New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1919-06-07

/ taken place, rolled INTO the city with ra
enforcement, ammunition food. and r,a.l
, ical supplies There were five sections i
the train which carried 5000 men IL
800 Red Cross nurses. The Germans b.,
expected a strong attack in this sect;o,
and were preparing to meet it, but tbs;
efforts were too late. When asked how
the 65 men handled the 5000 Mr. Ia,,.
ton said it was an easy matter for tb.1
many victorious American boys to ~,
care of that many Germans wbe, ~
had their guns trained from advantaos
points upon them. All the 5000 mon g.,
not come in at one time either and tbss.
was not really real soldier in the VIII
bunch, except the officers, said MI. Law.
ton. The contingent was made up of \,
men far beyond middle age and ho,.
from IA to 10. When they found ~.
had been captured the young sold;.,.
wept ike children, while the old ~.
huddled together the most docile lot e
human beings imaginable. The 3OO Ri
Cross nursers were put upon the raj.
and sent back into German territory :
nurse their wounded They could ~.
understand such humane treatment. 81
it was all us boys could do to keen fra,
being kissed to death. Mr.. Lawton =.
marked slightly abashed.
From this sector M Lqwton went !.
the Champagne front, where he saw som.
very hard fighting as the country affo-aa
them no protection. 1t was here TIT
secret orders came, to take no prisoner.
You wouldn't shoot a man with his hana.
up, he was asked. No, he replied. y.
would not give them time to put then
hands up. Nobody with a heart coa,d
shoot a man with his hands up. Here
his division advanced IA kilometers which
Strengthened out the line for distance
of 70 miles west from Verdun. After tim
they were taken to the rear for ten dan
rest and the French Morocans (colored
troops) were left TO hold the lines, buf
the Germans attacked and broke througa,
and in three days the Americans wen
back on the line. In two days fightiud
they had passed five miles beyond thar
first line which gave them some excellent
positions with which 70 hold the enemv,
which enabled them to again go to the
rear for a rest.
Establish Record March of War.
On October 18th orders came to 20 Il
summorace a distance of As miles. Tie
division hiked there in 80 HOURS with tws
meals, which is recorded in Washington
as the longest march in the shortest tins
in the war. Here the fighting was sevsss
and on November first the boys went
over the top. After that Mr.. Lawton sad
it was only hike for the border. Thew
was no more fight to the enemy.
One German captured in Septemba
had lived in New York for IS yeaN
When told there were two million Amer
leans in France he said, we'll it viii b
over in so days. Our officers tell y
there is but 1000 of you fellows on this
side; that as fast as your ships put out
from port they are sunk 1t was when
the Germans really found they were fac-
. ing the Americans in numbers that theq
broke, and you might use the term, DEF
! said Mr.. Lawton. 60
Mr.. Lawton was hit in the thigh ~
a shell exploding. Five other men weTa
hit, two dying, one losing an arm. t.
doctors wanted to amputate Mr.. Lt5
toms leg, but he told them it was his d
and he wanted it left right there, and ~
day have it, otherwise I would not, =
concluded his story"