The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1918-07-19


the village. The first thing we did
was to hasten to the wells a3d drink,
We drank as If we wanted to fill our.
selves up with enough water to last US
the rest of our lives. Only here and
there were we able to find anything to
eat. A few beets were left in the gar.
deHs and we ate them eagerly, without
waiting to wash or clean them.
/ Where is our company? NeAcdy
knows. We are the company, we 20
men. And our officers. Somewhere
surely" said soldier Somewhere in
bomb-prOof corner"
But what were we to do? No one
could decide. Presently a noncommis.
stoned officer of the field gendarmes
approached on horseback. 1t is the
duty of this particular class of defend.
ers Of the fatherland to round ur
slackers behind the front.
"You are pioneers" he called to us
roughly. "What are you doing hereT'
Then he asked us innumerable cues.
lions, which we answered as well as
we could.
"Where are the others?" he asked.
"Over there" said a young Berlin
soldier, and pointed to the battlefield.
"The others are dead or perhaps
prisoners. Several others have man
aged to save themselves and are some.
where, perhaps"
"Never mind" the nOncommissioned
officer said roughly. The conversation
had become disagreeable to him. "WaiI
here, until l come back. Where are
the officers?"
Again no one could answer. "What
are their names? l shall find them
Perhaps they are in Vitry."
We told him the names Of our Off,
GERS. He gave us Identification paper'
so that we might be able to prove tC
Others inquiring why we were waiting
where we were.
II hope his horse falls and he breaki
his neck" said one of our men.
We entered one of the houses whipt
had been robbed, as were all the others,
threw ourselves down upon the mat.
tresses to sleep, sleep, sleep. How
long we slept no one knew. We only
knew that it was night and that some
of our company had aroused US. These
were newcomers who had been hunting
for US for long time.
"Come along. The captain Is out,
side and he is very angry. He ha'
gathered II of his men together and IL
cursing like the very devil because he
could not locate you"
Sleepy, ard entirely Indifferent to the
future, we left the building. We knew
that we would be sent into action
again but no longer cared. had never
before seen among body Of soldiers
such an atmosphere of absolute indif
ference.
We came upon the captain. He saw
US approach minus our headgear, oui
uniforms torn into shreds and without
guns and knapsackS.
"Why are you running around hereT
he r0ared. That was our reception.
Nobody answered. Nobody cared
Nothing could be worse than what we
had been through, but although every
one among US felt keenly the injustice
of the captains attitude we all re
manned silent.
Where is your equipment?-Lost-
Lost. This has been nice business
The state equips you, you rebel. If all
were like you"
He raved on for a while after this
fashion, this brave fellow, who, without
any action on his own part permitted
the rebels to retreat while he defend
ed his fatherland In Vitry, APO kilo
meters behind the battle line.
We selected guns from those lying
around us in heaps and soon were
ready to fight again.
We stood around half asleep, lean,
ing on our guns, and waited to be led
once more to the slaughter. A shot
fell in our midst. 1t struck a color
sergeant and smashed his right hand.
He cried out from the pain. His hand
was quickly bandaged. He was the
first.
An eyewitness told us how this had
happened. He had rested his hand on
the gun barrel in the same manner
as did all the others except that his
hand partly covered the muEzle. The
orders provide that the gun be locked
If loaded. Turning to the color ser.
geant. who was writhing with pain.
the captain roared at him: II shall
report you for punishment for your
gross carelessness and for mutilatlng
yourself In the field"