Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1918-05-29

across, this takes the cake. Those
- - Boches are using that road
again. Blind my eyes, this time it is
whole brigade of them transports and
all. What a pretty target for our
Abs The beggars know that we
won't fire. A ID shame. call it.
Oh, just for a chance tC turn d 23S
loose on them
81 was trembling with excitement.
From repeated stolen glances at the
captains range chart, that road with
its range was burned into my mind
'Over the wire l tapped. ID 23S bat
terry, Target II, Range 6000, 3 degrees
30 minutes, left, salv0, fire. Cassell
o. KID my message and with the re-
ceiver pressed against my ear, wait
ed and listened. In a couple of min
utes very family over the wire came
the voice of our battery commander
issuing the order: ID 23S battery.
Salvo! Firer
'Then a roar through the receiver
as the four guns belched forth, a
screaming and whistling overhead, and
the shells were on their way.
The captain jumped as if he were
shot, and let out great big expressive
d-n, and eagerly turned his glasses
in the direction of the German road.
| also strained my eyes watching that
, target. -Four black clouds of dust rose
up right in the middle of the German
column. Four direct hits-another
record for d 23S.
"The shells kept on whistling over
head, and / had counted twenty-four
of them when the firing suddenly
ceased. When the smoke and dust
clouds lifted the destruction on that
road was awful, Overturned limbers
ana guns, wagons smashed up, troops
fleeing in all directions. The road and
roadside We're spotted all over with
little field gray dots, the toll of our
guns.
The captain, In his excitement, had
| shipped off the sandbag. and was on
MS knees in the mud, the glass still at
his eye. He was mutterlng to himself
and slapping his thigh with his Olsen
gagged hand, At every slap big
round juicy cuss word would escape
from his lips followed by:
"'Good Fine! Marvellous! Pretty
| Work! Direct hits ALL.
Then he turned TO me and shouted !:
Wilson, what do you think of it?
Did You ever see the like of it in your
life? Oh fine work, call IT.
Pretty soon look of wonder stole
over his face and he exclaimed:
But who in HI gave them the
order to fire. Range and everything
correct, too. l know l didn't Wilson.
did | give you any order for the bat
terry to open up? OF course l didn't,
+, did ~
Il answered very emphaticalIy, No,
sir. you gave no command. Nothing
went through this post. l am abso-
lutely certain on that point, sir
"'Of course nothing went through
he replied Then his face fell, and he
muttered oct loud:
But, by Jove. wait till Old Pep
per gets wind of this. There'l be fur
flying.
Just then Bombardier Cassell cut in
on the wire:
Generals compliments to Captain
! A. He directs that officer and sig
| mailer report at the double TO brigade
headquarters as soon as relieved Re-
! lief now on the way
I'm an undertone to me, Keen a
brass front, Wilson, and for Gods
sake, stick ! answered with, Rely on
me. mate but l was trembling all over
81 gave the generals message to the
captain, and started packing up.
"Fhe relief arrived, and as we left
the post tie captain said:
Now for the fireworks, and know
they'll be good and plenty. They were.
when we arrived at the gun pits
the battery commander, the sergeant
| major and Cassell were waiting for us.
We fell In line and the funeral march
to brigade headquarters started.
ARRIVING at headquarters the bat
terry commander was the first TO be
interviewed. This was behind closed
doors. From the roaring and expIo-
sions Of Old Pepper it sounded as IL
raw meat was being thrown to the
lions. Cassell, later. described it as
sounding like bombing raid. In about
two minutes the officer reappeared.
The sweat was pouring from his fore
/ head, and his face was the color Of a
beet He was speechless. AS he
passed the captain he jerled his thumb
in the direction of the lions den and
went out. Then the captain went in.
and the lions were once again fed.
The captain stayed about twenty mir
utes and came cat. | couldn't see his
face but the Groop In his shoulders
VAS enough. lie looked Ske "A wet hen.
The door Of The generals room
opened and old Pepper stood in The
doorway With a roar he shoute1: