The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1918-05-23
CHAPTER XI.

We were once more aroused at
eleven o'clock that night, and with the
utmost haste made ready to resume
our march. The night was pitch dark
and the rain continued. At daybreak
we passed the city of st. Menehould.
This had not been harmed. From here
we turned to the east, closely pressed
by the French and in the afternoon we
reached rmOnt-en-ArgOnne. Once
more we managed to get a rest Of sew
eral hours. Toward evening we pro-
ceeded again and maintained a forced
march through the whole night. We
were now more exhausted than ever,
yet could not halt.
The rain had stopped before ten
o'clock in the morning at which hour
we left the road and made camp.
There was general sigh of relief, for
this long continued, wearing retreat
had brought our troops into a state
now become uncomfortable. We began
to dig ourselves In. Before our
trenches were even half completed a
literal halIstorm of shrapnel fell
among us. Our losses were so great
that II became impossible 10 remain.
We received orders to retire at once.
We marched over the fields until dark,
when we began once more to dig In.
We were now near the village Of Ger
nay-en-Dormois. II was pitch dark and
a heavy fog lay over everything. or
the enemy we knew nothing. With the
utmost silence and speed we dug our
selves In deeply, stopping frequently
to listen as hostile raiding parties ap-
preached, only to disappear quickly.
Here we received our first re-
endorsements. They arrived in long
columns in the darkness. All were
fresh troops-most Of them reserves.
The majority wore blue uniforms. This
as well rs the nature of their equip
ment, indicated to us that they had
been hastily fitted out and transported.
None OF them had ever heard the
whistle Of n bullet and many asked
anxiously whether II was dangerous
here. They brought numerous ma
chine guns, and in an instant we had
everything prepared for defense.
At daylight the French began the at
tack. They made several onslaughts
throughout the day but without sue
cess, for our re-enforcements were
large.
No one realized at this stage Of the
battle that IT was the beginning of
murderous, exhausting struggle for po-
sitiOns.
We were to fight here from the same
trench, month after month, without
gaining territory. The wounded, who
lay in No Mans Land between the
trenches, were left to perish.
The French tried to rescue them I'M
der the protection of the Geneva flag,
the emblem of the Red Cross, but We
only sneered at them and shot II 10
bits. The impulse to shoot down the
enemy surpassed every human feeling.
The Red Cross flag had lost all Its
value for us when 1t was raised by the
French. Mistrust was nurtured among
us. We were told that the enemy mis-
used the flag and that we must shoot
down the men that bore II.
We repulsed all attacks until they
gradually ceased. We were now able
TO fortify our position, which we did
with the greatest care, making 1t as
strong as possible. Half the men re-
maIned on guard while the other hali
deepened and widened the trenches. "A
lively fire was maintained continuous
" by both sides. The losses were very
large. Most Of the men killed we
shot through the head, the trench
tecting the remainder OF their
Firing increased In Int
night fell. Although nothing
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