New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-25
headquarter
AT the Heart Of
The Fighting Machine

The generals aide-de camp, Captain
Eberhardt, received me. Our greeting
was brief. | showed my credentials,
which he glanced over. "You must
pardon me-" he said, "but we are in the
midst of an attack on the forts, so |
have TO time to talk with you now
| sat down By the window to watch
what was going on. Captain Eberhardt
bent over his big war maps; telephones
rang necessarily; observation posts,
hidden in trees that carried the aero
system of wires TO the most forward
positions on the field, followed the
enemies movements through their field
glasses and were telephoning their re-
ports; patrols, crawling forward, tele-
phones in hand, were keeping the stan
informed of everything that happened
A continuous stream Of ordnance or
ficers entered and left the room. Iheir
heels came together in salute. spurs
clattered on the floor. a few words
questions and answers were exchanged,
trief and concise. The scene, acco@-
panied by the thunder of the guns out
side, made me think of a machine, per-
feet in details and mighty in action
The strong forts on the outside ring
of defence were captured in the night.
Next morning Captain Eberhsrdt told
me that If I we're not afraid Of get
ting shot, might try to reach Modlc-
lin Novy, where the observation stand
was erected in a church tower. From
this point | would be able to see and
photograph the BON bardment OF the
inner forts and citadel
How long do you think the fort Will
hold OUT" | asked the captain.
1.-TWO days, at most" ne answered
"The Russians are demoralized.'
"But they keep the guns going all
the time" commented, and received
this short reply from him:
"Well, I suppose they are ashamed to
leave US too much ammunition"
A moment later I was on my way
toward Modidlin Novy, with two sol
diers to accompany me and take care
of my camera.
The road led us past captured fort.
stepped down and got fine picture
of the place with an infantry regimen.
marching past. Sixteen-inch shells had
made the fort look as though vol
canic eruption had taken place with
in it. -, =,
"Boom!" The earth shook with the
conclusion. 1t made me jump on the
other side of the road behind some
trees. German batteries of the twelve
and sixteen-inch mortars had taken up
positions and were throwing greetings
over to the Russians. We hurried
across the artillery swept field. | got
nv camera in action to record this ter
rife bombardment.
The earth trembled, brick walls fell,
crumbling apart; leaves and branches
were blown and torn from the trees.
felt the effect of every shot distinctly;
the force Of the air pressure cannot be
described: it seemed like a sledge-ham-
mer pounding me with the passage and
report of every proiectile. The air
whined and cried like frightened
creature in pain when the big 1900
pound bombs were hurled toward the
enemy.
Through this inferno my camera
wound projectile- nature upon
it's reel. wanted to stay longer, but
it was necessary to hurry forward in
order to see the effect of the shells on
the fort and, if possible, get picture
of the attack.
The Russians were strewing shells
all over the landscape. A valley to the
left of the road especially had found
favor in their eyes as a target. Here
the terrain was covered with bushes.
and the Russians must have thought