The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1919-05-30

in the wet earth were fresh footprints.
They crossed the path and continued
the descent veering TO the left to make
sure they should get behind the enemy.
A few minutes. and they entered an
other path--well worn, full OF new
| footprints
(Which way had we better take %
whispered Sergeant Early TO Corporal
York.
Let's right oblique," answered the
mountaineer; and they right-o bliqued
and went downward along the PATH
| 1t dipped steeply to n cuplike valley
amid the hills. A puny stream flowed
through this valley; everywhere were
trees and bushes and tangles OF un-
dergrowth
Suddenly they espied two Germans
ahead of them in the path. Both wore
the Red Cross brassard, and both
started to run at the first glimpse of
| the Americans. Some shots were fIred,
and one stopped. He surrendered; the
other disappeared.
1T looked like a battle was coming, .
said York, so we went into skirmish
order"
They scattered out amid the riot OF
brush and pushed forward. Presently
the leaders of the party arrived at the
stream, and there on the other side
were about twenty or thirty Germans,
gathered near a small hut that was
evidently some kind of p. c. At any
rate several officers were, holding a
conference and a number OF the men
were squatted on the ground appar-
ntly about to eat.
The Americans instantly let fly. a
few of the enemy returned the shots,
but the majority dropped guns and
equipment and threw UP their hands,
shouting "Kamerad!"
What had happened? How came tie
enemy behind them?
Don't shoot" ordered Sergeant
Early They're going to surrender"
Surrender they did, the whole outfit,
| including the major in command OF
the battalion.
What are your English 4" he asked.
Americans" answered York.
Good Lord" said the major.
Early's detachment now made prep
! arations to take them out. But before
they could move all hell broke loose.
Along the steep slope Of the hill facing
them, not thirty yards away, was ma
chine gun after machine gun, snugly
placed in fox holes, but pointing In the
other direction The boches manning
| them swung these guns round and
! opened up fusillade on the attackers.
The valley became chattering, Shrek
ing bedlam. Some Heinies on hill
/ far to the rear OF the Americans sensed
a new menace and opened up wildly
| against their own position. but their
IRE was many yards high and merely
scared the tops of the trees.
At the first blast of fire every Heinie
prisoner dropped fiat on his stomach
and Rugged the ground. The Ameri-
cans followed their example. Some
took refuge behind trees, others bur-
rowed amid the underbrush; but six
were killed Sergeant HArly was shot
through the body; CORPORAL Cutting
( had three bullets through the left arm;
Private Muzzi had wound in the
shoulder; Private Beardsley, who had
an automatic, and was crouched down
near Corporal York when the trouble
started. crept back to big tree for
protection. On one side of him lay
Private Dymowski and on the other
was Private Wareing. Both were rid
died with bullets-shot all to pieces.
7 Beardsley told me afterward that he
considered the situation hopeless and
could not operate his gun.
Nine hundred and ninety-nine thous-
and nine hundred and ninety-nine men
out Of million would have considered