St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1918-07-13

1000 meters and took a stand In our
former trenches. The officers told US
we would have to make a stand under
any circumstances and that the re-en-
foreements would come soon.
In a the machine guns were
set up and soon we were sending a hail
Of bullets into the ranks of u pur-
suing enemy. His advance stopped In
stantly. Encouraged by this success
we fred harder, so that the French
were compelled TO seek ove
The promised requirements failed
to appear. About 900 meters to our
rear were six German batteries in po-
sitiOn. but they maintained only a very
weak fire. An artillery officer appeared
before us and asked the commander of
our detachment if it would not be well
to recommend that the batteries be
taken back. He said he had learned
by telephone that the German line was
wavering on its entire length.
Before the commander could reply,
another attack en- masse followed.
which outnumhered us by from five to
seven times. Our commander now gave
up this position also. Completely de-
moralized, we retired in flight, leaving
the six batteries l36 gunsl to be taken
by the enemy.
The French stopped their barrage
fire because they feared to hurt their
own troops. The Germans utilized this
moment to bring up re-~enforcements
made up of all branches of the service.
Scattered infantryinen. unmounted "a
airy, detached pioneers, had all been
assembled. Every makeshift was en-
ployed to ell the ranks. Complete re-
serve units apparently no longer exist
ed on this the third day of the battle
of the Marine.
Once more the command was given
TO turn and take a position and the IN
equal fight began new We saW the
enemy advance, and seize the bat
teries. Then we saw him stormfng
ahead with fixed bay0nets. We fought
like wild animals. For minutes there
ragged a bayenet fight beyond descrip-
tion. We stabbed through the breast.
through the abdomen. and wherever
else we could. This was no occasion
to employ the bayonet tactics taught at
drill, something which must be left for
battle-ground practice only.
The butts of the rifles whizzed
through the air and any mans head
which they struck was broken. Hell
NETS and ~knapsacks had been lost long
since. In spite of the superiority of
numbers, the French could not defeat
this little group of desperate men. We
forgot everything around us and fought
like bloodthirsty beasts. thinking of
nothing else. Part of our men pene-
trated the hostile ranks and fought to
retake the lost cannon. The enemy
recognizing the danger. ~retreated, and
tried to hold the conquered guns with
all his energy. We continued to stab,
to club, man for man, but the enemy
held on to the batteries. Every can
non was surrounded by coFpses, and
every minute new victims were Gre
ated. The artflIerymen who were fight
ing with us tried to remove the breech
blocks of the guns.
Three Germans fought four French
men at the third gun which was just
to my right. They were all that was
left around that piece. At another gun
70 men lay dead or wounded. A pio-
neer went to the mouth of this gun and
with astounding eaimness pushed shell
after shell into the barrel, touched
them off and ran. Friend and foe alike
were torn by the terrible explosion.
The gun was completely demolished.
Seventy to eighty men were killed for
nothing.