Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1918-08-09
CHAPTER v-contInued.

Toward enc o'clock the battle south
OF Sommcpy reached It's climax. When
the Germans advanced 10 make storm
ing attacks on all points the French
give up thelr positions aud retired In
the direction Of Suippes. Whether our
company was no longer considered flt
TO fight or whether we were not needed
any longer do not know We received
ORDERS 10 80 into quarters. But neither
barn nor stable could be found so
that nothing remained but to camp In
the open The houses were all filed
with wounded. Citizens Of the town.
who had not fled were all gathered In
large barn. Their houses were most
~ destroyed so that they had 20 make
use OF what shelter was offered them.
There was one exception 10 this ar
rnngement and that wnssa very old lit
tie motherly woman sitting. bitterly
crying. by the debris Of her late home
and nobody could induce her to leave. |
In the barn. which served as n shell |
ter 10 the civilians, were thrown to- |
gether men and women. youths. chill
dren and old men. Many were wound
ed by shell spintcrs and cartridges
and others had suffered burns. Every
where was the most terrible misery;
sick mothers aad half-staryed infants
for whom there was no milk were
obliged 10 perish here: old people died
from the excitement and fright of the
previous few days and last OF all men
and women In the prime OF life slowly
died from wounds because there was
aobody 90 care for them.
A company of Hessinn reserves.
every one veteran, passed with
bowed heads and tired feet They must
have had very long march. Their Of +.
hccrs tried 10 make them move more
lively They ordered that song be
sung but The Hessians were no, In the :
mood
"wili ron siug. you pigsi' cried an I
officer and the pliiful-looking pigs"
tried to obey this order Family sound
I'd from the ranks 90 the ovcrfired
men; Deutschland Deutschland .
uebcr Allies. ueber Allies In Der Welt"
Despite their broken strength. their !
tired feet, Disguised and resentful.
hese men sang their symphony OF su
,er.Germanism
Several comrades who like myself
isd Watched this troop pass came to
ne and said, let MS 70 10 the camp
md Try 10 sleep 50 that we might for =
'et an this"
We were hungry and on the way
loine caught several chickens. We
te them hRif.raw and then laid down
n the open and silent until four o'clock
a the morning when We had 60 be .,
cady 70 march. ~
Our destination on this day was
'uippcs. Before the march started the ~,
army order was read -
Soldiers. his majesty the emperor. M
ur supreme war lord. thanks the sol IN
lers of the Fourth army and sends 20 "a
hem his full appreciation. You have In
aved our beloved Germany from the wi
lyasion Of hostile hordes. We win not an
est until the last enemy lies on the g.
round and before the leaves fali from -
be trees We shall return home Vie =,
nrious. The enemy Is in FUN retreat ~
ud the Almighty win bless our arms ~.
arsheg :,
After this talk we gave three cheers. nj,
ft"NNttAAA NHA'M AaH k'ANtNr fNulAlt NN
Or Us. And then we resumed our sfc
sarch We Cow had plenty OF time ia
nd opportunity 70 discuss the graft ch
ade expressed By the supreme war ev
,rd. We could not make out just what ha
atheriand We had 10 defend 20 far In ar
rance One OF the soldiers expressed "
be opinion that the Lord had blessed 90
ur arms. to which another replied Sc,
A religious nsa repeating such silly ho
entiInents j. gailty OF sacriiege. II he
peaks seriously" co
Everywhere, co the march 70 Suip- &.
es. In the fields and IN the bitches. En-
ay dead soldiers. most Of them with VIZ
demonstrating open wounds. Thou wi
ands Of huge flies swarmed on the sp,
orpses. partly decomposed, and Civ we
az off fearful stencil. Among these we
orpses. uasheltered under o blazing ter
IN, were encamped wretched fugf- pIs