The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-02-13
copyright, 1879

Now we formed into TWO rows. one
behind the other. The order sounded 70
load and aim and we each put i've cart
ridges Into our rifles. prepare [" tire
the men in the first row kneel down
and the second row took their places
Our guns were now held SO that ihH
barrels were forward ard the butts we're
hip high "Ai,u"--and slowly we aimed.
holding our guns tightly with the butts
against our shoulders and our fingers
on the triggers.
Tho sergeant paused halr minute and
then ordered US to fire. l do not know
20 this day whether our victim died at
once aor was there ever an opportunity
10 learn how many OF the SIX outlets
found their marks. All day went
l. around like q man in n trance rcproach-
inS myself bitterly FOR having acted t'H
part Of exccut toner. For long time
could not bear to speak about !, 20 mF
comrades. :or felt guilty and yet what
. could W. soldiers do other than execute
the orders given US?
In :he evening We went into camp IN
an open field. pitching tents. and the
next day continued our march.
The country through which We passed
was uninterGsting and offered nothing IN
;h.. way OF variety. The few tiny VII
iaccs through which We passed had All
houses mostly destroyed. Long trains OF
fuE!tivcS passed US continually. These
people were as a rule those who had cS-
capped when the French army rcucatcd
and were returning now TO line thciF
homes destroyed by the rough hand OF
war.
After a long march. interrupted only
by halls and short bivouacS. VIC ap-
preached the large Bclgian-French Dor
der town % SuEny. located on the Bel
: gian side Of tho border. II was ABOUT
! noon and as the thunder Of cannon con-
| s,antly grew stronger. which Indicated
, that a new battle was developing. VIC
hoprd To be able 20 remain in the town
over night About ! 100 we entered ana
were hillcted in (. big barn. Most or the
! soldiers refused 20 cat from the tIeld
| kitchens and reQuisitoned eggs, chickens
! gcesu and young pigs. Soon everybody
! was cooking. | am Sorry TO say thAt
! mos, o: those who foraEcd had refused
! to pay for what they had taken
Several soldiers now arrived with par
! rcls of wine and also many oottleS.which
were instantly opened and emptied. The
! obvious resulted and soon many non
; commissioned officers and men ~er"
! helplcssly drunk. Tho owner OF our
| bsrn had possessed three large hogs.
One OF the drunken nnn-commis-
stoned officers tried 20 kill ono OF these
hogs with x dull pockctkOlt" lie had
tortured tho poor beast almost 10 dcl'h
when thr animal was tn"rci;uily KlI'cu
hy 4 bullet. y few minutes altcr"aF"
I ths officer w"ut I" sleep inns "'S'
= only Al rXampi" and not th' worst Lo'
! IN. inhabitants Of iI,is town had 10 en-
I,.-.. n,ucn rom our Mon vino had be-
! come drunk. There were open and Sc
.-.., rchb.-:>s ot gardens: stables ana
! nn,is,,s here and no restrictions Whatever
: were. rut on tn" soldiers. Thrr" WIS
,., .l,rrrovrr"nt IN their general conduct
.i..s,.,r. riany complaints. TN" >amHE
roin,rted ,aat the French had treated
in.n very we'll hu, that our hlSh!E
trained soldiers plund"rrd and stole. II
was therefore not surprising thti inc
..,.pulat!uu suffered want ana munger
,r;.r shared my bread with th"S" SUI
.,r.r,. y,.uplr With two comrades. ono
J,. I gave my portion "f meat. r"S"'a-
Mss and preserves AND also = haE OF
rri,,r,; 80 4 woman with rIGh; children.
E.r,us,, III" iron WIS missing III our
hlnod "" three were sentenced 20 extra
r,..h du,y for week for the "t;cnse
OF disniayIrg 4 i"v" OF humanity.
/, r,u- Ir,,i.r. Lieutenant ~ Reserve
Elm, declared ttai SrTt' q ta!nS as ply
wa.s INSANITY II" said II IN" woman MAO
Ugh; ca..dr"7 intt' "aN '''
.rf..r. NJ concluded. ~ saying with great
.,..L,.i.. a., war. everybody looks out
:,- "a. :ns..lv"$.cv"a Il everything aroU"o
f,,.u I,.r,ShcS."
