Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1917-05-03

further away: Immediately more reports nearer at
hand. and instantly it is followed by II crash and
tear Of sound. The first impression Is that the
town Is being blown up in a bombnrdment. Few
have ever heard anything like it. The soldiers look
at each other.
ut Is the attack beginning they say. Later
they get their orders.
In a smaller town nearer the trenches. where
there is even more artillery, the noise is still great
er. BY the sound there seems to be n gun to
every few square feet, one thinks when thinking Is
possible. The scream Of the shells passing over
from batteries In the rear is drowned in this din.
Ii is an inferno of ear-splitting noise.
In the trenches the few soldiers cover in the
%dugouts. Heaps Of debris fall about them. To
them the noise of the guns in the rear Is drowned
in the crash of hundreds of shells bursting in the
Germans trenches before them and the shrieks or
the shells AS they tear above them in the air faster
than sound In such numbers that the noise Is IN
describable, Where the enemy's trenches are Is now
a continuous mass Of spoutiGg dirt that shuts out
everything. The whole German line here Is be-
ing beaten to pieces.
Few Of the soldiers have ever experienced any
thing like this. The trenches Of the Germans are
but 400 feet away. Now and then n shell falling
short of its range comes near the French trenches
or tears into them, but with the innuinerable shells
now tearing about 1t cannot be helped.
The Germans, taken by surprise, do not reply
until some time later. They open up their own
artillery little by little. Their guns, Is seems, are
aimed at the batteries of the French they know,
for few of the shells fall about the trenches. HUT
It is nothing to the madness Of the fire they are
fighting against.
Some of the French guns are aimed at the Ger
man batteries and an artillery duel Is on. the Ger.
man guns are outnumbered. Other French guns
are firing on the roads, of the enemy to prevent
troops and supplies from being fastened up.
And now In the rear Of the French lnes--no'
body seems to know where they are coming from,
where they have been concealed oil this time--stlll
other guns Of all sizes are being rushed up. They
tear through the amazed villages drawn by wild
steeds maddened by the drivers. Efforts OF spies
are now in vain. /,
The line bearing assorted equipment has ceased
In a measure. Instead are the guns and the heavy.
skidding ~calssons bearing ammunition. Darkness
fails and the whole countryside Is covered win
flashes, II is impossible to distinguish sound from
sound. but the flashes dart out from everywhere
Nike summer lightning. More guns are being
rushed IN, IN increased number Of ammunition
wagons. and troops-countless numbers.
The terrific cannonading continues oil night
Soldiers. who are able, sleep In d0zes. Morning
breaks. The soldiers nearer the front begin 70
march IN. As soldiers enter the rear towns those
who were there, equipment ready and waiting q
forward. .
As the men march they frequently turn on into
the fields along tho road to avoid the guns ant
wagons laundering BY. Az far us ono can see TN
whole road. ahead and behind. Is a compact mas
Of troops-marching up.
The Germans are now Smelling the roaas q
many places. At first the shells fall among tncm
There ure the usual scenes Of the dead' torn up y
every. manner, while the chaplnin'priests' iac'nl
tho almost certain death Of the'r lot' are ses.
through little ~clearlngs In the thick clouds OF emo.
inr smoke rushing about. some themselves wouho
cd. helping those asking for AID.