Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1916-11-01

I
great battle. AT one point soldiers in
shirt sleeves were digging graves IN an
improyised cemetery along the forest
path. The cemetery was very large
and had been given a name, "sfaison
ForreStiere," or Forest Home. Every
grave had wooden cross above it with
the name and regiment of the dead sol
der.
The shells kept whizzing and burst
Ing as the party moved along, and 1t
got to be a pleasant pastime to note
the long s-z-z-z as the shells few over
head. One of them struck few hun
dred feet away. throwing up trees,
earth and clouds of smoke.
To those who wanted souvenirs there
were big fragments of shrapnel lying
at every turn. 1t was pleasant at first
to pick them up, but after three or four
of these heavy chunks of steel were
carried half a mile the task was aban-
doned
The ingenuity of some of the trench
quarters along the way is shown in
the use of empty glass bottles for win
dows. One officer pointed with pride
TO the very artistic effect he had Sc
cured with these empty wine bottles.
A triple row extended all across the
front of his log shack, giving light
within and having rather a cathedral
window effect without. The bottles
are of white glass. used fOr bottling
the white wine of Bordeaux.
Lives Outside City.
The headquarters of General Nj
velle, in command of the operations at
Ferdun, are quite a way outside the
city, at a little crOssroad hamlet,
which cannot be named for military
reasons. The generals offices are in
the town courthouse, a twO-story stone
structure. 1t was in this same build
ing that General Petain, who preceded
Nivelle, and General de Castelnau
quickly made the plans at the first on
rush of the Germans, which held them
until re-eGfOrcements could be brought
up.
General Nivelle goes to Verdun and
along the trench front frequently. Eut
most of his time is at headquarters,
in telegraph and telephone communi-
cation with the whole circle of de-
lenses. and in touch, too. with the
other army corps and masses of sup
plies ready to be moved forward to fill
any gap the Germans may make
AS we were at General Nivelle's
headquarters party of German pris-
oners came by. They marched two
and two, their gray uniforms and round
caps contrasting with the French blue
and casque. Already they were be-
ing set to work, and instead Of a gun
each German carried spade over his
shoulder. At Verdun there is no CT
william life whatever, but around Gem
eral Nivelle's headquarters there were
peasant women and girls mingling with
the poilus. Indicating civilian life still
existed thus near to the bombarded
town.
The roads back of Verdun present
the most varied scenes of activity. On
one side is a vast aeroplane camp, with
some twcIty enormous hangers of bas-
ket steel construction covered with
canvas. Across the road is a riding
course running for miles, where officers
can exercise their mounts and cavalry
can push forward In emergency with
out blocking the hlghrOad. Every now
and then one sees a big vehicle shoot
by bearing the sign American Am
bulance Corps
Mules in Good Shape.
The thousands of horses and mules
along the road are in good condition.
Many of the horses came from Amer
lea and were run down by sea voyage,
but after a months feeding they
proved very sergieeable. On seeing
the mules one of the officers said:
'The rehabilitation of the Greek
army hud one very important result for
the allies-it released 10000 mules
which the Greeks had been using, and
now these mules are proving inyalua-
bic to the allies"
While the fields back Of verdun are
rich with yellow grain, yet there Is
one melancholy evidence of the war in
the burning Of manure, usually the
very life blood Of the soil. The grain
can be gathered by the soldiers and the
women who remain, but there is no
time to distribute the manure over the
land. and so 1t is burned.
The last glimpse of verdun came as
the party passed detachment of
French soldiers just out of the trenches
and going to the rear for rest. They
were tired and heavily laden, but hap
py and cheerful as they swung along
In irregular ranks, laughing aud smok-
ing as though they came from some
agreeable occupation. They were all
fine looking young fellows, and they
typihed that calm and invincible spirit
which the young French soldiers are
putting into their service.