The Madison journal., 1915-07-17

One day | got lost in a 'boyau. or
communicating trench. and came
near not being here. l had been sent
back to the third line to bring food,
and the first thing knew | found my
self In the open country. Immediate
ly shells began to burst about me-
Now, when i was first drilled, | was
instructed that the important thing
about screening oneself was to be
able to take advantage of any acci-
dental shelter afforded by a rock 1t
seems incredible but stone six times
as big as ones fist will absolutely hide
your body IL you lie behind it, and at
300 meters an observer cannot detect
you. threw myself fat and began to
cast about for a stone that large. 1t
was remarkable how few rocks were
on the surface at that point. Finally
i discovered one and dragged myself
behind it.
Safe Behind Stone.
Il cannot tell you how long I lay
there, but when discovered / was
still alive began to drag myself away
by the elbows, and finally found my
self in a trench again. My comrades
did not recognize me. Exhaustion and
rheumatism, the latter acquired
through lying there wallowing my way
back in the mud. invalided me back to
the depot for a fortnight's rest.
Then they gave me. job as dis
tributor Of munitions. food. clothing
and other things meant for the men in
the front line. These things were un-
loaded at certain distance back. In
that capacity l went to the Argonne,
and was at the battle of Vauquois, at
the end of February. / had come to
know Collignon very well. l know
that Collignon was repeatedly offered
a commission, but he wanted to carry
the colors of the regiment. He was
a splendid figure. with his white beard.
and the rosette of the Legion of Hon.
or on his breast He could not wear
the military shoes and most of the
time he went barefooted. Later he
wore sandals. 1t was at Vauquois that
he was killed. Our men had sought
shelter in the cellars of ruined houses
in the village. In heavy rain of bull
lets from machine guns. Collignon
rushed out from such a shelter to res
cue a comrade who had fallen wound
ed. A shell burst near him and killed
him.
HE was buried at the front. and it
was not until after my reformation
or honorable discharge. that the me-
mortal service took place at Fontaine-
bleau. had composed my March
Funebre' between trips from the depot
to the front trenches.
ut was at Vauquois that happened
an incident that l suppose stands
alone in this war. the charge Of regi-
mental band at the head of troops.
Nowadays the bands are usually kept
at the rear. But critical moment
came. Our men had three times at
tackled the Germans. and thrice had
been repulsed. The colonel felt that
time for supreme effort had arrived.
He summoned the leader of the band.
Put your men at the head of the
regiment, strike up the "Marseillaise."
and lead them to victory he COM
manded.
"The bandmaster saluted. He called
his musicians and told them what was
expected. Then the forty Of them took
their positions. Our line was reformed.
The bandmaster waved his baton.
"'Allons, enfants de la Patrie!'
rang out. and the men took up the
song. France was calling upon them
to do or die. The band started out on
the double-quick. as If on rapid parade.
The Germans must have rubbed their
eyes. No musician carried a weapon.
But they were carrying the 'Marseil-
laise' against the foe. Then came the
continuous rattle Of the machine guns.
The band marched on. their RANKS
thinning at every step. The leader
went down. The cornetists followed
him. The drummers and their instru-
rnents collapsed in the same volley.
In less than five minutes every man Of
the forty was lying upon the ground.
killed or wounded. that is, with one
exception. That was a trombone
player.
Instrument Shot Away.
His whole instrument was shot
away except the mouthpiece and the
slide. to which his fingers were
fastened. He did not know it. He
still blew. and worked the slide. 1t
was only a ghostly 'Marseillaise' he
was playing. but the spirits Of his
dead comrades played with him. and
with that fragment Of a trombone he
lee the way to victory. The trench