The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1916-03-10
MISSISSIPPI MAN
TELLS WAR STORY
WRITES OF THE fiAND-TO-HAND
FIGHTING SOMEWHERE
IN FRANCE"

Meridian, March 10.-R. r. Martin,
machinist at the Northeastern shops,
has received a letter from Achillc
Graft. formerly a machinist IN the
same shops, but who joined the
French army and went to the front. In
the letter, Mr.. Graft says;
"A couple of days after | received
your last letter, they asked for volun-
teers in my regiment to fill out the
gap in the first regiment of Zouaves,
which you no doubt know is Frances
elite regiment, and as such was very
much shot to hell. Well, | was ac-
cepted. and left at once for their base
in the south of France, where | was
fixed up at once and was sent TO the
front.
"The first place | landed was in
Belgium. south of Dixmude, where we
occupied the trenches only few days,
and from there we came down to Ar
ras for the big stunt on the 9th of
Nav. 1t was my regiment which led
off at the charge, and believe me, we
had some time. We advanced over
two miles in less than an hour. | came
out of the fray o. X although we had
some pretty heavy losses, and went
back to rest until the 18th of June,
when we attacked again at the same
place but the Germans had reinforced
| their lines here and we fought for four
days and nights to advance a mile. 1t
| came down to d hand-to-hand fight
several times. and how | ever came
out of it alive | can't tell you.
| Buried BY Shell.
! ct was only after the fighting was
| over that | was wounded On my
wav back a shell fell about ten feet
away and buried me completely Hap
ply. | was not struck by any of the
pieces. and came out of it with two
broken ribs and few heavy bruises.
was sent to the rear and placed in
a hospital and from there to the
southern part of Francs cor my cor
valescence.
81 came back at my regiments base
just in time to help fill out a detach-
ment which was leaving for the front
again. and arrived there in time to
take part in the big offensive We
pulled off in Champagne on the 18th
day of September. You talk about q
bombardment, we handed it to the
Dutchmen. The racket nearly drove
me crazy, so you can imagine in what
condition they were after standing for
a seventy-two hours bombardment
from 5000 cannon. We jumped out of
our trenches at $50 in the morning
and we reached their trenches in a
few seconds, for they were only wen
ty-hve meters away. We found no one
at the third We began to stand heavy
fire, and it came to a hand-to-hand I'M
til we reach Il their fifth line of
trenches; that's where was wounded.
Decorated for Bravery.
Il got bullet in the ankle which
Enabled me TO walk, and before thnv
had time to pick me up the German,
got help, overwhelmed us and caused
our troops to FALL back for a few min
utes AS one of the Germans passed
by me he let go at me with his bayo-
net. as | was on the ground. and got
me in the hip. Happily it glanced of
the hip bone and did not cause much
of wound Just then our troops got
: hold of themselves and began to drive
the Germans back on the run. Be
Iieve me, l was glad to see our troops
uniforms again, as | thought | was a
goner. or at least a prisoner, but
was picked up and carried to thu rear,
where | was well cared for
Il was named corporal and got the
Cross of War for bravery. / came
out of the hospital the latter part OF
January and was accorded two
months leave of absence to recup-
crate and am spending them here
valitvie-with some friends until the
time comes for me to go again.