Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1918-09-26
CHAPTER VIII-continued.

-lO-
The color sergeant. a noncommis-
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 court-martfal. 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 a lettering
example. The color sergeant's place
was conferred upon another, after
which the captain disappeared once
more in the direction of Vitry.
We marched away and halted at a
point northwest of the village. Here
we met other pioneers who had been
gathered 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
battle today. Our only duty for the
time being was to keep the bridges
over the Marne in good condition for
the German troops fighting on the
other side, so that they could be used
In case the battle went against us.
We then marched to our destination,
which was at the point where the
Saulx flows into the Marine.
We reached our destination about
six o'clock in the morning. The dead
lay around in heaps everywhere. We
were camping on a wooded height
and could overlook the country for
many kilometers in all directions. We
saw shrapnel bursting by the thou
sands Little could be seen of the
men who were fighting despite the fact
that many divisions were locked in a
death struggle.
Presently we saw the fighting line.
The Germans were about two kilome-
tiers behind the Marine, which flowed
by directly in front of US. German
cavalry in great numbers was en-
camped along the banks of the river
Two temporary bridges in a very dilap-
idated condition constructed of what
ever materials were at hand were To-
Gated near us. Preparations had been
made to blow them up with thousands
Of pounds of dynamite. The electric
fuses had been strung to the point
where we were located and it was up
to us to manipulate the switches. Con-
nected with the battle line by tele-
phone. we were in a position to destroy
the bridges at a moments notice.
The fighting became more lively.
We saw the French rush to attack and
retire again. The fire of musketry in
creased and the attacks became more
frequent. This continued for more
than two hours.
We saw the French continuing to
bring. up re-enforcements constantly
despite the German artillery fire.
n.
made another attack, employing sew
eral different kinds of formations.
Each time the waves of offensive
O'Clock in the afternoon, under a blow
which contained the full power of
France. our troops were forced to re-
tire, first slowly, then in wild flight.
The exhausted Germans could not be
rallied in the face of this blow. With
Wild confusion all tried at the same
which lay safety.
At this instant the cavalry which
had taken cover along the river bank
galloped to the bridge position In O
moment the bridge was covered with
human bodies. all racing for the op-
posite bank We could see this tenn
porary structure trembling under this
enormous burden.
Our officer saw the situation and he
nervously 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
broEen," he muttered to himself. He
knew as wen as all the rest of us that
ne was to act on the instant that the
curt order came over the wire.