment held
village heavily attacked by the
enemy. There was street fighting OF
the fcrcest kind. and hand to- hand
combats in the houses and even in the
cellars. Blood, he writes. ran in the
The French soldiers were being hard
pressed and reserves came with their
regiments In the nick of time.
Suddenly The Marseillaise" rang
out. while the bugles Of the three regi-
ments sounded the charge. From
where we stood by the fire OF burn
ing houses we could SEQ the action
L
see anything more fantastic than those
thousands OF red legs charging in close
ranks. The gray legs began TO trem-
BILE they do not love the bayonet) and
The Marseillaisc' continued with the
bugles. while our guns vomited with
out a pause. Our infantry had closed
with the enemy. Not shot now, but
cold steel. Suddenly the charge
ceased its bugle notes. They sounded
instead the call to the flag EAU dra-
peau"' Our flag was captured! In
stinctively we ceased fire. thunder
struck. Then very loud aid strong
The Marseillaisc" rang out above tho
bugles. calling EAU drapeau" (To the
hagD again and again. We saw the
awful melee. the struggle TO the death
with that song above all the shouting
and the shrieks. You who
imagine you know La Marseillaise"
because you have heard it played at
prize distributions must acknowledge
your error. In order to know it you
must nave heard 1T. a 8 I have tried to
tell you, when blood is flowing and the
flag of France is in danger
TO the soldier IL is an intolerable
thought that he should hear the hymn
or victory sung at prize distribu-
non or in music hall scented with
the perfume of women. But even in
music hall in Paris or in n third-r tie
cabaret in a provincial town, the song
may be heard with all it's magic.
hcard 1t few nights ago in such a
place, not sung by Nine. Marthe Chenal.
VINO Is the vogue in Paris but by
another with less voice and genius.
Tho song was greater than the singer.
French 'poilus' were in the hall, Grip
pied or convalescent, after their day
OF battle, and with their women around
them they stood at attention while the
national hymn was sung They knew
the meaning of it and the women
knew Some Of them became quite
pale, while other faces flushed. Their
eyes were grave, but with a queer fire
IN them as the verses rang out.
lt seemed to me as stood there in this
hall. filled with stale smoke and
women's scent. that smelled blood and
gunpowder and heard through tho mu-
sic OF tho Marseillaise' the shouts of
hoarse voices charging with the bayo-
net, the screams of wounded, and then
the murmur of battle field when
dawn comes lighting the tattered flags
or France. The song Is haunted by the
ghost voices of those who sang IL In
revolution and in fights for liberty
1t is that which gives it It's magic and
us queer, uncanny thrill"