The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1918-07-11

OF us behaved as II we had not taken
part In the terrible events OF the last
four. as If we hnd not seen the bor-
rors of this encounter and as n we
had forgotten entirely the danger we
had just escaped.
As 10 honoring the dead. something
which had been taught US by our naoil-
ers from Infancy. or fear which tile
average person feels toward body
there was no sign. Ny pen would balk
u ! tried 10 recall the expressions. 10
describe the acts soldiers as well rs Of
ficers committed to determine the ma
tionality OF sex Of the dead. In tie
meantime. the hattie between our
troops and the French had reached q
climax Our troops had suffered great
losses but now our turn came.
The German artillery shelled as we
crossed the eDemy's position with
great fury Our artillery succeeded In
siiencipg the enemy's batteries and we
tried TO take his high positions by
storm.
When we we're within 200 meters OF
the cBcfns's defenses. the French ma.
chine guns were turned upon US and
we were driven back with enormous
losses
Ten minutes later. We storrned q
second time and had To retire again
with great losses. We again formed
for attack within the shelter OF our
trenches. hut the fighting spirit was
gone. Buf we dared not lose courage.
although the victims OF our useless
sforminy attacks covered the field and
we we're able to look at our dead COM
rndes all about us.
The artillery started up again: re-
endorsements arrived: after half an
hour. We sformed third time. over
the bodies OF our fallen comrades As
we halted about ~ meters from the
eDemy's trench. he withdrew his en-
tire hrst line Soon after we saw the
Germans advance along the whole line
The reason for this unexpected retrea;
WAS explained later when We learned
that iis Iiisin part OF the French army
had retired some time before. The
heavy tSii of life among our comrades
was taken In u mere rear-guard action.
Dnrinr' the next hour the enemy
nhandoiicd all the heights of the
Meuse- As we reached the crest of
these heights. we could easily over
look the reads over which the French
had retr-ated. They were departing In
close formation. In long columns. our
company aud others received o-ders
10 assemble and soon we pursued the
fleeing enemy. IL WIS our work to re-
pair roads which had been destroyed
30 that they would be passable for our
armies. task that was harder in the
burning midday sun. owing to the fact
ihnt the dead and wounded had first to
be disposed of.
The dead bodies were seired by two
men. one at the head and the other Mt
the feet. and thrown into the ditch.
ccrpses were handled exactly rs was
board 20 he used In building bridge.
Legs and arms were tossed likewise
Int the ditch. Dead horses and dam
aged batteries had TO be removed. We
were not strong enough 10 remove dead
horses. We managed TO capture a horse
which was running wild and hitched
him 20 the csrcasses. Corpses hanging
In the trees were left there. No one
cared anything about them.
Canteens and knapsacks of the dead
were searched for food and drink and
whatever we found was eaten with the
greatest relish.
French soldiers who had died OF
sunstroke covered the road. Others
crnwled TO right and left OF the road
and waited there for relief or death.
We did not dare to help them. The
order was to advance and We had TO
march on and on. The captain told us
We had to pursue the fleeing enemy
with nll our strength and much dis
content was manifest ON receip, Of this
order.
After being on our feet day and
night. staying like barbarians. taking
no time to ent or rest. We continued to
receive commands TO maintain the pur-
suit with all haste. The captain un-
derstood how we felt and tried to
pacify MS by friendly conversation