The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1918-05-09

when the order came to Blv0uac. The
spot where we were to rest was as
usual fixed by the staff so that they
knew where to find us at any time.
Hardly had we reached the place when
our field kitchen, which we supposed
had been lost, appeared as IL 1t had
come out Of the ground. Those in
charge of the field kitchen had re-
ceived no knowledge of our losses Of
the last few days and had cooked for
the old number. They were greatly
surprised on seeing instead of a brave
company Of strong pioneers" a lot
Of ragged, exhausted, crushed human
shadows. We were given soup, bread,
meat, apples and every one received a
cigarette, which was more welcome to
most of US than food and drink.
The next morning we slept until six
o'clock and even though we were lying
on the bare ground it was very hard
to wake us. Breakfast was excellent.
1t consisted of mutton which had been
requisitiOned, vegetables. bread, coffee,
tain told us to eat all we could as we
had hard days march before us.
We resumed our march at seven
o'clock. Everybody was in high spirits
and in the course OF our conversations
1t became apparent that we had lost
track of the time entirely. Nobody
knew whether IL was Monday or
Wednesday or whether 1t was the fifth
or tenth of the month. This condition
became more and more general Sol
one is just like another, Saturday,
Sunday or Thursday.
We stopped to rest at noon on a
large farm but were obliged to wait
In the rain for the field kitchens. Mean
while we helped ourselves. We shot
one Of the cows grazing in the meadow,
cut open the hide without bothering to
drain the blood from the carcass. Then
everybody cut off piece of meat, still
warm, which was fried in a pot cover
or eaten raw with little salt by a
great many of the soldiers. This kill
ing of cattle was repeated almost daily
by the soldiers acting without orders
from their superiors. AS consequence
they all got stomach trouble from eat
ing meat which was too fresh without
bread or vegetables. In spite Of this
the practice was continued. If a SOL
der became hungry during a pause in
the marching and found a pig, cow or
lamb, he shot it, cut out piece for his
own use, and let the rest spoil.
Under q burning midday sun we
marched on amid clouds of dust, along
road used by munitions columns and
other units, which never gave the dust
an opportunity to settle. In all the
fields which we passed. fugitives had
set up their camps, where they lived
like poor homeless gypsies. Many came
up to us and begged for scraps of
bread.
We marched without resting till late
in the evening and at about nine
o'clock we approached the city hall
of Sommepy. In and around Som
mepy a battle had started We were
ordered to take a part of the north
west section of the city. 1t was al
ready dark and once more we halted
The fields all around us we're covered
with dead. In the middle of the streets
were French batteries and munition
columns. Horses and drivers had been
killed.
After a ten-minute rest we started
again and in double-quick step ap
preached a little forest, in which dis
mounted cavalry and infantry were
engaged with the enemy in desperate
hand-tO-hand fight.
Asa subterfuge we threw ourselve:
into the place with blood-curdling yells
| We succeeded In the darkness in reach
ing the enemies rear. The surprise
attack was q success and the French
startled by our yells and by the at
| tack, threw up their hands and sur
rendered. Mercy was not shown then
by the Infatuated cavalrymen.
Whenever there appeared to be an!
letup Of the slaughter of the disarmet
soldiers by our men new horrors wer'
enacted under the commands of tn
officers, who kept shouting, mo quar-
ter, slaughter everybody" Such wer'
the orders of our distinguished off
GERS. We pioneers also had to TAX
part in this cOld-blOoded murder of I'm
armed men, who had thrown dow
their arms when they realized the fu
tility Of further resistance. Our Off
GERS took care this time, as in man.
earlier and later instances, that Their
should not be many prisoners taken.
The pioneer has sidearm which
according 20 the law of nations, mus
not be used because the back OF TIL
sidearm consists of a three-millimete
sharp steel saw. In peace times tn
pioneers are,not drilled with the bayo
net because this sidearm should b.
used only for the special duties which
the pioneers perform-but the law o
nations is not the law of Prussian mill
tarism.
We were obliged to use the saw iron
the beginning OF the war. 1t Gas II
opposition to all the laws of, humanity
When an enemy had this saw In hi
breast and the victim had long sine
stopped every effort of resistance ant