The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1915-03-26

stephen could see that, and he han
kered more than ever to take part il
the fighting. But he knew his desir,
was futile. Duty would send othe
men to the firing line; duty woul'
force him to mix dough while the.
battled.
At dawn the German guns opened
fire, grumbling like a tired sleepe
awakened too early; then for the frs
time in weeks of active campaigning
Stephen saw real battle begin. Thi
comnissary wagons were back of /;
| ridge hardly a half mile behind tn,
line of rifle pits. and from the top o
the hill he could see the whole battle
| field in the bend of the river.
The infantry swarmed into the
trenches, each man working diligently
with his bayonet to dig himself in
deeper. using planks. branches o.
trees. or any other material at hand tc
construct overhead coverings as a pro
lection from shrapnel A group Of
staff officers galloped the length Of the
lines, then the English batteries went
into action, firing at regular intervals
as they tried out the range.
The cannonading swelled to q
steady pulsing roar that answered the
throb Of German howitzers masked in
the hills beyond the river and soon
the black squirt of smoke from high
explosive shells mingled with the
white cotton balls of bursting shrap'
nell
All morning Stephen watched the
Germans attempting to force their
way across the river.
He paused in his work to see an
English battery knock pontoon
bridge to pieces, and marveled when
the Germans went doggedly to work
to rebuild 1t, while their guns conceu.
trated a deadly fire on the pieces
which had caused the damage.
From both sides he heard the throb-
bling Of cannon and the smashing rifle
volleys-like the sound of hail on a
glass skylight. For miles up and
down the river the battle was in prog
ress, and at every point the German
onslaught was equally determined.
The pontoon bridge was completed
again. and ghost-gray thousands
poured over 1t.
Cavalry battalions swan their
horses across the stream, and under
the shelter of the high banks the
kaiser's legions massed themselves
for an attack
They waited while their artillery
drenched the English position with
shrapnel, then surged out from under
cover In gray hordes, and with rip
like the tearing of tough cloth, the in
fantry cut loose, the racket swelled by
the wicked snarl of machine-gurs
which were spraying the advancing
lines with steel jacketed bullets.
Into the little village, now deserted
by its inhabitants. poured German
column; and as the English shells
pumped down among the houses. thin
plumes of smoke-which thickened
and grew blacker-appeared at a
dozen points. But the Germans did
not hesitate.
Through the burning town they
swept, while other coiamns advanced
on each side, and across the river the
living stream still flowed.
In the fields the solid masses spread
out fanwise and charged up the slope
toward the trenches. Now they were
at the foot of the hill, and Stephen
could no longer see the ones directly
II front of where he stood; but on
each side he had a good view of their
onward rush, little flashes Of light
glinting from bayonets fixed for the
charge.
Machine-guns and rifles took heavy
toll
The ground the Germans passed
over was carpeted with writhing or
motionless figures; but ever they
closed their ranks and went on. The
attack seemed rresistible-their num-
bers hardly diminished
Halfway up the hill the Germans
faltered as an enfilading battery
plowed red burrows through their
ranks but it was only for a moment;
then they pulled themselves together
and surged upward. It the edge of
the hill Stephen saw tie English clam
bering out of the trenches and heard
the final volleys that withered the
charging host and above the thudding
Of cannon and the splitting rattle of
rifles, the deep shout of the infantry
as they met steel with steel.
Back down the slope rolled the red
line of battle!
Stephen caught the imperative call
of bugles commanding the English 20
retire to the trenches and watched the
Germans reform and again storm for
ward to the attack, only to be flung
back. A third time they hurled them
selves upon the English, but this time
they were more quickly checked.
Another battery had been brought
into position and the gray forces broke
halfway up the hill-broke and re-
coiled in confusion.
A yell of victory arose; caps waved
from the British lines, then again the
men burrowed In the holes they had
dug as the storm Of shrapnel was re-
sumed.
Stephen swung his hat and cheered
too; but secretly he was af1ame with
revolt because he could not take an
active part in the fighting. A great,
possibly a decisive, battle was on,
and he was mere spectator.
He realized he should be mixing
dough, for the men in the trenches
would be hungry. They must be fed
so they could fight again.
But even as he turned back to take
up his work there came shout. Men
We're running about among tho