American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1916-11-30
UNDER THE IRON WALLS
WALLS OF VERDUM

Out OF the months of fighting at the
great French fortress-town has come
a series of notes from an officer who
was in the battles that shook the
world early in the present year. 1t
was during the days of assault after
assault from the Crown Prince, when
b forts were expected to fall any
day, and all Germany believed that it
would be at the most a matter of a
few weeks until France should be aid
ropen to the heart. And this expect
tation was not altogether u%nfounded.
since on the 26th of February, the reg
iment defending the Height of Haudro-
mont had been practically annihilated,
and the gap was open to Verdun it
self. Moreover, on the same day, the
German forces reached the ruins of
Fort Douaumont.
An officer who saw all these criti-
cal events at first hand details his
impressions in The Atlantic Monthly
with a vividness and reportorial
faithfulness which are extraordinary
even in these days, when the war has
produced so many gripping, human
documents. 1t is as if we stood on
the height overlooking the Verdum
valley. He begins his story at a time
when none Of his regiment knew of
Verdum's danger, or knew why they
had suddenly been transferred there.
He says: -
Since early in the morning the guns
had been laundering with vigor. For
what purpose, exactly, were these
random volleys multiplied, making
above, our heads an uninterrupted
rumb4e? Curtain fire? Fire OF de-
struGtion? Fire against infantry2 We
never knew, and, moreover, We did
not try to find out. At any rate, this
soon. their shells were coming thick
and fast. We would hear the warning
whistle, slow at first, then rapidly in
creasing in speed, and while the
whistle was still above our heads we
would see suddenly on the plain OPP
!, posite a flame, then a great black
: cloud; then. a long time afterward
there would reach us a tremendous
conclusion. We would see, also, the
German shells pillow up the crest; ad-
avnce, retreat, strike to- the right, to
the left, but never reach the place
where We knew our "seventy-fives"
were. And always these guns of ours,
barking like angry dogs, replied to
the long-drawn-out believing of the
enemy's guns.
We spent the day counting and siz-
ing up the shots, and if it had not been
for several shells which lost their way
and landed in our ranks we would
have been rather diverted by the
spectacle.
Evening came. What were we to
do? A serious question soon solved.
We were to lie down in the open to
guard the passage of a ravine leading
. OF the Aeuse.
y This %precaution was significant, but
We understood nothing. Except for
a section which was to mount guard.
We pitched our tents and went to sleep
in perfect tranquility.
But at nine o'clock, he tells us. they
were awakened and received the or
der to start. He describes the way as
SlOOng anu I iIihdDlts thiou6h a
valley, across fields, turning and
twisting through ravines. Sometimes
they fall into shot-holes. sometimes
stumble over the bodies of men or
horses. All about them falls a shower
of German shells. for the cannon are
very near. The shells seem to be
hunting for them. The officer con
tinues painting in this vivid and hor-
rible picture:
A s~earch-light sweeps the night.
Grant that its rays may not fall upon
us. Never have | lived through Il
night so sinister.
At last we arrive at Tbiaumont
farm.
The march continues, grimly, slow
ly. We have not stopped yet, and it
is two O'Clock in the morning. We
enter a ravine with steep, woode
sides. Here we must go one by one,
in Indian file, along an %improvised
path. What fatigue. We must as
cend. descend; hurry, so as not 20
lose file; we must push back the
branches which lash our faces. The
darkness is complete. Our eyes are
tired after three nights without sleep,
and with trying in vain to see. They
perceive vague outlines and at once
construct from them the most fan
tastic objects.
Every instant rockets shoot up,
throwing suddenly a light like that OF
the moon, which vanishes as quickly
making the night blacker than ever.
Without interruption the cannon
boom from every point of the horizon
Where are we and what are those
strange. indefinite patches which
see there at the edge of the path? l
oIeu my eyes wide; | make an effort
to see; l approach. 1t seems to be a
man stretched out there. A SILVER
of horror runs through my whole body.
And that patch over there? Wait a
minutes lit moves. 1t is a wounded
man lying on a litter. covered with a
--. -. .-Othar