The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1919-01-31
CHAPTER w.

VUAP I6U w.
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TAs scene Of the slaughter could
oSw Be- surveyed at leisure. Dead and
Ooundod were strewn all around. ana
ever them clouds Of smoke and flames
made the air thick. But we were al
ready too hardened to feel much pity.
Humanity was thrown to the winds
and the cries and begging of the
wounded left everybody cold.
Some Catholic sisters lay dead In
front of their convent. The only build
TIE armory Of the Twenty third French
Dragons.
There was not much time In which
10 do anything. for at seven o'clock
the French began to hurl shells into
the village. We fortified ourselves be-
hind q thick garden wall directly in
front Of the Mouse. The river bank
at this point was nat. but on the oppo-
site side It was steep. Here the French
Infantry had dug itself In and estab-
Hshed three lines. one above the other.
The artillery firing was too far. We
nd not come within its range. 50 that
VIC W0tS 0UAC " OU3GkV0 I4S cASCt VI
the Smelling Of our own artillery on the
enemy infantry positions before us.
me H-centimster shells raced BY
above our heads and burst with fear
full noise In the enemy's trenches.
The French could not resist this hail
Sf shot very long. They soon aban-
loned all the heights ON the river
bank. They abandoned Soudan with
cut fight and 1t was left intact which
had not been the case with Donchery.
Hardly q house had suffered.
When the bugles sounded in Don
cherry. 1t was discovered that our COM
pany had lost 80 men In battle. A po-
Gtion was taken behind the dragon
armory and our company, which now
vas reduced to 80 men. was ordered
70 attempt the building Of q pontoon
bridgs over the Mouse. After we had
been REINFORCED BY 20 men. We
marched in small detachments In or
Ger not to draw the enemy's attention
- -. After an hours march we
stopped fn Q small forest about 200
meters from the Mouse to rest until
darkness set in. At twilight division
bridge train was driven up close to
eur hiding place. This was soon fol-
lowed By a corps bridge train a. q re-
serve. After all preparations were
made and the main advance work,
such as setting up the bridge stays and
landing platforms. were ready, the
Angie pontoon wagons drove up. They
were speedily but silently unloaded.
We completed four pontoons. that is,
20 meters of bridge, without the enemy
discovering anything.
Then suddenly the searchlight Of
the enemy was set In action and
scanned the river. We dropped to the
ground ut once. The enemy must have
esen ~, for the searchlights played
here and there and kept our bridge
position under continuous glare. We
we're discovered hardly before we
knew what had happened, and q rain
Of IRE fell In the water In front OF
u. We continued to lie nat on the
mound a. four more shots struck the
water, this time q little nearer to the
bridge and one shot hit the bank. At
Snce q third rain Of shot followed and
Two struck the bridge. Two men fell
IN the water and two lay dead on the
bridse. Those in the water swan
sshore and escaped none the worse for
their experience except for q bath.
In spite Of ths eontnued volume Of
artfllsey IRE. W brought the two dead
men b land. The bridge was now
ersatiy damaged and there was no
eAoies except b replace the damaged
Dootoons By new ones. We began this
Almeult task - soon ~ the artillery
Ore let up. Hardly had We begun 1t
again when salvo struck and greatly
damaged the bridge. Fortunately We
Aad no Losses. We were now ordeeed
- rseifs, and after q half hour begin
anew. TIE snsmy's searchlights were
asw Aark. We brought about ten pom
toons - without Interference ana hen
- w4o suddsnly bombardsd again.
~ haA attracted tAs attention o. 0e
S1smy's patrpl.
Several battseiss now opened Are %
- q 80 time and after tn minutes
- entire work waD oaly . PIE q
WUedka0.. Two more m6n wsfe killed
- eeoR nv el0s - rstire. Mo3