The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1918-04-12
stweu was a 5000 companion i

Atwell was a 5000 companion i
>,prv entertaining. He rad an utter
contempt for danger, but was not looi-
hardy. At swearing he was wonGer.
A cavalry regiment would have Deen
nroud Of him. Though born III Eng
land, he had spent several years in
New York. He was about six feet one,
and as strong as an OK.
We took up our quarters in large
dugout of the royal engineers, and
mapped out our future actions. This
dugout was on the edge Of a large
cemetery, and several times at night
in returning to it, we got many fall
stumbling over the graves Of English,
French and Germans. Atweh on these
occasions never INDUCED in swearing,
though at any other time, at the least
stumble, he would turn the air blue
A certain section Of our trenches
was held by the Royal Irish rifles. For
several days very strong rumor went
the rounds that q German spy was IN
our midst. This Spy was supposed to
be dressed in the uniform Of British
staff officer. Several stories had been
told about an officer wearing a red
band around his cap, who pafrolled the
front-line and communication trenches
asking suspicious questions as to loca-
ton of batteries, machine-gun emplace-
ments. and trench nortars. If shell
dropped in battery, on a machine gun
or even near a dugout, this spy was
blamed.
The rumor gained such strength that
an order was issued for all troops to
Immediately place under arrest anyone
answering to the description of the
spy.
Atwell and 1 were on the qui vive.
We constantly patrolled the trenches
at night, and even in the day, but the
spy always eluded US.
One day while in communica atom
trench, we were Mortified to see our
brigadier general, Old Pepper, being
brought down it by big private of the
Royal Irish rifles. The general was
walking in front, and the private with
fixed bayonet was following in the
rear.
We saluted as the general passed US.
The Irishman had a broad grin on his
face and we could scarcely believe our
eyes-the general was under arrest.
After passing a few feet beyond us. the
general turned, and said in wrathful
voice to Atwell:
'Tell this d-n fool who I am. Hes
arrested me as a spy"
Atwell was speechless. The sentry
butted in With:
"None o. that gassin' out O. you
Back to headquarters you goes, Mr
Fritz. Open that face O yours again
an I'll dent in your napper with the
butt O. me rifle.'
The generals face was sight to be-
hold. He was fairly boiling over with
rage, but he shut up.
Atwell tried to get in front Of the
sentry to explain to him that it really
but the sentry threatened to run his
bayonet through him. and would have
done it, too. SO Atwell stepped aside
and remained silent. I was nearl!
bursting with suppressed laughter. One
word, and I would have exploded. i
is not exactly diplomatic to laugh a
your general in such predicament.
The sentry and his prisoner arrived
at brigade headquarters with disas
trous results to the sentry.
The joke was that the general hat
personally issued the order for the
spy's arrest 1t was habit of the gen
eral to walk through the trenches or
rounds of inspection, unattended b!
any of his staff. The Irishman, bein:
new in the regiment, had never seer
the general before, so when he came
across him alone in a communication
trench, he promptly put him under ar
rest. Brigadier generals wear a rex
hand around their caps.
Next day we passed the 1rishmal
tied to the wheel of timber, the be
ginning of his sentence Of twentE-on'
days, field punishment No. l. Never
before have | seen such a woebegon'
expression on a mans face.
For several days, Atweli and made
ourselves scarce around brigade head
quarters. We did not want to NEE
the general.
The spy was never caught.
CHAPTER XIV.