The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1918-07-25

we could see the bursting shells, like little
puffs of cotton, lining up in straight
line across the sky and then all at once
they turned and went back at right
angles. The captain said: well, we
are out of danger now. The Boche is
running for home" And SO we came
light down, but was perfectly satisfied
to get back on the ground again even II
the boche had turned back home.
The next day we went on to Verdun
and with me was young lieutenant who
had been assigned to me as my military
aid, who spoke French very beautifully
and we arrived at the fortress about noon.
We had telephoned in advance to the
Colonel of the citadel, who had been told
of our coming and they were looking for
U.S. AS we stepped out of our car into
the city, we found that this was the first
day of the offensive, although we did not
know that the offensive was on, but we
could hear an unusual amount of artillery
fire. We had heard it all the way across
France as we had travelled along the line
the whole distance. AS we came into
the city we stopped our car to get some
Instructions It is good thing we stop
ped because just about ten seconds after
we stopped shell burst about $50 yards
up ahead of us in the road. That was
our welcome to Verdun. We got there
and met the colonel and then we had
real treat.
The old citadel of Verdun is one of the
most remarkable edifices in the world.
1t is built of great blocks of masonry
that were carved out of the mountain
side some place back in the middle ages
and it is absolutely impenetrable to shell
fire. 1t is the only thing in the city that
has resisted the shell fire for four years.
Verdun, to my mind, is the saddest city
in the world, because it is not complete
ly destroyed as some of the French cities
1t is sufficiently destroyed to show the
great wreck and havoc of war but there
is enough left to suggest the beauty that
was there. You see corinthian column
or beautiful piece of facade that speaks
of the beauty that is truly French in
its character And all the city is spread
out there, all dismantled more or less by
shell fire, all evacuated of the civilian
population, but enough left to show you
great city that is no more. On high
elevation of ground at one side of the
citadel, like woeful angel of despair, is
the great cathedral with its arms stretch
ed out in protest towards Germany.
We spent a delightful time with this
old colonel. He is great old man. l
never saw such a great, stalwart, fear
less old fellow in my life. | can speak of
him in these terms of calm admiration
right now, but that afternoon [ did not
feel that way towards him. don't think
that man knew the meaning of the word
fear. There was terrific shell fire going
on at that time, the shells were dropping
everywhere. We had luncheon under
ground and the colonel said: "Too bad,
the shells are falling quite fast, but we
shall have a pleasant afternoon in spite
of them" We had a great time at din
ner there. | have got menu that the
colonel had prepared for us, a special
menu and he signed it and gave it to me.
1t is very precious possession | assure
you.
He said: "You have your automobile
here? l should like to show you our
greatest fortress" Of course, you I'M
derstand that all this was interpreted
back and forth by the lieutenant who
was with me l said: "We certainly
would like to see it, We went out and
got into the automobile and then we
started to 60 up this very high piece of
ground and saw this famous fortress.
Stretched in front of it are the bones of
over 100000 Germans that have been
killed there in an endeavor to overcome
the defense of Verdun. Verdun has stood
like the rock of Gibraltar for four years.
And SO the old colonel on this afternoon
took us on a ride through the city, pointed
out to us the historical spots throughout
the city and all the time the shells were
dropping uncomfortably close. AS we
came to great stone archway that led
into tunnel, that went into the fortress,
couple of soldiers saluted and l heard
the word "Bombardment." The old
colonel waived them aside; as if that were
nothing, as if it were quite a common
pla ;e part Of the landscape. Then he
pointed out the various places of interest.
Some of the boys picked up some articles
from the old trenches, stocks of rifles,
some old shell cases. One of the boys
picked up shell that had not exploded
and the colonel told him not to take any,
thing of that nature. The exploded ones
were all right, but not to fool with the
ones that had not been exploded because
they sometimes had way of going off.
We met the captain, great, big, splen-
did looking Frenchman. He was fine
looking man, with his coat decorated
Will Ill hlluS VI AlCud1S anu 1lUUOuo Iudt
the Frenchman loves to wear and he
looked great deal like Nat Willis in his
palmiest days. Haughter.)
This splendid captain that had been a
man of great bravery, as he reached the
topmost part of the fortress and led us on
to a great parapet, suddenly was taken
with shaking and as l looked ahead
saw great pit which looked as though it
had been just freshly dug by some giant
steam shovel. The captain came back
and smiled at the colonel and begged to
be excused, and don't blame him bit.
Judging from what saw afterwards. The
captain was victim of shell shock. The
colonel rushed out and clasped his hands
together and stood at the edge Of this
hole. never saw man SO satisfied and
happy in his life. asked what happened.
The young lieutenant said, "Just mo-
ment. l will tell you when the colonel
tells me-" The colonel then said some
thing and then the young lieutenant
turned around to me and said: ''The
colonel said, is it not magnificent that
for your pleasure one of the very largest
of the German shells has just exploded
here2'" Qaughter)
Then the Colonel gave me the widest
two hours l ever had in my life. We
were right out on the most CONSPICUOUS
part of the worlds territory. l am sure
that we could be seen from that place