The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1918-07-04

Atwell was a good companion END
very entertaining. He had an utter
contempt for danger, but was not fool
hardy. At swearing he was wonder.
A cavalry regiment would have been
proud of him. Though born in 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 a 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 1T, we got many a fall
stumbling over the graves of English,
French and Germans. AtwelI 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
svas held by the Royal Irish rifles. For
! several days very strong rumor went
| the rounds that German spy was in
our midst. This spy was supposed TO
I. be dressed IN the uniform of a British
! staff officer. Several stories had been
/ told about an officer wearing a red
band around his cap, who patrolled the
front-line and communication trenches
asking suspicious questions as to loca-
ton Of batteries, machine-gun emplace-,
ments, and trench mortars. If shell
dropped in battery, on machine gun
or even near q 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.
Atwel1 and I 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 a communication
trench. we were Mortified to see our
brigadier general. Old Pepper, being
brought down Il by big private of the
Royal Irish rides. The general was
walking In front. and the private with
fixed bayonet was following in the
eear.
: We salpted as the general passed us.
The 1rsshman had a broad grin on his,
&nue and we could scarcely believe our
eyea--the general was under arrest
AFTER passing few feet beyond US, the
general turned. and said in a wrathful
H69ce to Atwell:
&asrAH this d-n fool who I am. He's
arrested me as a spy"
/ Atteelf was speechless. The sentry
buttsd 10 with:
''None o. that gassin' out o. you
Back to headquarters you goes, Mr..
Fritz. Open that face o. yours again,
an TIL dent In your napper with the
butt o. me rife"
The generals face was a 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 1t really
was the general he had under arrest,
but the sentry threatened to run his
bayonet through him, and would have
done IL, too. So Atwell stepped aside, {
and remained silent. I was nearly
bursting with suppressed laughter. One
word. and I would have exploded. 1t
is not exactly diplomatic to laugh at
your general IN such a predicament.
The sentry and his prisoner arrived
at brigade headquarters with disas-
trous results to the sentry.
The joke was that the general had
personally issued the order for the
spy's arrest. 1t was q habit of the gen.
eral to walk through the trenches on
rounds of inspection, unattended by
any OF his staff The Irishman. being
new In the regiment, had never seen
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 red
band around their caps.
Next day we passed the Lrishman
tied TO the wheel of a timber. the be-
ginning of his sentance of twenty-one
days, field punishment No. 1. Never
before have seen such a woebegone
expression on a mans face.
For several days, Atwell and / made
ourselves scarce around brigade head
quarters. We did not want TO meet
the general.
The spy was never caught.