Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-06-28
HOW THEY TOOK
CALIFORNIA HILL
French Territorials Outfought
the Prussian Guard on the
Heights of the Aisne-Tale
of an Eyewitness
By HENRI BAZIN
std0 Correspondent Of the Evening Ledger
IN France.

staD Correspondent Of the Evening Ledger
~ France,
PARIS. May 80.
T STOOD upon a height commanding a
l. superb view of the lower hills Of Vau.
cere, its shell-torn plain, and the extreme
heights Of California Hin beyond, And I
saw the troops Of France advance after
terrific cannonade that had lasted ffty-one
consecutive hours They rose out of their
trenches as one man, without a sound that
! could hear, without a shout l might have
heard, but in an eagerness indescribable.
They advanced in a rush, as an avalanche,
officers in the lead, every man In order and
with bayoneted rife at the angle OF death
for whomsoever barred tho way.
They were, in the main, men well on In
life, but each with the ardor and vigor OF
youth. They had come from varied portions
of France, from Charante. from Gascony,
from Landes, from the Basques, shepherds
tillers Of the soil, mounta ineers and towns
men but their departmental individualities
were lost in a common uniform of horizon
blue. They carried such resistance as re-
mained before them a swift running
stream would a chip of wood, and in thirty
four minutes by my watch had complete
possession Of the Hill Of California and the
intervening plain before it.
They left very few, comparatively, Of
their own IN tn0 ldklilB, ana WitH IflGy
had passed upon their victorious way the
ground was gray with the uniform of Ger
many, uniform lying inert as the men about
whom It was buttoned. Overhead seven
French aeroplanes lowered flying low pho
tographing, and with the incest distinction
possible dropping bombs upon half-demol-
ished Boche abri in advance Of the foremost
poilu line.
eve Will Get Through"
All this I saw amid brilliant sunshine
and under a summer sky, with the atmos-
phere so clear that man for man almost /
could pick out victors and vanquished
l had by my side a general of brigade
while l looked upon the glorious sight. He
held in his hand penciled note from Com
mandant --, Of the - Battalion.
II read: Mon General, we will get through
my pollus and l." And they did, although
the writer will never write another word
His hour came. and he died for France at
the head Of his men,
The village of Craonne, that had been
taken before my arrival, and the heights OF
Vauciere and California were of tremen-
dous Importance TO the Boche from the mill
tary point Of view, and by the same rea-
soning Of equal Importance to France. Upon
and about them the Germans had massed
great quantities OF mitrailleuse and trench
| mortars, and from beyond they covered the
| whole territory with. heavy artillery. All
three had been silenced by the artillery OF
France, that had pumped lead Of all cali
bers upon the Boche positions in a veritable
hell of hail for more than two full days
| and nights before the attack began Deem
within profound abri, or rushing out OF
| them, since nowhere else could man have
| lived, came in forlorn defense the fowe,
Of Germany's army, the Prussian Guard
| So far as true resistance was concerned
| they were so many toy soldiers They were
| wiped out, and those who did not die sur.
rendered. ! saw them throw hands on
high. and while could not hear, yet within
my heart heard an echo, "Kamarade !
| Fifteen hundred men of the hle ard thirty
| eight officers Of this proud branch OF tSs
Boche army fell prisoners TO the old terri,
torials Of France, fell TO men whose voutt
was but a memory and whose children NAV
have little children OF their own SaIuts
you who read, the poilu Of France who 1,
lighting for your liberty and freedom AZ n.
is for the freedom and liberty OF la Patrie
Whoaa Cod Yours a., o.