Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1918-05-17

tumbled to the meaning OF lnat tap'
ping.
"All at once, without turning round,
he exclaimed:
"'Well, of all the nerve I've ever run
across, this takes the cake. Those
- Boches are using that road
again. Blind my eyes. this time it is
whole brigade of them, transports and
all. What a pretty target for our
4.5's.' The beggars know that we
won't fire. A Id shame, I call 1t.
Oh, just for chance to turn D 23S
loose on them - :.
II was trembling with excitement.
From repeated stolen glances at the
captains range chart, that road with
its range was burned into my mind.
"Over the wire I tapped, ID 238 bat
terry, Target II, Range 5000, 8 degrees
80 minutes, left, salvo, fire. Cassell
o. KID my message, and with the re-
ceiver pressed against my ear, wait
ed and listened. In a couple Of min
ptes very family over the wire came
the voice of our battery commander
issuing the order: ID 23S battery.
Salvo! Fire!
'Then roar through the receiver
as the four guns belched forth, q
screaming and whistling overhead, and
the shells were'on their way.
'"The captain jumped as if he were
shot. and let out great big expressive
d-n, and eagerly turned his glasses
in the direction of the German road.
also strained my eyes watching that
target. Four black clouds of dust rose
up right in the middle Of the German
column. Four direct hits-another
record for D 23S.
1.-THE shells kept on whistling over;
head, and I had counted twenty-four
Of them when the firing suddenly
ceased. When the smoke and dust
clouds lifted the destruction on that
road was awful. Overturned limbers
and guns, wagons smashed up, troops
fleeing in all directions. The road and
roadside were spotted all over with
little field gray dots, the toll of our
guns.
1.-THE captain, In his excitement, had
slipped off the sandbag and was on
his knees in the mud, the glass still at
his eye. He was muttering to himself
and slapping his thigh with his disen-
gagged hand. At every slap O big
round juicy cuss word would escape
from his lips followed by:
"'Good! Fine! Marvellous! Pretty
Work Direct hits all
"Then he turned to me and shouted:
z" Wilson, what do you think Of 1t?
Did you ever see the like Of it in your
life? D-n fine work, I call it.
"Pretty soon look of wonder stole
over his face and he exclaimed:
"'But who in HI gave them the
order to fire. Range and everything
correct, too. know didn't. Wilson,
did I give you any order for the bat
terry to open up? OF course didn't,
did r.
81 answered very emphatically, No,
sir, you gave no command. Nothing
went through this post. I am abso-
lutely certain on that point, SIR
"'Of course nothing went through
he replied. Then his face fell, and he
muttered out loud:
"But, by Jove, wait till Old Pep
per gets wind of this. There'll be fur
flying
Just then Bombardier Cassell cut in
on the wire:
"'General's compliments to Captain
A.. He directs that officer and sig
naler report at the double to brigade
headquarters as soon as relieved. Re-
lief now on the way
"In an undertone to me, Keep a
brass front, Wilson, and for Gods
sake, stick answered with, Rely on
me, mate but was trembling all over.
II gave the generals message to the
captain, and started packing up.
1.-THE relief arrived, and as we left
the post the captain said:
"'Now for the fireworks, and know
they'll be good and plenty They were.
"Whea we arrived at the gun pits
the battery commander, the sergeant
major and Cassell were waiting for US.
We fell in line and the funeral march
to brigade headquarters started.
ARRIVING at headquarters the bat
terry commander was the first to be
interviewed. This was behind closed
doors. From the roaring and explo-
sions of Old Pepper it sounded as If
raw meat was being thrown to the
lions. Cassell, later, described 1t as
sounding like a bombing raid. In about
two minutes the officer reappeared.
The sweat was pouring from his fore
head, and his face was the color Of
beet. He was speeches.. AS he
passed the captain he jerked his thumb
in the direction of the lions den and
went out. Then the captain went in,
and the lions We're once again fed.
The captain stayed about twenty min
utes and came out. l couldn't see his
face, but the drOop IN his shoulders
was enough. He looked like a wet hen.
1.-THE door of the generals room
opened and Old Pepper stood in the
do.-y-av With a roar he shouted: