Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1918-10-03
CHAPTER vIII-continued.


III
Other field kitchens We're near by.
They had prepared more food than
their companies needed. Many for
whom they had cooked will never eat
again. We were invited to come and
get whatever we wanted.
We had scarcely finished eating
when we had to march on. Presently
we were Joined by more members of
our company. Our captain appeared.
One Of our officers reported to him the
number missing. He stepped in front
of the company and said cheerfully,
''Good morning, men," although it was
seven o'clock in the evening. A growl
was the only response. We were then
ordered to go to the wagons standing
at the north side of the town, where
each man was to supply himself with
cartridges and three hand grenades.
We gathered at the wagons at 9 80
o'clock and each man took 500 car
tridges, his three grenades and matches
to light them. On the way to the wag-
ons we saw everywhere formations be-
ing hastily organized from stray sol
diers and we received the impression
of some great activity in preparation.
The rain had begun to fall in tor
rents. AS we took our places we saw
the streets filled with troops wearing
special uniforms to protect them
against the weather. These uniforms
consisted of a suit of weatherprOof
clothing. a cap, such baggage as must
be taken on march, tent cloth, tent
sticks, dishes and, with the pioneers,
trench tools. Thus equipped, we stood
in the rain and waited. ignorant Of
what lay before us.
We were ordered to take the breech
locks out of the guns and put them
in our bread bags. The guns now
were no good for shooting. We now
began to understand what lay before
us. A night attack was planned with
bayonets and hand grenades, and the
measures which had been taken were
taken SO that we would not shoot at
one another in the darkness.
We stood and waited until eleven
O'Clock, when the order suddenly came
to go into quarters. We did not know
what to make of this after all the
preparations. We could tell from the
drum fire and the red glare in the sky
that the battle had not Iessened in
violence. The sky glowed, illumined
by the burning villages and farms.
On the way to our quarters we heard
the officers saying among themselves
that final trial had been intended to
defeat the French. This had been the
reason behind the preparations for the
night attack which had now been
called Off
Headquarters apparently had de-
cided otherwise. Perhaps it was known
there that nothing could be accom-
plished by attacking and the order was
given to begin the retreat which was
put into effect the next morning at six
O'Clock. We did not realize then that
this was to be our last night in Vitry.
We were sheltered in shed for the
night. As we were very tired, we soon
were fast asleep. We were aroused at
four o'clock in the morning, everyone
was given a LOAF of breau and ordered
to fill his canteen with water, after
which the march began. Although we
were ignorant of our destination, the
Inhabitants of Vitry seemed to under
stand where we were going and they
stood on the streets throwing us sig
nificant glances.
Everywhere the feverish movement
was on. We stopped in front of the
town hall. Here the captain told us
lHdl because OF OliHcuIty In tne terrain
our troops had to vacate their posi-
lions and retire to nearby heights and
occupy new defenses. With that he
turned around and pointed to a ridge
on the horizon.
'There we shall make q stand and
wait for the enemy" he said. mo
re-enforcemeRts will arrive today and
In a few lays we may send picture
postal cards to your homes from
Paris"