The Morgan County press. (Wartburg, Tenn.) 1916-1926, 1918-08-23


with dinner from the field kitchens.
We were surely hungry enough and
our canned soup was eaten with the
utmost relish. Many soldiers set their
dishes on the bodies of dead horses
lying about and ate as gayly as II
they were at home at their own tables.
The few human corpses near our camp
failed to disturb us. Only water was
lacking, and after the dinner our thirst
became very acute. even torturous.
We soon marched on. under burn
ing midday sun. the dust of the high
way lying thick ON our uniforms and
skin. Now. no more cheerfulaess was
evident anywhere. Our thirst became
more unbearable and we grew weaker
from minute to minute. Many In our
ranks fell, unable to go further. Moth
ing remained for our commander ex-
cept to halt, as he did not wish to ex-
haust us all. As a result OF this MATT
we were left considerably in the rear
and lost our place among those pursu-
ing the French.
About four o'clock we finally saw
before us village. In the certain ex-
pectation Of getting water there we
quickened our pace. Fugitives ana
empty munition columns passed us.
Among them there was a farm wagon
upon WHICH were several civilian pris-
oners, apparently franc-tireurs. A
Catholic priest was among them. He,
like the others, had his hands tied be-
hind him with rope. To our curious
questions as to what he had done, we
were told that he had melted the
farmers to poison the water in the
village.
Soon we reached the village and atthe
first well at which we might have salts
fed our thirst we found a sentinel
posted. He drove us away with a
warning that the water was poisoned.
Disappointed and terribly embit-
tered, the soldiers cursed and CRASHED
their teeth. They hurried on to the
next WE'LL but everywhere sentinels
forbade our taking refreshment.
In an open space in the center OF
the village was a big well from which
there came water clear as crystal that
emptied into big trough. Five SOL
diers stood guard here to see that no
one drank. / was just about to pro-
coed with my comrades when large
part VI my company threw themselves
like men possessed onto the we'll. The
guards were completely overcome and,
greedy as animals, all the men drank.
They quenched their thirst, but not
one became i'll. The priest, as we
learned later, was punished because
the officers said, the water in every
village had been poisoned, and we
were told that only by happy chance
had the lives of our soldiers been
spared. The God ofthe Germans had
kept true Guard, 1t appeared, but the
God Of the Belgians was not there to
protect his.
In most Of the places we passed we
were warned not to use the water.
This, Of course, had the effect of maxi
ing the soldiers hate the people from
whom they could expect only death. In
this way the vicious instincts of our
men were aroused.
The water, of course, was nowhere
poisoned. These lies were told to
arouse hatred of the Belgians among
our soldiers.
In the evening, at dusk, we reached
village east of the Bertrix. There
nc found poisoned water also. In the
middle of the village we halted and /
could see through a front window of a
house before which stood. In mis-
cradle home Of IA lab0rer we saw a
woman. She cluAg to her children as
If afraid they would be torn away from
her. Suddenly asstone as large as
fist was thrown through the window
into the room and a little girl was
wounded on the right hand.
In this village we were billeted In a
barn. With some comrades, went to
the village to buy food. We obtained
ham, bread and wine at a farmhouse,
but tae people refused any payment
because they considered us guests.
They only asked that we should not
hurt them. We paid them neverthe-
less for everything, In German money.
There, as everywhere else we went,
we found the population In mortal
terror of US. The people trembled
whenever a German soldier entered
their home.
CHAPTER Ill