Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-04-19
oscE coLEMAN's STORY.
Brave South caroIinian Tells OF Ex-
ploit in a Letter.

Brave South caroIinian Tells OF Ex-
plot in a Letter.
Here Is a letter that Mrs. Oliveros
OF Columbia. has received from her
nephew. Lieutenant Osce Coleman IN
France, and which was published in
the Columbia State of last Sunday:
Dear Aunt Frank:
wrote you a letter thanking you
for the wonderful box that you sent
me and delayed mailing it for about
ten days on account Of forgetfulness
so I am writing again to make up for
the other letter. This time l am writ
ing what is to be great news. l only
wish Grandfather Holloway was a.
live to hear this. l being the oni!
representative from our family over
here, and In fact In the army. have
tried to do justice towards our fu-
ture reputation as loyal and brave
citizens, and I shall let you judge
when you have heard my story.
Perhaps you will hear before this
through the newspapers. I have been
in the trenches for almost seven days
without very much sleep end not
garment touched during this time.
To start with I was weak, sleepy and
tired and being In the front line
trenches isn't the best thing for any
ones nerves. had been conducting
the fire of our battalion OF 75's on
working party about / a. m. on
March l. AS the deafening sound OF
our high explosive would die away
through the chill of the early morn
ing would come the shrieks and
groans Of Mr.. Boche as he scampercd
away.
At $50 q. m. on the same morning
| was dumbfounded by the sudden
volume of explosions that seemed
never to quit. The shell of the enc
my had cut our telephone communi-
cations and 1t was impossible for us
to find out just what was going on.
Our first information came when a
sergeant with dirt, sweat and pale
face came dashing up and said that
the Boches were raiding our trenches.
Immediately started, although we
have no artillery in the front line,
but feeling that 1t was my duty. |
went. AS l came up to the portion OF
the lines that had been raided the
Germans were going over the top
back to their own lines. To my left
and to my right were the dying Huns.
I began searching their bodies, even
before they were dead in some cases.
to get anything that would give us
any information. could not find
any of our own dead until Ihad
searched eleven of the enemy and
was on my way to my 18th one when
| saw a poor boy that had been hit by
a shrapnel. His remains were picked
up with n shovel and buried. He
was in threads. Then I went on with
my duties.
l had finished searching over a
score when l heard the sad news of
my friends death. He was from Dill
Is -C-The- aon.-ot Dr. Iohn H
David, Sr. We were in school to-
gether and I had been with him In the
trenches for quite a while. If l had
obeyed my feelings l would have sat
beside him and mourned for the re-
mainder of the day. but my duty was
before me and l was about "all in"
too. but looking out across mo Mans
Land" l spied n Boche who was
wounded making his way back to his
own line. The lines are about 800
meters apart at this particular place
and he was $50 meters from me.
It was 10 o'clock and very clear
and knew the snipers were on their
jobs and the machine guns too, but
prisoners are very valuable so 1t was
up to me. The men on outposts stop
ped me saying that machine gun fire
had been playing around all morn
ing but l stripped myself Of every
thing that would prevent me being
free and started. II seemed hours and
hours before I reached my objective.
It is no pleasant job to crawl through
mud and shell holes with two knees
and one hand with a gun in the 9TH
or. was about 40 feet from Mr..
Boche before he saw me and when
he turned his face to me he began to
yell "kamerad!'
hugged the ground because
knew the others in the trenches
would fire In the direction OF the
noise. They did. / got him quiet
and was about to start on my way
home when | heard a rustling noise
behind me. l turned just In time to
put n shot about one and half iRches
above his left eye. His dying face
will forever be in my imagination. /
could not sleep for two nights after
wards. Whenever would close my
eyes l could see nothing but his
bloody, trembling face gasping for
it's last few breaths. I searched him
before he died and was soon on my
way back. 1t was a journey never to
be forgotten.
turned my prisoner over to
stretcher brearers with orders to have
his wounds dressed and then bring
him to headquarters. Being unable
to sleep I roamed for the remainder
of that day and the next.
Late on the afternoon Of March 2.
l received orders to report to a GER
tain place the next morning at 3
o'clock. / was a little late. arriving
and found the battalion of infantry
that was serving with during the
raid in the field. AS 1 came to the
front in answer to my name the bat
talon came to present arms and the
prime minister Of France, in the pres
ence Of the French commanding gen.
eral of the first army. and his stan
and our commanding general with
his staff. came up to me and decorat-
ed me with the famous "Croix de
Guerre" with a palm. the palm be-
Ia