The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1918-11-01

shell hole that Teer and myself were
in but failed to explode. II they had
exploded both would have been blown
to atoms. OF course we moved ou.
position. In the night Of the 18th
while our brigade was relieving the
first. the valley we were in was filed
with gas and was gassed at that time
I did not think much Of it and did not
even go to the doctor. Preston got a
dose at the same time, but went to the
doctor. On Sunday morning, Sept.
2sth my company went over the hill;
the 1st battalion had been relieved by
I and K companies, and were waiting
in another valley for Maj. c. and my
company to come up before going to
the attack. We arrived at the posi-
ton the attack was to start from at
about 7:30, after having had deadly
artillery barrage on US over the hill.
At 10 o'clock Sunday morning we were
ordered to advance up valley, but in
the meantime an enemy plane flew
down low, discovered our position, and
signaled his artillery, which opened
up on us and every minute seemed to
be the last one. However, by rifle fire
we brought the plane down, killing the
pilot and observer, but not until ne
had given his gunners our location
This shelling continued until the time
for our advance at 10 o'clock, and
when we got started it grew in intens-
ity until by the time we had advanced
so yards, it was regular barrage.
About two hundred yards up the valley
we came under the direct fire Of the
enemy's withering machine gun and
rifle fire, and by this time, i've enemy
plane were flying over us shooting
round after round from their machine
guns on us. OF course we we're in an
unsheltered valley, with nothing 70
hide us from the enemy and prestent-
ed clean, clear and open target. Meo
were falling all around me, but the
company never once faltered. They
marched right on into the jaws. OF
death. Shell were dropping, 1t looked
to me like every second, making holes
big enough to set good sized barn
into. The nearer the enemy we got,
the more effective his machine gun
and rifle fire got. Remember now.
the enemy was hid behind bushes.
trees and houses in little village. We
were advancing on, and we had alb
solutely no target to shoot at. Long
before we reached the village, we could
see the towards running up a steep
hill beyond, leaving lots of machine
guns to stick ont, and believe me.
when we did reach our object and
rounded the machine gunners, the
negroes made quick work Of them.
They all held up their hands. but no
kamarad for the men, they killed them
unhesitatingly, and did not try to
stop them. The town was on rail
road. and about the time we all
thought the victory was won and we
could get few minutes Of rest, be-
fore going on, the artillery began 'or
us again, and saw one shell kill two
of my men and seriously wound three
others who were sitting behind rock
pie. Then we discovered that we were
flanked on three sides by machine gun
nests. In other words we were trap
ped. We could not stick our heads
up. Teer. who had been wounded hv
a piece of shell before we started
came up about this time, white as q
ghost, and 1 told him to go back
Preston, who joined US before We
started, also had to leave at this point.
In the meantime Parker had been shot
through the fleshy part Of his foot