The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1918-07-18

ChAPTGN ~.
We were once more aroused at
eleven O'Clock that night. and with the
! utmost haste made ready TO resume
I our march. The night was pitch dark
! and the rain continued. Al daybssak
we passed the city Of ST. Menehould.
This had not been harmed. From herr
we turned 10 the east. closely pressed
by the French and In the afternoon we
reached Clermonten-Argonne Once
more we ansgcd TO get rest Of sew
eral hours. Toward evening we pro.
ceeded again and maintained = forced
march through the whole night We
we're now more exhausted than ever,
yet could not halt.
The rain he. stopped before ten
o'clock In the morning Ut which honr
we left the road and made camp
There Was general sigh Of relief. for
this long-coutinued. wearing retreat
had brought our troops into q state
now become unendurabIe. We began
10 dig ourselves In. Before our
trenches were even half completed .
literal hailstorm OF shrspnel fell
among us Our losses were 50 great
that II became impossible 10 remain. |
We received orders 10 retire AT once.
We marched over the fields until dark.
when we began once more TO dig In. |
We were now near the village Of Ger
nay-en.pormols. II was pitch dark and
heavy fog lay over everything or
the enemy we knew nothing. With the
utmost silence and speed we dug our
selves in deeply, stopping frequently
70 listen as hostile raiding parties ap-
preached, only 10 disappear quickly.
Here we received our first re-
endorsements. They arrived in long
columns In the darkness. All were
fresh froops-most of them reserves.
The majority wore blue uniforms. This
~ well ms the nature Of their equip
uent. Indicated 10 us that they had
been hastily fitted out and transported.
None Of them had ever heard the
whistle OF bullet and many asked
anxiously whether II was dangerous
here. They brought numerous ma
chine guns. and In an instant we had
everything prepared for defense.
At daylight the French began the at
tack. They made several onslaughts
throughout the day but without sue
'ess. for our re-enforcemsnts were
arge. {
No one realized at this stage OF the I
'attle that II was the beginning OF r
nurderous. exhaustlng struggle for po- d
,itions. v
We were TO fight here from the same
rsnch. month after month. without Z
.alning territory. The wounded who u
ay In No Mans Land between the
renches. were left to perish.
The French tried to rescue them un-
Ter the protection OF the Geneva flag.
be emblem Of the Red Cross. but We r.
nly sneered al them and shot II 10 q
its. The impulse 10 shoot down the oi
neiny surpassed every human feeling. ;,
The Red Cross flag had lost all It's al
alue for us when II was raised by the q
'Tench. MIstrust was nurtured among n
= W F"At AtAu AAAtt III. tA'AAtt "
sed the flag and tfrt We must shoot O.
own the men that bore IL. n
We repulsed all attacks until they ~
raduaily ceased. We were now able -
, fortify our position. which We did IT
ith the greatest care. making II as M
irong as possible. Half the men re- er
Iainei on guard while the other half e.
aud widened the trenches. A ca
yely fire was maintained continuous VI
I by both sides. The losses were very ci'
rye Most Of the men killed were sa
rot through the head. the trench pro- an
citing the remainder OF their bodies. IN
Firing increased in intensity as ms
ght fell. Although nothing could he vi
'en we continued firing all the time On
scause we thought this would prevent an
Ie enemy from making any attacks. ~
through the nights munitions and ma VII
rial were brought up and new men We
rived. Great quantities Of sanibags &C