The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1918-08-29

but it is altogether probable it was
the battle of Ballieul Wood, a sanguin-
airy conflict which was staged at about
the same date when Lieut. Huston was
wounded, July 18th:
When one is in the hospital there is
much time to write letters and so l am
going to write you a long one today,
about our war. | guess the censor will
let it pass for it was published in our
A. d. f. paper just as l wrote it and
shall write it to you.
When a battle stretches along a front
OF more than 60 miles. when a battle
which marks turning point in the his
tory of the world is being bitterly wag-
| ed, no living man can tell it's tale. But
one who has been in the thick of it can
tell, at least what he saw and heard.
1t was getting along late in the after
noon before we knew we were going to
attack From the Colonel came the
ammunition and have an early supper"
We knew it meant a move and guessed
the rest. Then to me came the unex-
pected order: You will command NJ
GO. Be ready to march out at S15"
Very well, Sir. What is the order?'
Third Battalion leads the regiment, or
der of Third Battalion NJ. l.. II. & X
Cas-" DO you see what that meant?
The leading company of the leading bat
talon in the regiment.
At S:1I we started. 1t had rained all
day. The roads We're muddy and thick
and narrow. We travelled all that
night and all the next day, hiking fifty
minutes and resting ten. L shall never
forget the night march. J. didn't think
l could ever tell about it as it actually
was. 1t was dark, SO dark you could
see only five yards ahead and l was in
front and must set the pace for the
regiment. 1t was sticky and we car
RI red heavy PACKS Along car, came the a
loads" Right" he said, but we got
to get there. And then went out leav-
ing the blackness blacker than ever.
In a wood the next morning, a sort
of wild enchanted forest, it was like
the places in Andersen's Fairy Tales, we
got little rest and little water: 1t
came from the water carts and we filled
our canteens. Those of US who had
any sense, drank very little and kept
the rest for use later on. Here the
Captain joined US and l took charge of
my platoon again 1t was about noon
when the order came to move on again.
1t came hurriedly, note from the Ma
jor The Captain was out on reconnais-
ance with two platoons. 1 was there
with two. It meant hurry, SC, gave
the order to chuck everything but am
munition. reserve rations, guns, gas
masks and rifles, sent a message to the
Captain and started on. l don't re-
member much about the march. We
game as he could be-. stumble and sink
down three times before they laid him
out bys the side Of the road. Gle was
with us in the morning. He came up
in the mighty
About five p. M: we reached a place
behind our lines where we had to stop
There we let the men rest and eat.
One can Of bully beef for every six men.
That is all we could spare. They laid
right down where they were and slept.
Shells were dorpping everywhere. We
were lucky, only three men were
wounded.
Just as night fell we got our or
ders and maps. If we could only have
eight hours for breathing spell and
chance to study the maps and the coun-
try ahead of us. But surprise was the
game, and when that's your game there
10 no time to lose. no time to put things
in order.
Zero was ABS. 1t was now midnight.
There was much to do We must get
to our place. We were to be in the front
lines and hold the right flank positions.