The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1918-08-02
CHAPTER vIII-continued.

tOther field Kitchens were near by.
HESsy had prepared more food than
: ahsU companies needed. Many for
shs7ru they had cooked will never eat
again We were invited to come and
Z H9s whatever we wanted.
We had scarcely finished eating
MaTn we had to march on. Presently
err were Joined by more members Of
onr company. Our captain appeared.
Give of our officers reported to him the
wEzHher missing. He stepped in front
al the company and said cheerfully,
--TTe0d morning, men," although it was
asven o'clock in the evening. A growl
rsssaS the only response. We were then
uvdsered TO go to the wagons standing
IA the north side of the town, where
oznrh man was to supply himself with
cartridges and three hand grenades.
: we gathered at the wagons at 9 sc
asCS0eir and each man took 500 car
i1xiagcS, his three grenades and matches
10 light them. On the way to the wag-
rz1S we saw everywhere formations be-
Eisg hastily organized from stray SOL
Gsaerx and we received the impression
af some great activity In preparation.
The rain had begun to fall in tor
Ee1tS- AS we took our places we saw
9Ese streets filed with troops wearing
gYserSal uniforms to protect them
<ss-aast the weather. These uniforms
/. s1snS1Sted of q suit of weatherproof
.actSGrning, a cap such baggage as must
We Izlen on q march. a tent cloth, tent
clicks, dishes and, with the pioneers.
fspnch tools. Thus equipped, we stood
I'm the rain and waited, ignorant Of
rssst lay before us.
We we're ordered to take the breech
1acks out Of the guns and put them
a1 our bread bags. The guns now
zSxe no good for shooting. We now
hs.czn TO understand what lay before
arG- A night attack was planned with
zEsasures which had been taken were
Szarn SO that we would not shoot at
naze another In the darkness.
We stood and waited until eleven
cscsack, when the order suddenly came
IN 80 into quarters. We did not know
What SO make of this after all the
separations. We could tell from the
stsisIR FIRE and the red glare in the sky
zAsHt the battle had not lessened in
v5ssence. The sky glowed, illumined
nv the burning villages and farms.
On fhe way to our quarters we heard
clssR officers saying among themselves
chat q final trial had been intended to
GSr2eat the French. This had been the
x,raSon behind the preparations for the
night attack which had now been
r.EIesl Off.
Headquarters apparently had de-
yTScifsi otherwise. Perhaps it was known
f.sSSsse that nothing could be accom-
U&stsed by attacking and the order was
xs'sen TO begin the retreat which was
Eszt into effect the next morning at six
. niclaek- We did not realize then that
rzjazs vas to be our last night In Vitry.
Vie were sheltered in shed for the
-nfght- AS we were very tired. we soon
wpere fast asleep. We were aroused at
EsEHr O'clock in the morning, everyone
WAS given loaf of breau and ordered
ria f5ti hfs canteen with water, after
Tvssre Egnerant OF our destination, the
fa5uhltants of Vitry seemed to under
ssssAn1 where we were going and they
z-nspd on the streets throwing US sig
8ifr2zt glances.
Everywhere the feverish movement
was on We stopped In front of the
-esswn hall. Here the captain told us
sIsat because of difficulty in the terrain
ear troops had to vacate their posi-
tkeps and retire to nearby heights and
aRccupy new defenses. With that he
surned around and pointed to a ridge
-ssp the horizon.
~'fhere we shall make stand and
-SsHif for the enemy" he said. "No
fre-snfsrcements will arrive today and
I'm a few days we may send picture
install cards to your homes from