The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1919-05-22
A LETTER FROM FRANCE
A Motor Trip Through the Devastated
Nrrdun Battle Fields

y~rdun Battle Fields
A trip 10 the battlcheIds Of Verdun
and vicinity Is chapter in ones life,
bot chapter 10 be- experienced. itI
can not b. written. What must 1t
have been 10 those who fought and
Survived In that prolonged and ter
ribic struggle.
Vast areas Of the actual battle front
as yet remain practically as they were
before the arfnistice was signed and
a trip to this thcater of war which SO
recently and for SO many anxious
months drew the fascinated attention
Of the civilized world, is full Of realis-
tic interest The very silence OF these
unpeopled and deserted wastes but
guickrns the imagination till one al
most sees the trenches filled with
crouchinR forms and hears the intern
al roar OF cannon and shrek Of shell
II was my privilege recently 20 con
duet two parties through several miles
OF this sector, particularly through
the battle fields in the immediate vi
cinity # verdGn.
Following down the valley Of the
Mcuse. nothing Of interest is motto
cd mtil enc passes north Of CONNER
cy Leaving Commercy, one finds in
crcasing evidence Of wars devastion
until st. Mihiel is reached, the town
now so famous in the annals Of this
xar because of the exploit Of our boys
in retaking the towr and its fortress
80 long held by the Boches.
st. Mihiei
Immediately south and east OF the
town, on the high eastern ridge that
follows up the Meuse valley for scores
OF miles is the Fort du camp des
Romans, the fortress just referred TO.
1t is one Of long series Of similar
forts and fortified towns that reach
all the way from Belfort near the
Swiss border to Nerdun and beyond,
including Toui and strongest of all
Ncrdun itself, The 'Fort du camp DIES
Romans" crowns the high hill and
protects ST. Mihiel which lies snuglyI
between the limestone bluffs of the
valley wall and the broad valley Of
the winding Meuse
The fortress consists of a strong
outer fortihcation provided with
rooms and connecting galleries. In
side OF this is moat, and in the CEN
ter the citadel itself which consists of
three stories of rooms and connecting
corridors or galleries. In the aggre-
gate these would represent perhaps
half a mile Of continuous passageways
and rooms, Nearly all the fortresses
on this eastern line Of defense are
similar in plan to this. They have, for
the most part, been built since the
Franro-Prnssian war Of 1871.
After an inspection sof this much
battered fort we visited the town be-
low, Scarcely house is intact. But
few Of the inhabitants are back. AL
few shops are braYely opening again,
A scattering Of French and American
soldiery are upon the streets.
Near the "place' or principal square
stands the badly Scared cathedral
church mutely appealing to the worid
against the ruthlessness Of the bar
barrie Hun. The interior, while some
what damaged and exposed to the
wind and rains, is still very imposing
and contains some unusually fine
adornments. The stained glass win
doWs, such rs remain are remarkably
fine examples Of fnestral art. There
is also remarkable and elaborate
piece Of wood carving in the organ
loft over the main entrance.
On entering one encounters d fine
statue Of Jeanne dare standing in
praying attitude. Among several good
paintings on the walls, one in partic-
ular attracts the attention. 1t is al
large, somewhat rain-washed painting
Of a beautiful woman with outstretch-
Ell. appealing arms. The face and at
titudc are full of beseeching and proud
protest against wrong. One can not
stand in the noble, dignified interior
of this now silent house of prayer
without feeling that somehow it SYM
bolizes France in her present hour Of
grief and desperate need.
As We follow our road along the
east side Of the broad green valley Of
the Meuse, We pass rapidly through
village after village. with scarcely a
house intact and the greater portion
Of them mere empty shells with roofs
and partition walls in crumbled heaps
within. visible through the shattered
windows, or gaping shell holes in the
walls. Only few of these houses are
possible OF reconstruction so as to be
again habitable. In every French viii
lagc the house walls join in one con-
tinuous row on either side Of the |
street just as do our tenement blocks
in our larger cities. Consequently
many Of the skeletons of these houses
still stand because their ncighbors do.
Where an intervening house is shot
away, or where an occasional house
stands alone, such portions as remain
still stand, mute monuments of de-
structicn, seemingly from force Of
habit
In all the twenty-five miles north
ward from St. Mihiel TO verdun do |
not recall seeing one village with its
church still standing in its entirety. |