The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1919-01-15

of from two to four kiIometers, the
French and our own infantry falling
back 20 the better defended inter-
mediary system of trenches. That
was the end of the advance, for ouc
artillery opened up in earnest and
swept the Hun positions from front
to rear. The infantry did splendid
WORK. the French being particularly
pleased with the foreclosures AID
| eagerness of our Rainbow infantry
in hand to hand fighting.
| I was with some French sergeants
at a forward observation post
throughout the fight. During the
early hours we were forced to wear
our gas masks continuously for over
five hours. The Boches we're so con-
fident that they did not prolong the
gas attack as they considered the gas
a1possible detriment to their advance.
So, just as day was breaking, we got
our masks off and had our first real
view of the situation. The O. p. was
on a crest directly above and IN the
rear of the intermediate lines, over
looking our own front lines and the
former Hun first lines. Daylight
showed their infantry advancing, not
in mass formation as we SO often pic
ture them, but in scattered groups as
skirmishers. Many were pushing for
ward through the many conInunica
ton trenches, while farther IN the
rear they appeared in larger bodies,
companies, and battalions, showing
themselves for a shor. time along
some road. then disappearing in some
wood or group of trenches.
I watched several batteries of their
field artillery-77's come over the
crest on the horizon, trot down the
roads and swing off behind some
slight rise to go into position. On
the right a battery of heavy artillery
hauled by tractors remained IN sight
some thirty minutes one of the trac-
tors being knocked out of commits
sion before they reached any shelter
Another time / saw a shell land
in lot of horses just as a battery
was Numbering. There was a wild
scramble for a minute, but the drivers
soon brought their teams back into
formation.
On one stretch of road being she'll
ed lavishly I could see the drivers
shell had burst, then put spurs to
their horses and dash through on the
gallop before another shell could
catch them.
All quite thrilling, but as long as
they were printing up guns, ammunl-
ton and troops, | could see little
chance of enjoying the spectacle
much longer. could count nine
teen observation balloons or "saus-
ages" as we call them, along six Of
seven kilometers of their front and
the drone of their airplanes was ever
audible above the whine of the shells
overhead, the conclusion of bursting
shot and the rat-tat-tatting of nearby
machine guns.
Our o. P. had scant covering. A
direct hit would have put US out OF
commission, but either the dispersion
was working in our favor, or the
Lord had us in his keeping. One
battery of 1865 had us bracketed and
many "a shell threw dirt through -he
narrow opening into cur eyes and on
to our Instruments. | felt rather
weakened during the first hour OF
darkness, gas and rain of shell, but
the magnificence (if no. glory) OF the
spectacle that unfolded at daybreak
quite thrilled me and | felt glad that
/ could be there doing some little
par. and witnessing the greatest
game in the worlds history. 8Le
This narrative is getting too leng-
thy Will tell it all in full & when
next / set my feet under the home
sable and may that time be soon.
Suffice to say, the French outgener-
aled the Hun, and after getting them
where they wanted them, they pro-
ceeded to open up regular He cir
Gus with beaucoup rings and all the
sides shows. Death stalked in the
open on both sides, impartially hit
ting the reserves and combat trails
in the rear echelons, and the batter
les and troops in the front positions.
But the line held and the Hun failed
to reach Chalons. During the day
following the French slowly wres-
lied. and fought their way Back to
their first positions, the artillery tax
ing heavy toll preceding each opera
ton or coup de main, as the Ffenen
call them.
The success in Champagne con-
tributed largely to The initial success
of the push along the Marine near
Chateau Thierry. A failure would
have drawn troops away from the
latter place, making that drive I'M
possible.
On the other hand, the banking Of
the Hun above Chalons SO improved
conditions that we were relieved from
mol
and Paris to Chateau Thierry. Pass
ed through there the oath or 25th OF
July, relieving some Of the units that
had SO triumphantly flung themselves
at the Huns throat T. was ire
mendous experience from first to last
sleeping in the stencil of dead
horses and men, pushing on by night
and fighting by day. Our infantry
deserves all honor and credit. Theirs
was The hardest task, the most har-
rowing, the most hazardous. | can
say nothing of losses or casualties
boro h,,+ LOT mo cav that an artillery