The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1918-05-02

:" ID.
chine gun complacements.
l, had made my way into tho trench
es shortly after the noon hour and as
1 passed from place to place there
was hardly face that was able to
hide signs of extreme nervousness.
There were frequent attempts at lew
ity. but I noticed that very few OF
the jokes got "hand.'
Nearly every officer and man was
smoking.
Soon a colonel came through
the trenches. stopping a moment or
SO to say few words to every sroup
that he met.
Nowhere haL I seen such such in
innate fellowship between officer and
men. The boys crowded around
him and eagerly drank in his every
word. 1t was easy to see that he had
their entire confidence and that he
was popular leader with them.
| Here is where we show 'em what
we're made of. boys" he said a num-
Der of times. 1.-The whole world is
going to know what we do this at
ternoon."
A captain stepped up to him and
said:
lis it true. colonel. that you are
going over the tops with us?"
1T is" replied the colonel, quiet
ly.
But, colonel" protested the cap
tain, you have no right to risk your
life in this fashion"
I'm not thinking or concerned
with that side Of it. captain. What
do know Is that this attack must
be made a success. We can't afford
to start of with a fall-down. I'm
going over the top ahead of you and
your men, because I want you all to
realize the Importance of success"
*ss
Not very many minutes after this.
our artillery, hidden in woods and
gullies and under camoufage be-
hind our line, opened up. At first
the firing was desultory, but as the
German guns began to reply, our
own increased the intensity of their
fire until there was nothing but one
long deafening roar, louder, from
time to time, as the biggest calibres
sent their enormous shells screech-
ing and singing over our heads to-
ward the enemy trenches some 500
yards in front of US.
1 thought had seen violent bonn
bardments in front of Dimude, up
in Belgium, last fall, when in the
course of a single day 1900 shells
were exchanged: but that firing was
nothing in intensity to what 1 wit
messed on the American front.
In the small space Of 80 minutes,
during the battle our scores of guns
poured more than 10000 shell into
those German trenches and strong
holds. And the fire was kept up,
without a seconds pause, for more
than four hours!
In our trenches, the initial ner-
vousness OF our men soon wore
away, and they settled down to their
jobs with the seriousness of veterans
Then it was that had a good chance
to study them.
Folks at home, never realized
until then that our wars are not
fought by mature men, but by mere
boys. or course, our new conscript
army will be older, but in the Amer
lean lines with me today was many
a lad who is yet to celebrate his
twentieth birthday.
BeardleSs volunteers they were er-
eryone of them; strong timber, clean
cut American boys from high schools
and factories and offices, most of
whom could have stayed out of this
war, but who had come in because
their veins pulsated with real, red
blood, and the spirit of adventure
and fight stirred their entire beings
y boy l had known for years came
hurrying along, saying as he passed
me:
Billy Smith just went over. Got
1t in the head from 4 machine gun"
l had known Billy for 4 fine, big,
jovial fellow. His entire company
will mourn his loss.
More than one boy looked at his
wrist-watch as the minute approach
ed to go over the top But the
American artillery fire only increas-
ed in volume and everybody began to
wonder if it would stop.
What will we do if il hasn't stop
ped when the time comes to go over"
a captain asked Of colonel
why go right on over" the col
onel answered.
Five minutes before the leap, ev-
cry man was ready to climb out of
the trenches.