St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1918-07-13

wild confusion all tried at the same
time to reach the bridges beyond
which lay safety.
At this instant the cavalry which
had taken cover along the river bank
galloped to the bridge position. In a
moment the bridge was covered with
human bodies, all racing for the OPP
posite bank. We could see this TEN
porary structure trembling under this
enormous burden.
Our officer saw the situation and he
~neryously pressed the telephone re-
ceiver to his left ear. His right hand
was on the switch. Breathlessly he
stared at the fleeing masses. If only
the telephone connections had not been
broken" he muttered to himself. He
knew as well as all the rest of us that
he was to act on the instant that the
curt order came yer the wire.
It was not much that he had to do,
Merely make a movement of his hands.
Masses Of troops continued to rush
across the bridge until more than half
were safely over. The bridge further
above was not in such great demand,
and with the lessened congestion al
most all who crossed here were
already safe. We could see how the
first of the French units had crossed,
but the bridge continued to stand.
The sergeant who manned the appa-
ratus at this bridge became restless
waiting for orders, and finally on his
own initiative blew 1t up. Some
Frenchmen and hundreds of Germans
upon the bridge found their graves in
the Marine.
At the same moment the officer
standing next to me received the order
to blow up the last bridge. He hest
tated to obeyss for he could still see
many Germans on the other side. He
could see the race fer the road leading
to the bridgehead as all sought safety
at the same instant. There a terrible
panic reigned. Many soldiers jumped
into the river and tried to swim across
The pressure became greater as the
thousands still on the other side tric9
to get back.
The message over the wire became
more and more insistent. Finally the
officer sprang up. rushed by the lsto-
neer standing at the apparatus and q
second later there was a terrible deto-
natfon-hridge and lei were thrown
into the air hundreds Of meters. Just
as a river ut high tide races along.
taking with 1t all manner OF debris, 50
the surface of the Marine was covered
with wood. men. torn uniforms and
horses. Efforts 10 swim were futile,
yet soldiers continued to jump into the
river.
On the other side Che French began
to dfsarm such German soldiers as
stood there with raised hands. Thou
sands Of prisoners, innumerable horses
and machine guns fell into the hands
of the enemy. Several of our company
were just about TO retire with the
electric apparatus when something de-
veloped which certain OF our number
had suspected, An error had been
made and 1t was too late I rscs.sy;r X.
The upper bridge, which had not
been used TO any great extent by the
Germans, should have been left stand
ing!
II had been the purpose Of the stan
in command to leave this bridge 50
that the enemy might continue its pur-
salt of our troops until d certain num-
Der Of Frencfimen had crossed the
river. The pan was to permit enough
Frenehmen 10 pass so that they could
be taken prisoner. yet. no. teo large
a force. lest Ii migln prove a a,enac
to the German arms.
After these hostile troops had
crossed. the plan was TO destroy the
bridge to prevent their being re-
enforced. That was why. the sergeant
manning this switch had been kept
waiting for the order t blow UP the
bridge. But the sergeant in the ex-
element and confusion thoughf that
the cable 70 which his phone vas CON
necfed had been disconnected and blew
up the bridge on his own initiative
while Ii was crowded by Frenehmer
and long before the enemy could have
had an opportunity to cut that cable
Al the same time the officer at IN