The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1918-05-23


were out to catch spies, patrol trenches,
search German dead, reconnoiter In No
Mans Land, and take part In trench
raids and prevent the robbing Of the
dead.
I had a pass which would allow me
to go anywhere at any time In the Sec
tor Of the line held by our division. II
gave me authority to stop and search
ambulances, motor ~lorries, wagons and
ever officers and soldiers, whenever
my suspicious deemed II necessary.
Atwell and / were allowed to work to-
gether or singly-it was left TO our
judgment. W. decided to team up.
Atwell was a good companion and
very entertaining. He had an utter
contempt for danger, but was not fool
hardy. At swearing he was a wonder.
A cavalry regiment would have been
proud of him. Though born In Eng
land, he had spent several years In
New York. He was about six feet one,
and as strong as an OK.
We took up our quarters n a large
dugout of the royal engineers, and
mapped out our future actions. This
dugout was ON the edge of a large
cemetery, and several times at night
In returning to 1t, we got many q fall
stumbling over the graves of English,
French and Germans. Atwell on these
occasions never INDUCED In swearing,
though at any other time, at the least
stumble, he would turn the air blue.
A certain section OF our trenches
was held by the Royal Irish rifles. For
several days a very strong m went
the rounds that a German spy vas In
our midst. This spy was supposed to
be dressed in the uniform of a British
staff officer. Several stories had been
told about an officer wearing a red
band around his cap, who patrolled the
~front-line and communication trenches
asking suspicious questions as TO loca-
ton Of batteries, machine-gun emplace-
ments, and trench mortars. II a shell
dropped in a battery, on a machine gun
or even near a dugout, this SPY was
blamed.
The rumor gained such strength that
an order was issued for all troops to
Immediately place under arrest anyone
answering to the description Of the
spy.
Atwell and I were on the qui vive.
We constantly patrolled the trenches
at night. and even In the day, but the
spy always eluded us.
One day while in a communication
trench. we were Mortified to see u
brigadier general. Old Pepper, being
brought down 1t by a big private of the
Royal Irish rifles. The general was
walking in front, and the private with
fixed bayonet was following in the
rear.
We saluted as the general passed us.
The Irishman had a broad grin on his
face and we could scarcely believe our
eyes-the general was under arrest.
After passing a few feet beyond US, the
general turned, and said In a wrathful
voice to Atwell:
"Tell this d-n fool who / am. He's
arrested me as a spy"
Atwell was speechless. The sentry
butted in with:
"None o. that gassin' out o. you.
Back to headquarters you goes, Mr..
Fritz. Open that face o. yours again,
an I'll dent In your napper with the
butt o. me rifle"
The generals face was a sight to be-
hold. He was fairly boiling over with
rage, but he shut up.
Atwell tried to get In front Of the
sentry TO explain to him that 1t really
was the general he had under arrest,
but the sentry threatened TO run his
bayonet through him. and would have
done it, too. So Atwell stepped aside,
and remained silent. I was nearly
bursting with suppressed laughter. One
word. and I would have exploded. II
is not exactly diplomatic to laugh at
your general In such a predicament.
The sentry and his prisoner arrived
at brigade headquarters with disas-
trouS results to the sentry.
The joke was that the general had
personally issued the order for the
spy's arrest. 1t was a habit of the gen.
eral to walk through the trenches on
rounds of inspection, unattended by
any of his staff. The Irishman, being
new in the regiment. had never seen
the general before. so when he came
across him alone In a communication
trench, he promptly put him under ar
rest. Brigadier generals wear a red
band around their caps.
Next day we passed the Irishman
tied to the wheel of a timber. the be-
ginning of his sentence of twenty-one
days, field punishment No. 1. Never
before have / seen such a woebegone
expression on a mans face.
For several days. Atwell and I made
ourselves scarce around brigade head
quarters. We did not want to meet
the general.