Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-05-07

| "llHoul Seconu pduSe, ior hois
than four hours!
In our trenches, the initial nervous
ess Of our men soon wore away, and
they settled down to their Jobs with
the seriousness of veterans. Then II
was that l had a good chance to study
| them.
Folks at home, ! never realized
until then that our wars are not
fought by mature men, but by mere
boys. OF course. our new conscript
! army will be older, but in the Amer
lean lines with me today was many a
lad who Is yet to celebrate his twenti-
eth birthday.
Beardless volunteers they were ev-
cryone Of them; strong timber. clean
cut American boys from high schools
and factories and offices, most OF
whom could have stayed out Of this
war, but who had come in because
their veins pulsated with real. red
blood. and he spirit Of adventure
and fight stirred their entire beings.
4 boy had known for years came
hurrying along, saying as he passed
| me:
Billy Smith Just went over. Got
it in the head from a machine gun"
had known Billy for a fine. big,
jovial fellow. His entire company will
| mourn his loss.
More than one boy looked at his
wrist watch as the minute approach
ed to go over the top. But the Amer
lean artillery fire only increased in
volume and everybody began to Won
der II 1t would stop.
What will we do II 1t hasn't stop
ped when the time comes to go over
captain asked OF a colonel.
Why go right on over" the col
onel answered.
Five minutes before the leap, ev-
cry man was ready to climb out OF
the trenches.
Not one out of ten Of the entire
outfit was showing a trace OF ner-
yousness now. They all seemed re-
lieved by the thought that in few
minutes the terrible Smelling would
stop.
&. Exactly on the second, the ar
tillcry quit firing.
And at the same instant every man
went over the top!
To me, peering after them the
German trenches seemed at just that
minute, miles away.
Practically every German gun had
been silenced now, and I could make
out clearly our men lodging across
No Mans Land toward the enemy
trenches.
went down into the post dugout
where, l knew, all reports would be
rushed by couriers.
Before the first courier arrived.
rockets had gone up from the Ger
t,ap trenches. - --------.
'6 they were American rockets
and they meant that our troops had
gained their first objective.
The first courier stumbled breath
less. hatless and perspiring into the
dugout, and saluted the officer in
charge:
"Sir," he painted, I'VE are in their
trenches. Our artillery has pounded
their wires and dugouts all to hell
excuse me, sir-all to pieces; we've
captured some prisoners who threw
up their hands and surrendered long
before we got to them. The rest of
the Germans ran away and have re-
tired to their fourth line Of defense.
We're now blowing up the rest OF
dugouts. Only two Of our men have
been killed. From the looks Of things
[ guess we've killed a lot Of the
enemy"
And so 1t went for the next hour.
Every courier brought good news.
There hadn't been a hitch anywhere
in the American plans. and every
thing had gone off like clockwork.
The enemy, who had been taught
to sneer at the American army, had
run away, refusing to stay and meet
our boys. bayonet to bayonet.