Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-10-31
GERMANS DUCK INTO
HOLES AT FIRST SHOT

CONTINUED from First Page.1
towns he walked the rest of the way.
Motorcars attract the eyes of the
Germans and they are likely to drop
n half dozen shells in the direction
that any machine is seen.
Battery Well Hidden
The first american battery was al
most walked upon before it was dis
covered. 1t was so we'll hidden under
the trees and with foliage about 1t on
low hung wire netting. Under the
net, water dripped steadily. Some OF
the gunners were digging another
pit in the mud alongside their hid
den gun.
Through the foliage in every di-
rection the ground was undulating.
At that moment there was flash OF
flame through the mist. 1t was the
crack of .75 gun, and following 1t
closely came the noise of the shell
rushing through the air, becoming
fainter and fainter as the projecttle
went on it's way to the German posi-
ton over the crest of hill further
away. The mud-digging artillerists
continued their work, without even
looking up.
A lieutenant from Georsia, emerg-
ed. He was the officer who directed
the first shot. He led the way down
the slippery, muddy hill to Z dugout
covered over with sandbags and logs.
There was met a lieutenant from In
diana, of the same battery who di-
rected the first eighteen shots of the
war against Germany from an OBJ
servation point.
First Gun Fired
On the other side of the hill was
found the first gun fired. The muddy
gunners were hard at work cleaning
their gun.
This was the first gun fired in the
war" said the jaunty lieutenant.
The sergeant inside the pit there
fred it"
Looking into the pit the lieutenant
said; Sergeant, where are you
from ?"
a husky voice replied: I'm from
South Bend, Ind"
Are you Irish?" asked the lieu
tenant.
No, sir" the sergeant laughingly
replied.
At this time orders came for this
gun and others of the battery placed
in nearby hills in sight and sound of
each other to commence firing. The
gun on the farthest hill went off with
Il roar and a faint stream of smoke
was blown backward from the pit.
Inside the pit in which the corre-
spondent stood a voice shouted out
the range figures A voice inside the
pit moment later yelled that the
gunner was ready to fire. The lieu
tenant gave the command to the
gunners, watch your bubble.
Place Fingers in Ears
The lieutenant, who was standing
nf n Hul,iOh had hann o.
moved from the pit, cautioned those
about him to place their fingers in
their ears. This was done and the
lieutenant shouted the word fire"
The gun barked quickly, the noise
being followed by a metallic clank
and the shellcase was elected and
the gun made ready for the next load.
The lieutenant told the correspond
ent the story of the first shot of the
war; punctuating the narrative
throughout with the orders ready to
fire" and FIRE" which each time was
followed by the report of the gun
and the whizz of the shell.
Haul Gun by Hand
I'VE came up the night before,
said the lieutenant, 'and got into
position in a driving rain. No horses
had arrived. l was anxious to get of
the first gun. and so were my men.
asked them if they were willing to
haul the gun by hand to this place
so that we could get the first crack
at the Germans. They agreed unanl-
mously, so we set out across the
fields until we got over there at the
base of that hill you can see in the
haze.
I'VE had a hard time getting the
gun. which we have not named yet,
over those shell craters. But we
labored for many hours and finally
reached the spot. Then L got per-
mission to fire.
Strictly speaking the first shot,
which was in the nature of try
out of the gun, simply went into
Germany. The sergeant put high
explosive shell there at els o'clock
in the morning"
Another officer here took up the
narrative.
Il was in an observation point"
he said. There was a fog as the
first shot went singing over. Sud
denly the fog lifted and l saw a
group of Germans. I directed my
gun at them. The shrapnel burst
overhead and they took a dive into
the ground like so many rabbits" ="
"It Was Great
The lieutenant grinned broadly,
shook the water off his shrapnel hel-
met and using both clenched fists to
punctuate his remarks, said eX-
pressively: IT was great He
paused for moment. pointed to the
field filled with fresh craters, and
continued: I'VE had a hot time here
last night. Fritz tried to get the
gun on the hill there and put all
those shells behind it, Now let the
Germans have shot for shot. That's
the game out here-give them as
much as they send"
The gun itself gave visible and
audible proof the next second that
the Germans did not get it or any
of the gunners serving ii.
From the artillery lines to the in
fantry trenches was q considera BILE