Tombstone epitaph., 1918-08-11

reigned in the killing. There was a
Belgian woman lying next to Belgian
baby which she had borne from house
TO street. Close by lay a man of I'M
certain years before an empty house.
Both his legs were burned TO the
knees. His wife lay ON his breast and
sobbed SO pitifully that her grief could
not be endured. Most Of the dead
we're entirely or partly burned. The
cries Of agony of the animals fighting
inclncration were mixed with the
groans and sobbiny of the wounded.
Blu; n" one had time TO bother with
them. The French were making an
other stand outside the city in an open
field As the enemy vacated the town
the Germans made an error which cost
them hundreds OF lives. They had oc-
cupied the entir. town so quickly that
the German aTi:ii-r. which sheiieG q
part Of the city did not know of the
change In the situation and threw
shells into the tanks of the infantry.
Finally our soldiers were compelled TO
give MP some Of their gains by the
pressure Of our own as well as the
French fire. but reSained this ground
afterwards. Strangely enough the
residence section previously mentioned
Lad not suffered seriously. All the
houses few the Red Cross and were
used rs temporary hospitals.
Here il was reported that Belgians
mCtilateG German soldiers. Whether
this were true, or only rumor, similar
10 Others being constantly started by
German soldiers, ! cannot say. but l
DO know that on August "a. after the
French had retired. 1t was made
known through an army order that
German soldiers had been murdered
there. and that the German army could
not leave the scene of these outrages
without first aveuging the victims.
II was ordered by the commander
Of the army To level the remainder of
the city and 10 show no mercy. AS We
took a short resi- from our pursuit OF
the enemy and looked backward clouds
o; smoke to the eastward showed that
The order had been executed. re-
manning battery Of artillery had re
duced the city to ashes.
The French had made stand out
side the city and resisted to the ut
most but they were outnumbered. II
WAS simply impossible to resist the
pressure OF the German war machine.
When the German columns, with fixed
bayonets, attacked to the accOmpani-
menr of their blood-curdling yells
which, like their steel, penetrated to
the bone, they resembled in every re-
spect American Indians going into ac-
non. finging themselves with blood
curdling yells upon their enemies.
After threehour fight many French
pen gave themselves up as prisoners
With uplifted hands they sought
mercy.
At last, on the night Of August q
and "a, the ene,ny's ranks were thrown
into confusion and they retired slowly.
! was in the first detachment which
pursued them. To the right and left
OF the road. in the field and bitches.
were dead and wounded.
The red 'pantaloons Of the French
showed brightly on the ground. The
field gray Of the Germans could hardly
be discerned-
The distance between us and the re-
treating French became greater. Our
soldiers became happier over the out
come Of the battle and seemed to for
get their past hardships. The corpses
which filed the roads and bitches were
forgotten amid the jokes and songs
accustomed to the horrors OF war to
such an extent that they unsoncerned-
IL walked over the corpses. not even
considering IL Necessary to make Q
slight detour.
At noon we matted and were served
We were surely hungry enough and
our canned soup was eaten with the
utmost relish. Many soldiers set their
dishes on the bodies Of dead horses
lying about and ate as gayIy as II
they were at home at their own tables.
The few human corpses near our camp
failed to disturb us. Only water was
lacking, and after the dinner our thirst
became very acute, even torturous.
We soon marched on. under q burn
ing mi6-d~v sun. the dust Of the high
way lying thick on our uniforms and
skin. Now. no more cheerfulness was
evident anywhere. Our thirst became
more unbearable and We grew weaker
from minute TO minute. Many In our
ranks fell, unable to 60 further. Moth
ing remained for our commander ex-
cept to halt, as he did not wish to ex-
haust us all. As q result Of this halt
We were left considerably in the rear
and lost our place among those pursu-
ing the French.
About four O'Clock we finally saw
before us q village. In the certain ex-
pectation Of getting water there we
Quickened our pace. Tugitives and
empty mutation columns passed N.
Among them there was q farm wagon
upon which were several civilian prfs-
0naPa apro vo1flv f-anr-firoura a