The Nevada County picayune., 1918-08-22
CHAPTE R W.

The scene of the slaughter could now be surveyed at leisure. Dead and wounded were strewn all around, and over them clouds of smoke and flames made the air thick. But we were al ready too hardened to feel much pity. Humanity was thrown to the winds and the cries and begging of the wounded left everybody cold.
 Some Catholic sisters lay dead In front of their convent The only build ing that was spared in Donchery was the armory of the Twenty-third French dragoons.
 There was not much time in which to do anything. for at seven o'clock the French began to hurl shells Into the village. We fortified ourselves be hind a thick garden wall directly in front of the Mouse. The river bank at this point was flat, but on the oppo- site side 1t was steep. Here the French infantry had dug itself in and estab- hshed three lines, one above the other. The artillery firing was too far. We did not come within it's range. so that we were able to observe the effect of the smelling of our own artillery on the enemy infantry positions before us. The 21-centimeter shells raced by above our heads and burst with fear ful noise in the enemy's trenches.
 The French could not resist this hail of shot very long. They soon aban- doned all the heights on the river bank. They abandoned Soudan with out fight and it was left intact, which had not been the case with ponehery. Hardly house had suffered.
 When the buges sounded in Don chery. 1t was discovered that our com pany had lost 3S men In battle. A po- stion was taken behind the dragoon armory and our company which now was reduced to 90 men. was ordered to attempt the building of a pontoon bridge over the Mouse. After we had been re-enforeed by so men, we marched in small detachments In or der not to draw the enemy'S attention to us. After an hours march we stopped in n small forest about 200 meters from the Mouse 10 rest until darkness set In. At twilight a division bridge train was driven up close to our hiding place. This was soon fol- lowed by a corps bridge train as re serve. After all preparations were made and the main advance work, such as setting up the bridge stays and landing platforms, were ready. the single pontoon wagons drove up. They were speedily but silently unloaded. We completed four pontoons, that Is, 20 meters of bridge, without the enemy discovering anything.
 Then suddenly the searchlight of the enemy was set in action and scanned the river. We dropped to the xround at once. The enemy must have seen us, for the searchlights played here and there and kept our bridge position under continuous glare. We were discovered hardly before we knew what had happened, and a rain of Are fell in the water in front or us, We continued to lie nat on the Kround as four more shots struck the water this time . little nearer to the bridge and one shot hit the bank. At once s third rain of shot followed and TWO siruCk tne bEluke' A"S ihSh AN'i in the water and two lay dead on the bridge. Those in the water swan ashore and escaped none the worse for their experience except for a bath.
 In spite of the continued volume or artillery fire, we brought the two dead men to land. The bridge was now greatly damaged and there was no choice except to replace the damaged pertoons by new ones. We began this dlncult task as soon as the artillery fire let up. Hardly had we begun again when s salvo struck and greatly damaged the bridge. Fortunately we had no losses, We were now ordered 10 retire, and after a half hour begin anew, The enemy's searchlights were now dark. We brought about ten poh' tooAs up without interference and then we were suddenly bombsrded again We had attracted the attention or the snsny's patrol
 Several batteries aow opened nre on us st one time and after ten minutes tAs entire work was only . pile ei vr.ckaxe. I've more men were Killed. xns order nsw came to retire. Eigas