The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1918-07-25

about two O'Clock In the afternoon we
arrived at the heights which had been
pointed out to us early in the march
by our captain.
We now began to understand that
something had gone wrong. Streets
were filed with troops from NIL
branches Of service, trying to use the
road along which we were marching.
Being outnumbered. ne were crowded
backward. Empty munition columns
raced by us In no order whatever.
They We're followed by canteen and
other supply wagons. The greatest
confusion reigned everywhere. Every
minute added to the congestion until
finally there was a dead halt. The
drivers of some wagons left the road
and tried to pass around the congested
portioEs by traversing the fields. which
had been soaked by heavy rains. Sew
eral wagons turned over and others
became imbedded in the mud. The
horses were unhitched from these and
mounted these horses and drove on.
forgetting everything In one wild
race for safety.
An officer rode up and handed an or
der 10 our captain. We were halted
at -held close to the road. There we
were permitted TO stack our guns and
rest. As we lay at this point we
watched the passing columns. field
munition trains. sanitary col
umns and field postal wagons racing
by in one grand carnival of confusion.
Every wagon carried wounded men.
Their faces indicated clearly what tor
lures they were enduring as they were
along over the unspeakable
roads upon heavy trucks. sun they
were anxious to 20 ahead at whatever
cost. They feared the fate which
would befall them should they fall into
the hands of their merciless enemy.
which would show them the same con
which they themselves had
orercd IN previous encounters, IN
which they took no French wounded
men prisoners.
Evening came on and. with II tor
rental rain. We lay In the fields.
weary and chilled through. yet no enc
NJ our unit moved. for we were ut
terly overcome by exhaustion. Artii-
iery detachments now began TO arrive.
but few of them had their required
number Of six guns. Many had only
three. others two, and a few proceeded
with only one heldpiece. At one time
a whole row OF about fifty gun car
riages passed without any guns mount
ed upon them whatever. These bat
teries had managed TO save their
horses. but were compelled to abandon
their guns to the French. Some car
riages were drawn by only two to four
horses Instead of the required six.
There now passed before us some
fifteen magnificent automobiles. the sp-
pearance OF which won the admiration
Of everybody.
"Ah." exclaimed many OF the sol
diers. ''the general staff-Duke Al
brecht of Wurtemberg and his friends"
Discomfort and murmurs of rebel
lion went through our ranks. Every
body was mad and the accursed tor
rental rain had no tendency to tighten
our spirits. They have directed the
slaughter of thousands and now they
motor away" snid one man, while We
II. Z
are not considered"
What we were TO he assigned to do
had not yet been told us. We were left
lying In our swamp until ten O'Clock
that night. The troops continued to
flow back in great disorganized con
tingents. Machine gun companies
passed with empty wagons. having lost
la~ 81.
cannon gradually came nearer from the
west. The noise along the highways
became greater and n panic spread.
adding to the horrors of the night Fu-
gitives wandered around in the dark
ness through the streaming rain. trying
TO lead their wives and children 70
safety. only to nnd death under the
wheels of the wagons. The wounded
were also nangled by scores: piteous
cries for help were heard everywhere.
Under the strain OF the traffic the
along their sides abandoned vehicles of
every description lay.
We started forward at about three
O'Clock In the morning and soon we
were with the rear guard. Infantry
regiments, now merely fragments OF
their former strength. arrived In a
fearful condition. The soldiers had
thrown away their knapsacks and ev-
cry unnecessary article which might
he an impeachment to speed.
Before long the first enemy shrap-
mel burst over our heads. which re-
suited In an even faster marching.
The road used during the FIRST march
contained deep shell holes. which were
nlled with water. In the heavy dark
ness men fell into these water holes.
Thoroughly trenrhed. we continued