The Oskaloosa herald., 1918-04-25
WHEN IOWA WENT
At TER THE HUNS
FIRST DETAILED STORY OF THE
RAID OF MARCH ..
HOW OUR BOYS FACED FIRE
Merchant And Farmer Lead Their
Boys IN Successful Assault. Dec.
GRATED for Bravery
In Action.


Lunsville, March II (by mail).-If out
oi the toll, the sacrifice and the con.
fusion Of this war you have not gotten
q thrill; have not felt proud of men liv.
ing about you; have not been stirred
by the spirit of the men of Lexington
and of those who opened the west
and fought the Civil war, stiIl lives
then you should see the American
boys go over the top.
You should talk to them upon their
return. Your respect for that is in the
heart and soul of the man who left
the desk next to you or for the man
who moved out Of your block to come
over here, viii become greater. And
you'll realize that in the farmer boy
you PASS on the road you are passing
hero who has only to be put to the
test to show the qualities first dis
played by his grandfather or great
grandfather who helped to build the
nation.
A Captains Report.
II was after the big raid against the
German lines Of March Q. The United
Press automobile was hidden behind a
building. It was waiting for an Iowa
farmer. Hm was sitting on rough
wood table. writing out report of
what had happened the night before
for his superior officers. His lieutenant
colonel called him Charlie. and pat
ted him effectively on the shoulder.
The Iowa farmer was Capt. Charles
Casey. His home is in Vilisca. His mas
sive shoulders We're bent far over the |
table as he wrote plain colorless
statement TO the effect that he and |
his men left their trenches at sos
the afternoon before that all objec-
tives had been reached and that they |
had returned to their own trenches on
scheduled time.
AS II Really Happened
How the men vaulted over parapets, |
how they passed through hell of fire, |
found the woods, trenches and dugouts
of the Germans demolished by artil- t
lery; human flesh spattered against |
the sides of trees and hanging from /
jagged limbs; how an airplane sweep
ed down upon them until the grinning I
fang of the aviator plying his machine
gun could be seen all this has been
told.
The boys who went through this are
simple farmer boys again, though in
uniform and in soldiers billet. The
men who led them are simply Ameri-
cans such as live all about you.
Captain Casey has finished his re-
port. The United Press machine was
waiting TO take him TO a little shat
tered town farther back of the lines
where he has bare room, the plas-
ter knocked from its walls in spots,
the exterior knieked and torn. For a
time it is home place to rest.
Boys Were Great.
All right, let's CO." and Casey hand
ed his report to the Colonel, saluted
and started for the door.
THE boys were great, weren't they"
the Iowa farmer said, as the car head
ed fcr the open road
1T was the hardest thing | ever did
in my life that blowing the whistle /
that sent-them over knew they want.
ed to go. every one of them. They /
were spelling for it, But TO look out /
there. to know what they were going
into by George, il was hard.
Were all from the same county,
YOU know. And there wasn't yellow l
one in the bunch. Two boys left behind
TO see that every one went over had
nothing to do. and ran as hard as they
could from one dugout to another on
their inspection, so they could catch
up with us.
Our Citizen Soldiers.
Have you seen the old MANI"
The "old man Is Captain Ross, also
from yilisea. He is beyond 40 His
thinning hair is streaked with gray,
and his face shows lines Of work and
study He led another raiding party
that entered the German lines, not far
from where Captain Casey and his
men went in. Ross had not been seen
but the machine turned off at the next
road. winding and twisting through
forest and down, a steep hill until II |
came into another village.
y just want 10 shake the old mans
hand unused Casey. ne didn't have
to come over here, Of course, bat he's
a wonder"
Up a flight of rickety stairs and into
a big bare room, and there was Cap
tain Ross His. grey eyes were tired
He was sitting at an open window.
The warm rays of the afternoon sun
poured in On the window sill was
map spread out before him.
n was just looking over last nights
party as it appears on paper, vRosssy ex-
pIained as he arose. Il guess III keep
this as sort Of souvenir"
He was told that Captain Casey was
down stairs His eyes lighted up
The Folks Should Be Proud
Then. standing In the middle Of the
eirret. flieir clothes torn and aaitered
b. German barbed wire. their hands