The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1918-07-16

guns uuo AuAp44CkS.
( 'Ath. are you ru4..lng around AZ a.
i be roared. That was our reception.
: Nobody answered. Nobody cared
e Nothing could BE- worse than what ue
i had been through. but although every
one among IN felt 2eenly the injustice
OF the captains attitude we all re-
manned silent.
where Is your equipmentf-Lost--
. Lost. This has been nice business.
! The state equIps you. you rebel. n all
we're like you"
He raved on Tor . 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. 4.o8 kil0
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 onr guns, and waited to be led
once more TO the slaughter. A shot
fell In our midst. II struck color
sergeant and smashed his right hand.
He cried out from the pain His hand
was quickly bandaged. lie was the
6rst.
An eyewitness told US how this had
happened Lie had rested his hand a
the gun barrel IN the saiue manner
rs did all the others except that his
hand partly covered the mtzzle. The
orders provide that the gun be locked
IL 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 mutilating /
yourself In the field"
The color sergeant. a noncommls
stoned officer, realized that his military
career was at an end We all felt for
him. During the months preceding this
incident he had always associated him
self with the privates.
We never learned whether he was
brought before a courtmartial. Pun
ishment for self-mutilation was a daily
event and many severe sentences were
pronounced and then made known to
all the others to serve as deterring
example. The color sergeant's place
was conferred upon another, after |.
which the captain disappeared once
more In the direction of yitry.
We marched away and halted at a
point northwest Of the village. Here
we met other pioneers who had been
together from various bat
talions and our unit was once more
brought up TO IS men. The officers
told US that we would not enter the
nattle today. Our only duty for the
lime being was to keep the bridges
'yer the Marne IN good condition for
he German troops fighting on the r
'ther side. so that they could be used
n case the battle went against US. l
We then marched 10 our destination, !
which was at tho point where the
saulx flows into the Marne.
We reached our destination about
tx o'clock in the morning. The dead
ay around in heaps everywhere. We
we're camping on q wooded height .
nd could overlook the country for !.
many kilometers In all directions. We
aw shrapnel bursting by the thou 8
ands. Little could be seen OF the q
ien who were fighting despite the fact {
hat many dlAsions were locked In
cath struggle.
Presently we saw the fighting line. &
he Germans were about two kilome-
FRS behind the Marne. which flowed
y directly In front Of us. German
avalry in great numbers was en-
smped along the banks OF the river.
wo temporary bridges In a very dilap-
lated condition constructed OF what
yer materials were ut hand were To-
,ted near US. Preparations had been
ade TO blow them up with thousands
pounds Of dyns mite. The eleSfric
lses had been strung to the point
here we were located and II was up
Us 70 manipulate the switches. Con-
,cted with the battle line by tele-
hone. we were In position 70 destroy
e bridges at a moments notice.
The fighting became more lively.
e saw the French rush TO attack and
tire again. TN Are Of musketry In
eased and the attacks became more
equent- This continued for more
an two hours.
We saw the French continuing 10
ing up re-enforcements consfantly
spite the German artillery Gre.
After an extended pause the rrencA
'sde another attack. employing sev.
raj different tinds Of formatiooa
ach time the waves a offensive
oops were forced back. AT three
clock In the afternoon. under blow
hlch contained the full power of
rance. our troops we're forced 10 r.
re. first slowly. then In Wild nIxh'.
he EXHAUSTED Germans could not be
Illied In the face of this blow. With
Id confusion all tried at the sane
ne 10 reach the bridges beyond
hich lay safety.
At this instant the cavalry which
d taken cover along the river bank
Hoped TO the bridge poeifion- In
'ment the bridge Vas covered with
man bodies. ali roelng 66r the o.
site bank We could ses this tenn
rsry structure trenbling under this
urmcus burden. -