Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-09-27

will shoot anywhere, or not shoot at
all. There the commandant loses ms
authority. only the valorouS or men
keep his rights. Those who make the
sacrifice OF their life, who know they
will die in a minute, but don't care so
much, as long as they have the salts
faction of doing their duty to the end
those only, most of the time, escape
because of their quick decision. one
can now understand why. olth9ush the
Germans are well fortified In their
formidable position, the Americans,
especially marines) throw them out
and are chasing them out of French
and Belgium; because when the critical
moment comes, made the sacrifice OF
their life, while almost every German
makes easily the sacrifice Of others
lives. but loves his own better than
than the kaiser him.
self.
our captain has said "Forward'. He
showed the way. Rapidly he was ON
mis- feet. our first sergeant received
bullet on the side of his head, but never
mind small bullet. The captain
raised hie pistol and cane high, ana
all of us. even some OF US already
wounded went like mad men to the
enemy.
Awful memory: Twenty eight of us,
OF company OF two hundred and fifty,
came back. We had met for the first
time the field full of armed wire" We
came back at night to the small wood
over two hundred were missing hut
they were not all lost. they had just
lost themselves from the company and
joined us in the wood a few hours later.
Our first sergeant was raging. In the
darkness of the night he went to pick
up his wounded comrades. We went
also. ! was back unhurt. that terrible
day of mourning, but my head was
filled with horror, death visions and
blood. II was Sunday and Monday We
saved as many men as We could. But
several died of their wounds on the
battlefield, because of the impossibility
Of any medical care.
On Tuesday morning shells fell in
the wood where we Were trying TO
have some hot coffee. thinking that we'
were the only men left in France. We
We're inst receiving forty replacement
men TO form the company again. The
keep. We had to go forward. or to
back up. German artillery knew we
were in the wood and would cut us TO
pieces Orders came. our mission was
to take the German position at any
cost. The order was Clear-and no
discussion possible. An aeroplane flew
high over our heads. Some would pre-
tend that il was an American or
French plane, others a German The
first sergeant says German, and bet
a pack of cigarettes with one Of the
boys a bomb fell near us. doing no
damage. The Top has won his cigarets
But almost nobody had cigarets or
even tobacco. and consequently it was
a high priced matter. Orders said We
were to come out OF the wood and at
tack at II o'clock. 1t was halfpast
eleven. suddenly, a man on watch
said: TOP, top a German is coming
on the plain"
Really. large and tan German was
coming. looking here and there with
glasses. Don't shoot cried the first
sergeant, Don't. don't" s.
Give me your gun" said he TO one
Of the boys. Il will get that one, for
in thirty minutes ! VIII u" killed. Y t'he
shot and the rubber neck boche was,
down forever
At ] O'Clock we started again the
same direction as on the previous Sum
dav Two more companies were with
us. We stopped at about the same
place, but German artillery this time
were waiting for us. and we received
a rain of shrapnel Our first sergeant
had taken his place at the head of the
company near the captain. his blouse
unbuttoned.. without his helmet, just
white rag on his head wound. He was
superb.
Hello said he to us. Where are
those cigarets ! won?" II have no
cigarets, top said one of the boys but
Just a little tobacco Bring me
enough 10 make a cigaret. It will be
the last"
And the brave top to show us how
to die bravely. made slowly a ciSaret.
Shrapnel was exploding over our
DIS. Our Top fell down. touched in
the Lee. But ne rose again, and lit his