The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1915-01-22


showed that advance either by Ger
mans or ourselves was at this point
practically impossible. The contested
space between the lines was morass
of mud into which any man attempting
to cross would instantly sink.
Germans Knew Positions.
Scouts and sharpshooters on either
side instantly fired upon any indica-
ton of human life. It was impossible
for a man to raise his hand above the
trenches without quick bullet COM
ing. The Germans evidently knew
the position of every British dugout
and they had rifles so fixed as to cover
them exactly, enabling the trigger to
be pulled without taking aim.
Captain Newton's death was bitterly
regretted by all, he having won great
personal popularity. Two accounts are
given how his death happened. Several
say Capt. Newton, eager to find some
way Of reaching the German lines,
penetrated into the abandoned
French trenches fronting our position
without informing all our men of his
purpose. Our lookout hearing the
noise of man moving opened fire,
the German replied and Captain New
ton was caught in the cross fire. The
other account is that Capt. Newton
exposed himself on parapet and was
caught by German bullet in the
stomach; another bullet caught Color
Sergeant Bradley on the nose, slicing
the point Of his nose off.
Drew German Fire.
The machine gun section suspecting
German approach in darkness opened
! fire and drew heavy German she'll
fire, one shell dropping so close that
the machine section were momentarily
smothered by the earth thrown up
through the force Of the explosion. The
movements of the men Of the supply
train who crept along through the
trenches with food and ammunition in
stantly caused the enemy's fire to re.
double. The German shell fire was
more notable for noise than for ef-
fectiveness.
| The Princess Pats are too old SOL
diers to be disturbed by she'll explo-
sions. They settled philosophically
into the trenches and tried to make
themselves as snug as they could. The
bitter cold and constant rain were
their chief trials. Here and there old
soldiers took their Maconochie tin and
using bacon fat tried to make q little
fire without smoke.
War AS 1t Really Is.
These long hours at the front show.
ed war as it really is, terribly repell.
ing, testing every ounce of a mans
nerve and physical strength to the
full. The soldiers would have vel.
coined charge into the German
ranks, a deadly hand to hand conflict
as a relief from the monotony, but
such charge was impossible.
German snipers constantly caused
irritation. One sniper in particula,
crept up into such position as en-.
abled him to enfilade our trench
Major Pelly, Captain Fitzgerald and
ten men formed scouting party and
tracked him down. Incidentally our
own snipers did splendid work.
Drinking water caused some trouble
The Belgian trench water possesses a
brackish quality owing to the land
being reclaimed from the sea, which is
very upsetting, even to Belgians. The
large number Of corpses that have
lain around have further affected the
quality Of the drinking water and this
sent several men sick with stomach
trouble.
Terrible Exposure.
The Patricias suffered less than
most regiments from frozen and swol.
len feet but there were some cases
Every man felt the strain of standing
48 hours in deep mud.
Ottawa Awaits News.
Ottawa, Jan. 21.-Though it is re-
ported fairly Enthusiastically that the
Princess Patricia's Canadian Light In
fantry have received their baptism of
fire on the blood stained fields in the
region Of Bethune, and have borne
themselves calamity, no official INTEL
ligence of the engagement has yet
been received here, nor has she whose
name the regiment bears been inform
ed, excepting in the cabled dispatch re-
ports, that the colors worked by her
own royal hands have waved in the
smoke Of battle. In fact, government
house has as yet received no notifica-
ton whatever in connection with the
reported engagement, despite the fact
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