The Dermott news., 1918-08-15

De taken prisoner, yet no Too ieFSe
force. lest it might prove a menace
to the German arms.
After these hostile troops had
crossed, the plan was to destroy the
bridge to prevent their being re-
enforced. That was why the sergeant
manning this switch had been kept
waiting for the order to blow up the
bridge But the sergeant in the ex-
element and confusion thought that
the cable to which his phone was con
nected had been disconnected and blew
up the bridge on his own initiative
while it was crowded by Frenchmen
and long before the enemy could have
had an opportunity 10 cut that cable.
At the same time the officer at the
switch connected with the explosives
under the second bridge received his
orders. He afterwards said that the
order he received was hard TO make
out and that he had lost his presence
of mind and threw in the switch
thereby killing thousands on the bridge
and leaving many other thousands to
the mercy Of the enemy.
Before there was time for more i'm
presSions our entire unit was ordered
To Vitry to be assembled in front Of
the cathedral. With sigh of reliet
we hurried away. for the French ar
tillery began once more To send shells
with much accuracy over the entire
countryside Wounded men from other
detachments whom we passed on thu
road told us that the French had nj.
ready crossed the Marine in several
different places. Everyone among Us
voiced the same opinion. We had a..
ready sustained great losses on Bel.
gian soil and each day brought new
sacrifices. Our lines became thinner
and thinner. Many companies Were
entirely destroyed and all units Suf
fered heavily. These companies whose
forces had been reduced TO n minimum
and with the survivors half starved
were opposed by an army wei
equipped with supplies and arms. Tho
enemy constantly brought up fresl
troops while our forces became fewer
from hour to hour. We realized thai
II was impossible TO make stant
here We were constantly learning
from soldiers of other ContingentS thai
their losses in men and materials wer,
enormous.
l thought Of the God OF the Ger
mans. Had he forsaken them?
thought it SO loud that the other'
could hear.
Yes" said another. "whom thu
+ Lord wishes to punish is first stricken
with blindness. Probably he though
of Belgium, Donchery, Sommepy am
/ Suippes, and still many other place.
and Let us run into this perdItion Liz,
flying flends."
We reached Nitry. Here the miser,
seemed to be still greater than eve
before. for in the entire town thcr'
was not single house that was no
! ovcrcrowded with wounded. In TIN
midst of all this misery robbery flour
+ ished All residences had been emp
/ tied of their furnishings and every
thing was thrown into the streets t,
make room for the wounded.
The sanitary squads went over III,
town and took everything of any value
The muuition and railroad columns
/ followed the same practice. They hat
i plenty of room for plumber This was
amply proven by numerous seizure,
afterward OF parcels put in the mail
which contained gold rings, watches
precious stones, etc. The business OF
the marauderS ilouriShed here in Vitry
The soldiers in the supply columns en-
countered very little actual danger
they had an easy time as compared
with soldiers fighting ut the front.
We soon reached the cathedral and
reported To Lieutenant Elm. He also
had defended his fatherland ut safe
distance and here in the city. freshly
shaved and In immaculate attire he
looked very presentable.
The contrast was vivid as he stood
before lis who We're torn. dirty and GOV
cred with blood. with unkempt hair
with boards grown and caked with
mud and dirt.
We We're obliged 10 wait so we sal
down and looked around us. The
church was full of wounded. many
died under the hands of the doctors
They were carried out to make room
for others. The dead were carried &c
one side, where whole rows OF corpses
lay. We counted more than sixty.
On our way to Nitry we had begged
some bread, but we were still hungry
and our field kitchens were nowhere I'm
sight. The crews of our field kitchens
as well as our forage officers and non
commissioned officers prefer to defend
their fatherland many klometers be
mind the battle fronts. They did not
care about us as long rs they We're
not Obliged To go within range OF the
artillery fire. Comradeship has its
limitations with them.