Tombstone epitaph., 1918-09-15
cHAPT TER VI.
(Continued from last ween )

CHAPTER VI.
 Al l2 o'clock. midnight. we were alarmed and half an hour later were on the march. The cool night air felt good. and despite our wearlness. we made rapid progress. Toward -four o'clock in the morning we arrived at Cheppy. IL had been completely plum dered. We halted here for a brief rest and watched preparations being made for the execution Of two frac- tireurs. They were two little farmers who had supposedly concealed French machine gun with it's crew from the Germans. The sentence was executed in such a way that the peo- pie were shown who their real rulers now were.
 The little town of Pogny. located midway between Chalons-sur Marine and Nitry-le-Francois. fared no bet ter than Cheppy. fact which we dis covered when we entered there at nine o'clock
 We were now considerably nearer he spot where the guns were roar ing. and retiring of wounded and the munition columns showed us that west of Vtry-l. Francois. a terrible battle ragged At four o'clock in the after noon. we arrived at Vitry-le-Francois after q forced march. The city was filled with wounded. but the town it. self was not damaged. The battle must have been going badly for the Germans because We were ordered into action without being given any rest. We were within three kilometers of the battle line. when we came within reach of hostile fire. a terrific hail of shells tore up every foot of ground. Thousands of cnrpses of German soldiers indi- cated at what enormous cost the Ger mans had brought up all available re- serves. The French did everything they could to prevent the Germans from getting the reserves into action and increased the artillery fire to un- heard-of violence. IL seemed impos- sihle for us to be able to break through this barrage. We saw hundreds of shells exploding every minute. We were ordered 10 run the gauntlet of this hell in single file.
 Lying prone upon the ground. we saw how the first of our men at tempted to pass. They ran. unmindful of the shells bursting around them. like madmen: others were buried under ground thrown up by the high-power explosives. or torn by shrapnel or gren- ades Two men had scarcely reached the line when well-directed shot from gun of large caiiher burst directly al their feet. When the smoke cleared. there was no trace of the men.
 You can imagine the feelings of those who lay on the ground not 100 feet away witnessing this spectacle. and waiting their turn.
 ] An officer cried: Next" It was my turn. As if aroused from night mare 1 >prang up. my gun in my right hand. siGearm in my left. and ran ahead. | lodged TWO shells just as they nurSt and ram close 10 several others bursting the same instant. nuinber of times 1 sprang back, then ahead again. runnin. to and fro like nadiI:an. seeking a loophole. But every where there was iron and fire. I ran i iik. u hunted animal seeking q way to pass 70 save myself. with q hell in froat of me and an officers revolver always ready behind.
 Throwing caution 10 the winds. prepared to meet death and the devil himself. 1 ut last ran blindly ahead; ran ran ran. until someone seized my coat tall and shouted in my ear:
 Here we are. Are you woundedr You had better look. Perhaps you are wounded and don't know il"
 was among those of my comrades who had gotten through. Trembling all over. stopped and looked around. ! "Sit down and you will feel better" [ said "r.- of the men. We also have ; treIEblcd."
 Presently some wounded were { brought up. There were about 4s men and sergeant took command. Moth ing more was seen of our officers.
 We continued to advance and passed several German batteries. Many had suffered heavily in dead and wounded which jay around their guns destroyed by enemy fire. other batteries still manned were useless because no more ammunition could be gotten through.
 We paused to rest. Several srriI- lerymen approached us. and a noncom- missioned officer asked them why they did not fire
 'B-cauSe we have used up all onr ammunition" was the answer of one of the battery men.
 ''Is il impossible to bring ammun:- siOo thruuci this barrage?" Nc" replied the artiIleryman. but there is no more ammunition. That |. why ue cannot get any. At Neufcha- tenn we started like wild men after the cherry Man and beasf died from the heat. rs,'r"ad~ and ofher mediums of transportation were left Tn their dan,-. aged condition in the wild excitement of victory. as we dashed into the heart of France. We raced on. blindly and thoughtlessly. thereby interrupting communication with our bases. ran