The Morgan County press. (Wartburg, Tenn.) 1916-1926, 1918-09-13

! spot where we were to rest was as
usual fixed by the staff so that they
knew where to find us at any time
Hardly had we reached the place when
our field kitchen, which we supposed
had been lost, appeared as If 1t had
come out of the ground. Those IN
charge Of the field kitchen had re-
ceived no knowledge of our losses OF
the last few days and had cooked Tor
the old number. They were greatly
surprised on seeing instead OF a brave
company of strong pioneers" lot
of ragged, exhausted, crushed human
shadows. We were given soup, bread,
meat, apples and every one received
cigarette which was more welcome to
most of us than food and drink.
The next morning we slept until six
o'clock and even though we were lying
on the bare ground 1t was very hard
to wake us. Breakfast was excellent
1t consisted of mutton which had been
reuuisitioned, vegetables. bread, coffee,
goblet of wine, and ham. Our cap
tain told us to eat all we could as we
had a hard days march before us.
We resumed our march at seven
o'clock Everybody was In high spirits
and in the course Of our conversations
IT became apparent that we had lost
track Of the time entirely. Nobody
knew whether it was Monday or
Wednesday or whether 1t was the fifth
or tenth of the month. This condition
became more and more general. Sol
diers never know the day of the week;
one is Just like another, Saturday,
| Sunday or Thursday.
We stopped to rest at noon on a
large farm but were obliged to wait
in the rain for the field kitchens. Mean
while we helped ourselves. we shot
one of the cows grazing in the meadow,
cut open the hide without bothering to
drain the blood from the carcass. Then
everybody cut off piece of meat, still
warm, which was fried in pot cover
or eaten raw with little salt by
great many of the soldiers. This kill
ing of cattle was repeated almost daily
by the soldiers acting without orders
! from their superiors. AS consequence
they all got stomach trouble from eat
ing meat which was too fresh without
bread or vegetables. In spite Of this
the practice was continued. If SOL
der became hungry during pause in
the marching and found pig, COW or
lamb, he shot it, cut out piece for his
own use, and let the rest spoil.
Under burning midday sun we
marched on amid clouds of dust, along
a road used by munitions columns and
other units, which never gave the dust
an opportunity to settle. In all the
fields which we passed, fugitives had
set up their camps, where they lived
like poor homeless. gypsies. Many came
up to us and begged for scraps Of
bread.
We marched without resting till late
in the evening and at about nine
o'clock we approached the city hall
of Sommepy. In and around Som
mepy a battle had started. We were
ordered to take part of the north
west section of the city. 1t was al
ready dark and once more we halted.
The fields all around us were covered
with dead. In the middle of the streets
were French batteries and munition
columns. Horses and drivers had been
killed.
After a ten-minute rest we started
again and in double-quiek step APP
preached a little forest, in which dis
mounted cavalry and infantry were
engaged with the enemy In a desperate
hand-to-Eand fight.
As a snbrerfuge we threw ourselves
into the place with bloOd-curdling yells.
We succeeded in the darkness in reach !
ing the enemies rear. The surprise
attack was a success and the French, |
startled by our yells and by the at
tack. threw up their hands and sur
rendered. Mercy was not shown them /
BY the Infatuated csvalrymen.
Whenever there appeared to be any /
Iet1lp Of the slaughter Of the disarmed I
soldiers by our men new horrors were 4