Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1919-02-27


selves in positions that would give us
the upper hand in case of an attack
When this work was complete it was
decidedly late and to lay all jokes
aside, our troubles did begin. First,
our own artillery threw a barrage ON
us which lasted somewhere in the
neighborhood of an hour But this was
through some mistake of which we
never learned the real cause. Well,
that was just portion Of our trouble.
As the roar Of our own guns died away
the German artillery opened fire, and
the barrage that was now covering
every inch OF the woods we were hold
ing. or at least that is how it seemed,
ragged on for about forty minutes.
/ believe could feel safe in saying
there was not a man in this group of
twentysthat did not, some time through
the night get down on his knees and
pray to his heavenly Father to guide
h m safe through this night of peril.
At least / know did.
Although we were under a great
deal Of shell fire through the night we
held our positions without a single loss
and the dawn of the following morn
ing found us with reinforcements
enough to carry us through another
such day. But for some reason luck
favored US more or less on this second
day. as we advanced to Ready farm
without the least struggle.
1t may be that the Hun lost his cOur-
age during the wee hours Of the night
and packed up to start for Berlin.
don't know as l can blame him if he
did, for he sure must have seen what
took place the day before.
At the farm we took rest Of two
or three hours, afteH which we again
started advancing, meeting no resist
ance whatsoever We advanced a dis
lance of about three or four miles,
which brought us to the spot where
Quentin Roosevelt met his death. We
at once set to work digging in, and the
most favorable spot available was the
mound where a portion of Roosevelt's
plane still lay, and not more than
twenty-five yards away was his grave
which the Germans had roughly made.
AS / remember we received a light
lunch at this point, which was rare
occasion in these days of little or no
eats. But most of the time there wore
no eats, as it was hard task for the
soup wagon to keep up. | remember
at one place in the very thickest OF the
battle one of the boys crying out in
Joking way, when do we eat?' But
remarks such as that were to be heard
at any tine.
After spending what we would call
rather quiet night and also rather
short, we started forward again the
next morning at $3.50 and continued
going forward until o'clock that same
afternoon, covering a distance OF
twelve miles. But [ need not take
time to describe this advance as you
have all heard of it before. The fln-
ish' Of this advance found us at st.
G. lis, in valley that won for itself
the name Of Death valley" in less
than a half hour after our arrival A
this point we again dug in, and lucky
for us we did for we were not to meet
the German infantry, but their aero
planes, and when they fly over group
of men. turn nose down, then open up
with those machine guns, man has
no chance for a comeback whatsoever.
There was also a great deal OF art1i-
lery work, which the Germans. we
fuust admit, are very clever at. They
were never known to make but one
mistake and that time they meant to
kill eight men and instead killed TWEEN
ty-three. At least that is the way it
was explained. to me by a Frenchman.
After undergoing more or less hard
luck at this unpleasant location for an
hour or more, we received the news
we had looked forward to-the news
that we were to be relieved. We were
relieved shortly after the news reached
us, but Just for short time, as the bat
talon that took our place at the 'front.'
was overtaken by considerable mlsfor-
tune and they were compelled to call
on us for assistance. The result was
Cup and at m boys and over we went
again.
Ae we reached the top of this terri
BILE valley the German eyes were
watching every move we made. Right
before US were twenty-eight observa-
ton balloons directing their artillery
fire. They were also getting along
very nicely, as they could place their
shells at most any spot they desired,
and they did not seem to be at all saw
ing with them.
Our advance from this location was
very short, owing to the condition we
were in. don't think it was over
quarter of a mile before we again
stopped to dig in, this time at the
main road leading into st. Gllls, and
after spending three or four OF the
most miserable hours of our four days
work, we were relieved, but just to
go back into the valley and wait until
morning. During this wait they tried
TO fill the valley with gas, for the
weather was very favorable for such,