Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1918-08-16
CHAPTER VI.


B.
At - o'clock, midnight, we were
alarmed and half an hour later wer'
sa the march. The cool night air feii
good. and despite our wenrlness, We
ssde rnpid progress. Toward -four
s'ciock Ia the morning we arrived al
f1seppy. Il had been completely plum
sered We halted here for a brief
srst and watched preparations being
xsade for the execution OF two frac.
Srcurr. They we're two little farmers
whe had supposedly concealed a
French machine gun with It's crew
frs<a the Germans. The sentence was
executed ia such way that the peo-
pie were shown who their real rulers
sou we're.
The little town OF Pogny. located
nsdwny between Chalonssur.M Marine
sed -le.Francois. Jared no bet
ter than cheppy. fact which we dis
covered when we entered there at nine
s'cfock.
We were now considerably nearer
the spot where the guns were roar
ing. and retiring OK wounded and the
nsnlison columns showed us that west
lsf yltry q terrible battle
ragged. AT four O'Clock In the after
~Deu. we arrived at Yitry-lc-Francois
sffer a forced march. The city was
Allied with wounded. but the town Il.
self WIS net damaged The battle must
sass been going badly for the Germans
Areause we were ordered Into action
without being given any rest We We're
ssthin three kilometers OF the battle
zoe. when we came within reach OF
Assssle fire. terrific hail OF shells tore
40 every foot OF ground. Thousands
81 eurpscs Of German soldiers indi-
Gated az what enormous cost the Ger
Sznns had brought up all available re-
serves. The French did everything
they could 10 prevent the Germans
trsm getting the reserves into action
and Increased the artillery fire TO I'M
acsrl ol violence. II seemed impos-
slhie for US to be able TO break through
this barrnge We saw hundreds OF
SHELLS exploding every minute. We
xerc ordered 10 run the gauntlet of
shix hell In single tile.
Lying prone upon the ground. we
@w how the first OF our men at
ssrnp,cd 90 pass. They ran. unmlndful
n The shells bursting around them. like |
madmen; others we're buried under |
ground thrown up by the high.power |
explosives, or torn by shrapnel or gren- |
sdcx- Two men had scarcely reached !
tss line when weil.dlrocted shot from l
e gun OF a large caliber burst directly /
sf their feet. when the smoke cleared.
shsre was no trace OF the men.
foa can imagine the feelings OF .
1Aee4 who lay on the ground not 100 /
fret away witnessing this spectacle,
aud waiting their turn.
Al officer cried: "Nextl" II was
sly turn. As II aroused from a night
zarr. I sprang up. my gun IN my right
hand sidearm In my left. and ran
shead ! lodged two shells Just as
Der burst and ran close TO several
sthers, bursting the same Instant A
zurnher of times l sprang back. then
shead again. running 90 and fro Ike a
ssadmaD. seeking ioophole. But every
~hcre there was iron and Ere. l ran
are hunted animal seeking way 10
pass % save myself. with n hell In
frsaf OF me. and an officers revolver
always ready behind.
Throwing caution 10 the winds.
,ccpared 20 meet death and the devli ,
ssmself. az last nan bllndly ahead !
IN. ran. ran. until someone seized my :
mat tail and shouted 10 my ear:
Here we are. Are you woundedf !
Fon had better look. Perhaps you are /,
wounded and don't know ii.
I wns among those Of my comrades
no had gotten through. Trembling j,
~ over. stopped and looked around. :
"ssif down and you VIII feel better"
sid one of the men. I'VE also have !
rcnbled-'
Presently some wounded were :,
auught up. There were about AZ men !,
nd sergeant took command. Moth !
az noe was seen OF our officers.
We continued to advance and passed
<verai German batteries. Many had
x1ered heavily la d~od and wounded. <
vhich lay around their guns destroyed I
y enemy IRE. Other batteries stu r
were useless because no more .
MuunItion could De gotten through.
We paused TO rest. Several artil- Z
syDen approached us. and noncom-
11naoned officer asked them why they a
y not fra ii