The Greeneville daily sun. (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1918-1920, 1918-05-06
cas,tsst EDaDa4 Ers Pes, !
CONTINUED from Yesterday

had suspected. An error had been
made and II was too late to rectIfy K.
The upper bridge, which had not
been used to any great extent by the
Germans, should have been left stand
ing
Il had been the purpose Of the staff
In command to leave this bridge so
that the enemy might continue its pur-
suit of our troops until a certain num-
Der OF Frenchmen had crossed the
river. The plan was to permit enough
Frenchmen to pass so that they could
be taken prisoner. yet, noe too large
a force lest 1t might prove a menace
to the German arms.
After these hostile troops had
crossed the plan was to destroy the
bridge to prevent their being re-
enforced. That was why the sergeant
manning this switch had been kept
waiting for the order to blow up the
bridge. But the sergeant In the ex-
element and confusion thought that
the cable to which his phone was con-
nected had been disconnected and blew
up the bridge on his own initiative
while 1t was crowded by Frenchinen
and long before the enemy could have
had an opportunity to cut that cable.
AT the same time the officer ut the
switch connected with the explosives
under the second bridge received his
orders. He afterwards said that the
order he received was hard to make
out and that he had lost his presence
Of mind and threw in the switch,
thereby killing thousands on the bridge
and leaving many other thousands to
the mercy Of the enemy.
Before there was time for more inn
pressIons our entire unit was ordered
to Vitry to be assembled in front OF
the cathedral. With sigh of relief
we hurried away. for the French ar
tillery began once more to send shells
with much accuracy over the entire
countryside. Wounded men from other
detachments whom we passed on the
road told us that the French had al
ready crossed the Marne In several
different places. Everyone among us
voiced the same opinion. We had al
ready sustained great losses on Bel
gian soil and each day brought new
sacrifices. Our lines became thinner
and thinner. Many companies were
entirely destroyed and all units suf-
fered heavily. These companies whose
forces had been reduced to minimum
and with the survivors half starved
were opposed by an army well
equipped with supplies and arms The
enemy constantly brought up fresh
troops while our forces became fewer
from hour to hour. We realized that
1t was impossible to make stand
here. We were constantly learning
from soldiers Of other contingents that
their losses In men and materials were
enormous.
thought of the God Of the Ger
mans. Had he forsaken them?
thought 1t so loud that the others
could hear.
sYes," said another, "whom the
Lord wishes to punish is first stricken
with blindness. Probably he thought
of Belgium, Donchery, Sommepy and
SuIppes, and still many other places
and let us run into this perdItiOn like
flying fends."
we reached vitry. Here the misery
seemed to be still greater than ever
before, for in the entire town there
was not d single house that was not
overcrowded with wounded. In the
midst Of oil this misery robbery -four
ished. All residences had been emp
tied Of their furnishings and every.
thing was thrown into the streets to
make room for the wounded.
The sanitary squads went over the
town and took everything of any value
The munltion and railroad columns
followed the same practice. They had
plenty Of room for plumber. This was
amply proven by numerous seizures
afterward Of parcels put in the mail
which contained gold rings, watches
precious stones, etc. The business Of
the marauders flourished here In Vitry
The soldiers In the supply columns en-
countered very little actual danger
they had an easy time as compared
with soldiers fighting at the front.
We soon reached the cathedral and
reported to Lieutenant Elm. He alst
had defended his fatherland at saf'
distance and here in the city, freshl.
shaved and In immaculate attire hi
looked very presentable.
The contrast was vivid as he stood
before us who were torn. dirty aud GOV
cred with blood. with unkempt hair
with boards grown and caked will
mud and dirt.
we were obliged to wait so we sa
down and looked around us Tit
church was full Of wounded: man,
died under the hands OF the doctors
They were carried out I'd make room
for others. The dead were carried Il
one side. where whole rows OF corpsei
lay. We counted more than sixty.
On our way to vitry we had begges
some bread but we were still hungrl
and our field kitchens we're nowhere 4