The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1916-10-16

the regiment, was at once to move TO
Serrells wood. otherwise point Fl 637
Martins Instructions took him TO
Lieutenant Mcclure Of his troop. The
order went il written form no further
than Mcclure It read
Lieutenant McClure-Strong hostile par.
ties. probably all infantry. were reported
to be very active in the general vicinity
Of Wythe this morning The FayviIIe-
Wythe road was free OF the enemy at
the last report an hour ago. Your squad
ron will assemble this evening at Fay
Vile. Your troop will be relieved of its
present duties and win go with the
squadron. In the meantime you will take
two noncommissioned officers and eight
men of your troop and patrol toward
Wythe, starting as soon as you can get
ready. desire accurate information Of
the strength and movements Of the enemy
that has appeared around Wythe Send
reports TO me here. Return when you
have cleared up the situation.
Mart Ware learned joyfully that he
was to be one of the patrol The
preparations only added to his eager
ness and impotence to start on real
scouting service-such preparations as
picking out the best mounts in the
troop for the men who were TO go, the
substituting of suitable animals for
those of more conspicuous color, the
refusing of horse because it was
known to neigh when it was alone, the
tightening and resetting OF shoes
AS darkness fell the patrol rode
from the American lines, one corporal
and one private 200 yards ahead of the
main body, two privates 100 yards be-
| hind.
The patrol surprised a small detach-
ment of the regents troops. and in the
skirmish Mart shot one of the enemy
and sabered another Lieutenant Nc
Clure and Mart, scouting ahead, dis
covered 1000 of the enemy's soldiers
and sixty guns marching west. The
lieutenant ordered Mart to return to
the general in command and report
these facts. Owing to his inexperience
however, Mart disobeyed orders and
told the general-what he really believ-
ed himself-that 10000 men and 800
| guns were moving west.
This misinformation led the general
to believe that the true attack would
/ be aimed at his line well to the west
/ Of Monroe's farm.
"Order at once the Third Indiana
/ brigade and the Fourth and Fifth ILL
nois to move" He instructed an aid,
1.-THE artillery activity and attack OPP
posite Serrell's woods must be only a
| feint''
This decision, based upon Mart's ex-
aggerated report. was fatal one. The
enemy attacked Serrelps woods In
force. His artillery fire was far SUI
perior, and before the steady rush of
his veterans the inexperienced Ameri-
can soldiers, after suffering severe
losses, turned and fed. Among the Of
icers who vainly endeavored to rally
their men against overwhelming odds
was Lieutenant Jim Ashby.
The army was beaten; the whole line
had collapsed. It was not local roui
before Serrell's hill; for miles along
the front the American brigades were
beaten back, regiments annihilated OF
cut to companies and those scattered
to squads. which were slaughteret
where they stood or had scatteret
again and scurried, fugitives, from TIL
field. They scrambled between trees
over bowliers. and across fields: then
herded by the hills into road, the.
ran wild eyed shameless. pushing
and pulling each other, yelling, ant
gasping for breath while shrapnel
which played over the road, lashet
them on and slaughtered more o
them.
Battalions of fresh regiment
which had not yet been In the fighting
were trying to advance up this road