The Dermott news. (Dermott, Ark.) 1910-1977, 1918-08-22
CHAPTER X.

Tn encmy's Smelling to reduce our
position gradually grew stronger. but
without effect. Some houses caught
fire Enemy cavalry patrols in strong
fierce appeared and disappeared again.
/ Everything became qaict. Within ten
minutes matters again became lively.
* laHFe hostile columns approached.
We retired some distance without fir
ins shot. The artillery took a posi-
ton behind village and began she'll
Ing the approaching enemy. A cavalry
patrol gallopcd across an open field.
the horses covered with foam. We
heard The commander of the patrol tell
cavalry officer that the enemy were
approaching from all sides. We quick
y left the village. The artillery re-
MANNED and the cavalry detaehments
occupied II position while the cannon
were trained on the enemy. Toward
noon >hrapnel shells again began
HH~sting over orr heads but they tx
Hloted toe high In tie air 10 do Is any
damage. Yet tbs served rs n serious
reminder To Us that the enemy kept
ez-..a on ctr heels Il realization of
which cauSed CIR retreat 10 become a
reut. The numbers Who dropped ex-
Il 't~fed constantly Increased. 1t WAS
impossible II render them any assist
aHce. Ter there Were No more wagons.
Many soldiers used their last atom
ot strength To drag themselves to the
side OF the road. Others fell where
they We're marching 10 be crushed soon
afterWurd under the horses hoofS or
fhe wheels of any vehicle that might
pass. TIN road WAS strewn with
equipment thrown away by the sol
dIcrs. our detachmcnts had long since
east aside all unnecessary inpcdi-
menta.
In this way we proceeded until we
reached forest which was filled with
fugtiyeS. Many az these had stretched
some sort of cloth from tree 10 tree
rs protection from the rain. There
they lay men. women and children
and old men. some in unspcakahle mis-
cry. This fuCitlyes' camp was spread
over the forests 10 the edge OF the
road and as We passed We could see
the burrows woven into their faces by
the terrible suTeriuss they had been
through. They looked NJ us with weary
and saddened eyes. The children
begged fer bread. but We had none
for ourselves. even though We were
tortured by hunger, The enemy's
shrapncl continued To accompany US.
Scarcely had We passed through the
forest when shrnpnel burst In IL. As n
consequence camp Of fugttiyes, now
exposed to trench fire, was abandoned
and lis numbers sought safety In the
open fields Many tried 10 accompany
us until the order came forbiddtnc
thcm the road. as their advance him
dercd troop movements. The fugitiyes.
| therefore. were forced into the rain
soaked fields.
Toward evening We reached vii
lage which had previously been sacked
and here we found some rest. The
mayor and two citizens OF this village
/ had been seized hy the Germans and
| taken away under cavalry escort. Just
why this had been done we were I'M
| able to find out We did know. how
ever. that almost every town was
obliged to give hostages. Most of the
cattle were taken along and large
herds were transported to the rear by
cavalry.
We belonged to the rear guards
which explained why we were unable
to find anything to eat. There was alb
solutey nothing 10 the village where
We were now auartered. After half
an hour with our hunger still unap-
peased we resumed our march. After
we had marched about three kilome-
tcrs we arrived Mt a spot which had
formerly been biyouac. Advancing
armies had camped here perhaps eight
days before. Bread which had been
plentiful then, lay strewn around on the
ground In spite of its water-soaked
condition II had been gathered up and
eaten with rnvenous appetites. Moth
ing mattcred how our stomachs were
Glled Il only our hunger might be APP
! pcased.
GRO RE CONTINUED