,,n.hcr soldier WAS sentenced In SrrE"
+, I.,y- az hard Ia boz. lie was bringing
bread t. Il hungry family and ia" SIN
email inav"S in his arms "hlca NJ I!Hi
gathered from among IN" So!hl''S' ne
same l:"u;-rnnt mot him. acc"nilf'n'e"
a.: scv.ra! nn:.-c"mm"Ssion'u oA'''''H
70. IN" nu".,tIrn as /" wh"Vc NJ 49, b.
ing. IL, replied thai h" "aS On ms way
-, assist 4 poor family which had actual
IL suffered hunger. Tn" Il''utcnat't a'
,,c., ordered him 10 return the nrca0 10
,; ..,,ronuy. Then he ragged and ragcn
-, .r. suldl.r calling him fool. IDIOT
tIo,,.n,., etc But the soldier never
,h.l.ss did no; nh"y and when inc i.'u-
tenant numbered q second comfnan" ~
halt. the soldier turned around ana tnF'"
IN. bread hccor" thc lieutenant '"'I
.rh.u hc said quietly. Il do n"t WISH ''"S
lodv any harm. hut X you m" you,
;,r;ncratir family had To rHHu'' W.
M. poor E"l:ianS arc "hllG'd |" 49,
,,,r,, hr a bitter but just lesson
,.,, ,,,,r v,S sentenced - serve "a
,.. far ;,Ikiug beck to his superior OIL
r !, SURPRISED US AL that nc vas let
Ill s" easily. ..d -
,r,nrtirr t. military law. hr had TO
suffer his punishment in the 'oito"iHH
.,,..r,,~ when IN. company. attrr
h,.,h. .r march. turned IN I" rest LOT '.''
night. :his man hal I" report ~ Il n",'
commissioned officer Tor ~ DAYS nv
,ras ;h.u placed in tn" guar" tH'uS'' wiz
49,. cn.,n,uv rested and tho men Wc7" *
,'t,. ,,rJ n, could not leave except ny
..,,;..,,r of tn. Officer Of N" guard
H. .,.,v forbidden - smoke. read. or IAN"
,,-, !, conversation and rcc"IE"H nus
,,,.,is froln :, guard except "hHh 80
.n,,narv once. NOR" St;ru" Va -
march. In addition IN thus. n" WIZ ""
:nr ,,yo hours at IA timc - Z tree ~ sum.
o,hcr n,,jrc: with ropes. ''Fcn !" Nv now
.,I-,..,,y endured =. long march or n'''h III
= battle tn protect the very
;.rn;sn which bound MIN. ,
in,t hi,,rracsa IN tn" ranks gre" 't".
~. III. r,;,rv hard punishm"niS ,hA'
nrnununccd created 80 rhucn Ger
49,, ,b.. soldiers refused TO ne any
~ heir ,onmrad,S.
X L.r, Surnv tho next morning ana
, hour later crossed INC frI'C
..,,,, horde. Here ae:'iIn "c "'r' "'u.'
I =, rive thrr'. cheers ~ W. "'' "''.''
49, ,rnops first crossed G'r'h'uiE ItAt'
r.i,,tIl,r 1t noon VIC arrive" a.
1.r-. We remained in IN" Village
until evening and w"r'' ''eF', ~ ~
i'r,,,. WITHOUT restrictions In the a or
,,, nine men of my company WIRE III
-,.e,r,, fer :Ls>=lultinE woman OUT ~oic
sorn rnlcsCsrd ,.,+v
At this tim" there WAS Er''HN So
- ,a,,,co among our soldiers anu
;-,u,,. that = mark or more Wiz P'A'. 80
NM" ',.a whcncvcr on" was offered Tor
! <,,,c Here in Eivi"r-An-'@u '''e'r
< An, one government tobacco s,au. l
:'ut h,.,v mon were. forced by nom
hit'' I;na officers NJ tho point ni
c'"'a'', - ,rvr M :hcir "niirc supply OF
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