Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1918-08-30


Frenchmen to pass so that they coult
be taken prisoner, yet. not too larg'
a force, lest 1t might prove a menace
to the German arms.
After these hostile troops hat
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 bEidge on his own initiative
while Il was crowded by Frenchmen
and long before the enemy could have
had an opportunity to 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
10 Vitry TO be assembled in front OF
the cathedral. With sigh OF relief
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
detacbments whom we passed on the
road told us that the French had al
ready crossed the Marine In several
different places. Everyone among US
voiced the same opinion. We had al
ready sustained great losses on Bel
CLAN soil and each day brought new
sacrifices. Our lines became thinner
and thinner Many companies were
destroyed and all units suf-
fered heavily. These companies whose
forces had been reduced to minimum |
and with the survivors half starved
were opposed by an army well
equipped with supplies and arms. The
enemy constantly brought up fresh
troops while our forces became fewer
from hour to hour. We realized that
Z was impossible to make a stand
here. We were constantly learning
rom soldiers of other contingents that
heir losses In men and materials were
enormous.
l thought OF the God of the Ger.
mans. Had he forsaken them2
/ thought II so loud that the others
'ould hear.
yes" said another. "whom the
ord wishes TO punish Is first stricken
With blindness. Probably he thought
e Belgium, Donchery, Sommepy and I
'ulppes, and still many other places
nd let us run into this perdition like ,
ying flends."
We reached Vitry. Here the misery
eemed 10 be still greater than ever \
efore. for In the entire town there ,
7as not n single house that was moi ,
vercrowded with wounded. In the
,idst OF all this misery robbery flour I
he'd. All residences had been emp G
ed OF their furnishings and every
hing was thrown into the streets to v
lake room for the wounded. r
The sanitary squads went over the |
,wn and took everything of any value n
he munltlon and RAILROAD columns $
allowed the same practice They had II
enty of room for plumber. This was a
nply proven by numerous seizures II
'terward of parcels put In the mail, II
hich contained gold rings, watches "
'ecious stones, etc. The business OF
g marpuders flourished here In Vitry
he soldiers IN the supply columns en- 4,
untered very little actual danger: :,
ey had an easy time as compared .,
til soldiers fighting at the front. n,
We soon reached the cathedral and e.
ported TO Lieutenant Elm. He also !.
d defended his fatherland at a safe o.
stance and here In the city, freshly =,
aved and In immaculate attire he "
'ked very presentable. :.
The contrast was vivid as he stood "a
fore us who were torn, dirty and COW =,
I'd with blood. with unkempt hair. Il,
IN boards grown and caked with a.
ID and dirt. :.
We We're obliged to walt so we sat ~,
vn and looked around us. The 49,
lrch was fun or wounded; many ~
q under the hands of the doctors. %
ey were carried out to make room o.
others. The dead were carried to 80
} side where whole rows OF corpses a.,
. We counted more than sixty. ag
IN our way TO Yitry we had begged no
pc bread. but we were still hungry 20
our field kitchens were nowhere In go
ht. The crews of our field kitchens no
well as our forage officers and non X
ln'issiohed "inoers prefer 10 uetenu "Y
Ir fatherland many kilometers be- a..
d the battle fronts They did not ~,
e about us as long as they were
obliged TO 90 within range OF the ms
llery FIRE. Comradeshlp has It's "o
Itations with them. no
I 4.