The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-07-02
WAR? NO, IT'S ORGANIZED BUTCHERY,"
SAYS SOLDIER OF THE FOREIGN LEGION
"Sun' Correspondent De-
scribes Dread of Uneven
Chances at Front.
a THOUSAND NJ
O THAN HE'LL"


ON THE FRENCH FRoNT. NEAR RHEIMS,
June THE Italians OF our regimen
have left us. They departed an hour
ago to Join their countrynen IN Italy'
There were eight in our company. we
are wondering what nationality VIII
leave next. The Belgians should nave
gone when the English left us. " the
Dlrdanelles are forced the Russians are
likely to leave. and We are discussing
whether that will happen betore the
Americans leave.
one of our chief matters OF discus
sion is whether we shall leave to fight
under our " nag, and since the Lusi-
tania sinking we have often ictured
ourselves making our entry INFO tne
United states army. OF course we really
do not expect that II viii happen. but
as. we talk and talk of the possibility OF
fighting under the Star Spangled ban
ner. much a. We love the French army
our hearts beat high.
Last night we had quite q concert
here. as we ave the main requisite Tor
harmony In our excellent tenor. Capde-
yeilie. Ragtime, dances. finger swapping.
we had II all. The Frenchmen were de-
lighted. especially with Tine star
Spangled Banner" All nationalities IN
the regiment have their Joyous spirit,
but u is not always around as with the
Americans. Take the night we left
Observation-Disclosures During the hour
We awaited the signal to depart, sing
Ing and laughter were continuous In the
court yard where the Third Section
,ours) had guns stacked ready to start.
Hattie songs In Trenches.
could never have believed that
Americans were so rich In battle songs f;
even modern wal has not %outstepped the
Soldier with his battle cry" Our Cap
tain. although busy with the departure.
stopped TO listen for nearly half an hour.
We were going into battle cat least we
thought we were for sure) and We sang
b~ecause-well. I can't explain II. but
some inspiring reason. instinct or force
made us. But, alas II was not yet
for us to-day we seem 10 have settled
down again az the old waiting game.
Our Captain was changed when we
left C~raonclle, ours going to the First
Foreign Regiment. but his son remains
| with us: he Joined us two months ago,
enlisting under an assumed name. as he
is under age. our new acting Captain
IL a Lieutenant from the First Foreign
| Regiment. He is an Italian who en-
listed at the beginning OF the war as
a second class soldier. However, he
had been a Captain In the Italian army.
so soon got promotion. He Is a fine
looking, strapping. clean shaved fellow.
looking like an American. In fact he
has been in the States. East and West.
When he Inspected us on his arrival
he was very pleased to learn that there
! were Americans in the company. lie
| went down the line. asking each man
his nationality and was delighted TO
hear American" answered 80 often.
In our company there are Morlae.
Seeger. Zinn. Delpuech. DOVE Cspde-
veille. Soubiran. Casey. Trinkhard.
HaefYele. Percy. Scanlon and myself. In
the Second Company IL SerRt. Swecny.
Adjt. van TOAST is In Battalion e and
Sergt. Rouligny In Battalion -.
Rouligny. by the way. Is in hospital
again. He was ~reprimanding a soldier
when the latter picked up u club anu
! struck him on the head. However. l
rear that he is not badly hurt and will
! soon he out again.
Grenades D-RdIicr Than Rtdrs
our new acting Captain when chatting
! With some of the boys told them that
grenades were more useful in this war
than rifles. The grenade soldiers tre''i
| gr.nadiers) did terrible damage IN the
FRS, Regiments night. He intends 10
form "A grenade section In our COM
pany.
1T Is the weapon for this war he
said. and is replacing the rifle he
fore a battle the artillery shell the
enemy trenches for hours, and when
the damage Is almost complete the
order to advance is given, The grenade
| men go first and throw their bombs
! INTO the trenches and complete the con-
fusion. That's the only practical way
In this warfare" he wound up. So we
! are to become bomb Well. IT'S
all In a days work.
June s ton the firing line).-The
Third Section tours) has become tn"
First Section and now enters the line
| about a hundred yards to the right.
! which brings us much nearer to the
! enemy. In fact, We are right on the
| Ferms d'Alger. not a hundred yards
from the Boches. OF course We Ia |
read Of the terrific fighting at this
| farm. but now we have seen the place
We understand why It happened and
, why II was so terrible.
The country all round Is, az | have
said. very fiat. Standing OF the small
rise on which the fort IL situated
everything Is fiat to the south. east
and west. To the north there are some
very small rolling hills. 800 yards away,
and rising land Joins the fort to these
hillocks, with the Ferme d'Alger ON
.hIs rising land.
That Is, the farm was there now
there are only scattered bricks, a net
work OF dugouts ,trerches) and white
chalk thrown up everywhere. Scattered
here and there are big holes twenty-five
feet In length. depth and width. mine
! holes, two being much larger.
The fort is practically useless. NJ
inc show from its shattered earth
ralls. The Fsrne d'Alser, placed Il
rising ground which fe,l away from
tn east ard Sest and conu" ted Win
tue rising ground OF the for,, actually
commanded the for. and 1ur ne" 81
trenches, No wonder sixty machine gun
were placed here when the Germans
held the place,
We got two prisoners ,deserters) on
June 6. This Is what they had To
say: I'VE deserted because We are
forced to work all night Ion the
trenchesl. Oh. yes. we get plenty to
eat, Sausages. &c. hut very, re'v liz
IT, bread THIS Interested ~ i'm
mensely. or course. We do WORK on
trenches. hut only enough to keep n
trim Territoria!s do most % the work
Fl the French
As write b y. NJ the Germans
are shelling the petit post and trench Of
The Third Section. that Is, the place