The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-02-08

tieth engineers, Knoll; Private
W. \. Har,sool. Twentieth engt-
neers. Rapidan; Private j. w.
Holland. Twentieth engineers,
Wilmington; Private Charles T.
Drep, Twentieth engin GERS,
Mouth Of Wilson; Private Ed
ward HaEar, Twentieth engineers,
SpulockviIle, w. Va
IArue, Ireland, via London, Fee-
I'm the face OF death--not this
kind OF death that comes in fate
and manly fashion. on the settleneid.
but death spat at you from depth ana
darkness by the viper of the sea,
when you're not looking because you
ean't--~two thousand, one hundred
aud fifty -six American soldier boys
stood at attention on the deck OF the
sinking transport Tuscania. In their
eyes spsrkled the fire of defiance ana
tnyincible courage-on their iips was
A grim smile, and from the tAroafs
Of many Numbered 81 mighty chorus
MY country tits OF theel"
Then, many Of them still singing,
others Joking. and some cursing, they
BEGAN TO scamper for their lives. Ma
a vince or a whine anywhere~--it WA
the most orderly. most good -humorsa
retreat from the sea serpent record
cd in the history OF C-boat warfare
II was tall hustle. More than niner
tenths of them saw 1t through.
They told il, most of them, as II
it were the most amusing event OF
their lives True, when they hrsr
got here there was much anxiety and
sadness in their hearts, for they
didn't know how many OF their coma
rades had ''rulled through"
But soon word came from Bun
crana- 100 miles from here, and later
from Fort Ellen. Is.ay. Scotland. or
the landing OF many hundreds, ana
it became plain that but small
fra ction Of the total had gone down.
say" burst out a husky young
Michigan man, beginning with tina
tail end OF the story, what's that the
pacifists always ask, what are we
lighting for?' Listen: " hen / get
into that front trench In France, III
answer that question. And / bet
every one Of these fellers. every ons
Of US that went through this thing.
will answer It the same way
Shiyering FROM Exposure.
He was still shivering from hours
of exposure though now wrapped in
q huge blanket donated by a kindly
Irish woman. But his cheeks glowed
with red hot battle fever as he spoke
His words epitonliEed the innermost
feelings Of all T>ascanis. survivors.
To these men the Uboat attack
has been baptism Of fire. They re
all through with the prelin,inaries.
and what they're aching In action OF
the kind where they can MT BACK,
Here's a funny thing" said a
sturdy ex-guardspan from Detroit;
I'D been nervous all through the
trip. NV whole system seemed strung
up. II wasn't fear, by Gawd, no
yes. II was fear, at that. the fear
that some sneak U-hoat would get uA
before we'd have a. chance TO do
something 10 Fritz on the front. M
always trying to he honest with my
self, but / was sure all along It was
this fear, not the other, physical sort
And the proof came to me when the
ship was struck
In that moment, though | was
sent reelinE hack against something
iron behind me. I felt the tntensest
relief I've ever felt in my life. The
uncertainty was over, the hit ha+d
come, and from that moment on my
only thought was TO be able TO hir
back. OF course. there was no chance
for that then. but that's why Tn
glad. see. because I'm still alive to
return the compliment"
Emphatic mods, a<5 shouts
That's the way / feel" from the
little crowd of survivors around the
speaker and interviewer showed no
had spoken the hearts of his COM
rades.
story of the Night.
Pieced together from various eye
witness accounts. this is the story OF
what happened Tuesday night:
The 14.0oo-ton liner Tuscania, last
survivor of the Anchor lines luxurious
ships was on the last lap of her jour.
ney.
The troops aboard knew that the
northeast coast of ireland was at hand
and the natural nervous strain that
had marked their mood during the
greater, part of the voyage was giving
way to Joyous expectancy.
The weather was clear and the So
comparatively calm. The TuscAnia
was stsanainx amidst Aams>r ~