The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1918-10-19
DON MARTINS GREAT STORY
Continued from page u

The American ana German forces
had grinnly settled down to machine
gun and artillery duels across the
Vesle river. The enemy had been
gathering his forces, and it
was partly due to this that the Yam
KEGS were making no efforts to push |
their lines any considerable distance
north OF the river.
Don Martin, the Herald's special |
correspondent with the American ar
mics in France, true to his post, was
right where the guns beloved loud
est; right where he could see for
himself the news in the breaking and
making.
1t was to the Herald correspondent
that Baldwin told the story of his
daredevil gallop, and it was Martin
who gathered the tale how the mo-
notonous rattle of hidden Hun ma
chine guns had been taking venomous
toll of American lives. Fresh from
the front, where he had penetrated
further north than any of the allied
officers or enlisted men, Baldwin was
interviewed. Graphic was his des
cripticn Of his ride with his detach-
ment into the German lines north Of
the Vesle, opposite Fismes, for the
purpose of learning the location OF
enemy machine gun nests and batter
les. Here is the story, and for sheer
nerve, gallantry and daring it de-
| serves a place on the lists of all IA
NOUS rides, including those of Paul
| Revere and Sheridan. The charge OF
the Light Brigade, as told by Tenny-
son, was not more heroic
care you ready, boys?" cried the
lieutenant, turning in his saddle when
he and his men reached a spot where
they were to break into a road full
in view of the enemy and swept by
German guns.
"We're readyw came the answer.
"Then ride like hell" cried Bald
win, and clapping spurs to his mount
he swung down into the road and ur
the thoroughfare, leading the field
like the favorite horse leaping away
from the pack at the post. After
him galloped his men, hard riders all
strung out like a whip lash, each
man straining forward his mount
Whip and spur and loose rein it was.
every man bent over his saddle bow
some Of them coaxing on their hors-
es; others silent, grim of face, hop
ing by some miraculous chance to
escape unhit from the horizontal hail
Of German machine gun lead.
Shells ripped open the road. One
huge missile shrieked and whined cts
Hunnish rage before it shattered
earth fifty feet behind the rear horse
The animal reared and plunged, but
its rider chung to the saddle anc
yanked the reins until his beast was
again racing forward. head out
stretched, tail streaming behind.
Whips and spurs, spurs and whips
, and still they galloped on, not a mar
even scratched by Hun ball. Sharp
rel burst above them, a machine gu1
, bullet stung a horse like the flick O.
: hundred lashes, and one trooper
was nearly thrown when his steeC
plunged and SHE'D at the edge of ;
Y shell made crater.
: Close to the German lines the Yam
kee troopers jumped from their pant
ing, steaming horses, pulling then
into small wood, where the animal
were tethered to trees. Then on thei
, bellies the Americans craWled unit
, two hundred yards from the first lin
Of the Huns. They were instantl
spotted.
"Rat-tat-tat! rat-tat-tatw sang tn
German machine guns. German bul
n lets moaned and whined futilely, rico
e cheting from the few trees about tn
: Americans.
But Baldwin and his companion
S stayed until they had learned all the
d wanted to know, and then, still scorn
: ing the leaden rain, they turned bac
n to their horses. They were there
S trembling, nervous, eager to be Of
and away from the bullets splinter
S ing the trees about them. Somehow
S not horse had been injured
: Then it was a race for life agains
S death, and race they did. Back owe
the shell ploughed road they had
S ride, back through all the terror O
shell fire.
n Spur rowels deep in their horses
t TANKS, galloped the troopers, leaning
forward under cover of the necks Q
{ their mounts. They coursed as
e they bore charmed lives, and, reach
: ing American headquarters, they re
e ported the location of the German
u and their batteries and machine gu
Il nests, which were instantly shelled b
: the American guns.
:,