Norwich bulletin., 1915-02-24
Stories of the War
Letters of Count Vladimir.

Letters of Count Vladimir.
 Count Vladimir de la. Fite de Pelle- 1 port, aged 59 years and one of the oldest volunteers in the French army, died a EIeilbTOun, WurttembuTs, Au- gust 27th. from wounds received in fighting at Sarrebourg, August 18th. His family has just made public some of the letters written after his incor- poration in the army.
 The 1st of August the bells of the little village of Chidde in the depart ment of Nievre, sounded the tocsin, and the Count hurried to the village from his chateau to learn the cause. Returning shortly afterwaTd he met the people from the Chateau. Tt Is war; he said. All of you return home: am going to see the mayor"
 With a certificate from the mayor. he went to Autun, the following day and energeticalIy resisting the ob- jections of the recruiting officers and the examining surgeon. enlisted as a private soldier. The following are ex- tracts from his letters to his wife:
 Autun, Aug. 4.-'My heart is feavz- because of you, but in all sincerity I think I have done right because my example, I see, is doing good At the at table next to the CoioneIs s I was feted so that I was ashamed I was nearly moved Such moments are worth q great deal.@
 Autun. Aug. 5.-"My company was designated to 20 and take possession of the regimental flag - Passing through the streets I WAS the object Of many manifestations that em- oarlassed me not a little Just as we were setting out q tall devil of a civilian threw himself into my arms before 1 could dodge him, embraced me efrusively and then pointed me out to the crowd. Along the entire route the enthusiasm was delirious but often so personal that I scarcely knew what to dO.'
 Saturday, Aug. S-Everyone feels hound to look after me. The captain made me give up my knapsack during a. hard march in the hot sun. They cali me the daddy Of the regiment .''
 Monday Aug. 10.--"We marched all night and arrived near Dornptail had been expected, but they had al- ready retired, followed by some of our shells, burning all the villages and crops as they passed"
 Thursday. Aug. 13.-"T met General Maud huy who commands the 18th division. He had had the drunmers beat to arms in order to read the pro- clamatton of the King of Belgium. He said to the Colonel before me Colonel Immediately after the first combat you will name Pelleport soldier of the 1st class Then turning to me he added, It Is the lowest grade and the best. Yes, the Colonel put in and it's the only one to which he a-spires."
 RicheYaI Aug. 16.-"AI1'ondissemen de Salrebourg, former Alsace-Lor- raine, again French since o'clock yes terday afternoon. At that hour we crossed the frontier and pulled the German sign posts from French soil The battle has commenced. We ar rived at Doesvres near noon and were at once engaged with ardetaChment of the enemy posted in a wood across a deep river. My left-hand comrade, Bourdeau, best nlarksnen of the regi- ment, was the first to fall stone dead with a. bullet through the heart. l jumped to my feet crying inVolun- tar!ly: Onward. It is a miracle that l escaped from that hail of bullets We lost so men but the Germans Wero Put to route. We marched across the l field of the mornings battle; it was | horrible to contemplate. Dead Ger
 mans, dead horses lying everywhere, with helmets and all the debris of war Our losses were heavy
 Aspach, near Sarrebourg.-'I am ashamed of all the marks of respect shown me. Now they call me the old | daddy which veXes me q little. We are within 12 miles of Sarrebourg. I | don't understand the Germans. I ex- 1 pect to see Chlans everywhere; we see l only a few, of whom we have killed three. They seem really terrified: but
 then We do charge them with the bay
 onet as if we were enraged whenever 1 we have the opportunity, which is not | often. What a horror war is, It's | when the fire ceases that one realizes" " 1 August 25-"I was wounded in the l thigh on the 20th at the battle of l Sarrebourg, thigh broken in two 1 places. ! was picked up by the Ger 1 mans who treat me well. I conduct 1 ed myself like 8 Pelleport, my dear,
 and l embrace you and all the dear 1 ones fondly. Am feeling .well.''
 : SaaraltoTf, Aug. 25.-''I wrote you l this morning that I was wounded l Thursday I think, the second day of 1 the battle of Sarreboufg. Our com pany the Sth, with the Eth, was or dered to replace the 3rd battalion | which, crushed by the enemy's artil- | lerT, had been obliged to retreat We 1 slipped very silently up to the very l edge Of the Saar, in spite of the en- l eInys Drojectiles. and there we wit 1 messed tho most internal fire it is pos
 sIole to imagine from o'clock in the morning until noon. Then the cap
 tain ordered fixed bayonets' for a. | charge I fell at once"
 ] body of Count PellepoTt, was forward 1 ed to the Countess by charitable ! minded German. What the letter does not state is that Count Petleport by | his heroism led his company acn to the
 attack and that after the battle he l was named soldier of the first class
 Christmas Eve.
 How reservist Louis Nfallier of the
 30th Battalion of French ChasAeurs