The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1918-07-26
CHAPTER VIIl-contlnued.
10

The color sergeant, a noncommis-
stoned officer, realized that his military
career was at an end. We all felt for
him. During the months preceding this
incident he had always associated him.
self with the privates.
We never learned whether he was
brought before a court-martlal. Pun
lshment fer self-mutilation was daily
event and many severe sentences were
pronounced and then made known to
all the others to serve as a lettering
example. The color sergeant's place
was conferred upon another, after
which the captain disappeared once
more in the direction Of Vitry.
We marched away and halted at a
point northwest of the village. Here
we met other pioneers who had been
gathered together from various bat
tallons and our unit was once more
brought up to S5 men. The officers
hold us that we would not enter the
battle today. Our only duty for the
time being was to keep the bridges
over the Marne in good condition for
the German troops fighting on the
other side, so that they could be used
In case the battle went against US.
We then marched to our destination,
which was at the point where the
Saulx flows into the Marine.
We reached our destination about
six o'clock in the morning. The dead
lay around in heaps everywhere. We
were camping on a wooded height
and could overlook the country for
many kilometers In all directions. We
saw shrapnel bursting by the thou
sands. Little could be seen of the
men who were fighting despite the fact
that many divisions were locked In q
death struggle.
Presently we saw the fighting line
The Germans were about two kilome-
ters behind the Marine, which flowed
by directly in front Of us. German
cavalry in great numbers was en-
camped along the banks of the river
Two temporary bridges In very dilap
dated condition constructed of what
ever materials were at hand were 10
Gated near us. Preparations had beer
made to blow them up with thousands
of pounds of dynamite. The electric
fuses had been strung to the point
where we were located and it was NJ
20 us to manipulate the switches. Con
nected with the battle line by tele
phone. we were in position to destroy
the bridges at a moments notice.
The fighting became more lively
We saw the French rush to attack anC
retire again. The fire Of musketry In
creased and the attacks became more
frequent. This continued for more
than two hours.
We saw the French continuing Il
bring up re-enforcements constantly
despite the German artillery fire.
After an extended pause the French
made another attack, employing sew
eraA different kinds of formations
Each time the waves Of offensive
troops we're forced back. At thre'
O'Clock in the afternoon. under blow
which contained the full power o.
France. our troops were forced to re
tire, first slowly. then In wild flight
The exhausted Germans could not b.
rallied In the face Of this blow. Wit
wild confusion all tried at the sam'
time to reach the bridges beyons
which lay safety.
At this instant the cavalry which
had taken cover along the river banl
galloped to the bridge position. In
moment the bridge was covered witt
human bodies, all racing for the op
posite bank. We could see this TEN
porary structure trembling under thi
enormous burden.
Our officer saw the situation and b
ueryously pressed the telephone re
ceiver to his left ear. His right han'
was on the switch. BreathleSsly b
stared at the fleeing masses. IF onl.
the telephone connections had not bee
broken he muttered 10 himself. Ii
tnew as well as all the rest OF US tina
ne was to act On the instant that IN
SUIT order came over the wire.