Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-09-26
RY JOHN W. THOMSON, JR.
Captain. L. 8. Marine Corrs
CHAPTER III.

-HEY tried new tactics TO get
the bayonets into the Bots ne
Relleau Platoons-very lean
platoons now--formed in smali
combat groups. deployed In
the wheat and set out toward the
gloomy wood Fifty batteries We're
working on it. all the feld pieces or
the I'D Division and what the French
would lend. The shells ripped over
head and the wood was tull or reap
Ing fame and the smoke OF h: n.
and shrapnel. The f1re from It's eose
died down. II was late In the AFTER
mon. the sun was low enough TO
shine under the edge Of your helmet.
The men went forward at a walk.
thar shoulders hunched over. their
hoiiee inclined, their eyes on the edRe
Of the wood where shrapnel was
raising a hell Of a dust. Some of them
had been this way before; their races
were set bleakly Others were re-
placements, a month or SO from Quan
fico: they were terribly anxious 70 90
the right thing and they watcneo
zealouslv the sergeants and the cor.
porals and the lieutenants VINO 'eo
the way with canes.
One such group. over 7" me lert.
followed 4 big young ON 'er. replace
ment. too, but a man who had spent
a week in Bouresches and was TO ne
considered a veteran. and such things
went in those days, when SO many
chaps were not with the brigade very
long. He had not liked Bouresches.
which he entered at night. and where
he lived in cellars with the dead ana
saw men die in the orange nash of
ninAnwerfer shells. terribly and with
out the consolation Of elery. Here at
last was attack. He thought.
absently watching his flank to see
that It guided true-guide center was
the word-of the old men who had
brought Aim up to tales Of Lee
Army of Northern Virginia. in the
war Of the Southern Confederacy.
Great battles. Elamourous attacks. full
Of the color and the high hearted elan
Of chivalry. Jackson at Chancellors-
vile; Pickett at Gettysburg hat vas
a charge for you-the red Southern
battle fiags. leading like fierce. bright.
winged birds and locked ranks Of Is
gray brisadss. and the screening
Rebel yell. and the field music. ME
and drum. rafting out The Girl l
Left Behind Me-:
"oh. II ever get through this wa-
IN r. s9 IL. r frfnf III. efft sesind me-
No music here, no fiags. no bright
swords, no lines Of battle charging
with q yell Combat groups OF weary
men. in drab and dirty uniforms.
dressed approximately on line,
spaced so that one shrapnel burst
cannot include more than one group,
laden. like mules with gas masks, han
doleers, grenades. chaut.chaut clips.
trudging forward without haste and
without excitement. they moved on
An untidy wood where shells were
breaking, a wood that did not answer
back or show an enemy. In its
silence and anonymity II was far
more sinister than any faecrowned
rampant or stone walls topped with
crashing volleys from honest old
black powder muskets-he considered
these things and noted that the wood
was very near and that the German
shells were passing high and break
ira In the rear. where the support
6cfnranies were waiting. His own
aftiilery appeared to have lifted It's
ranre YOU heard the shells farther
in, In the depths Of the wood.
The hir snapped and cracked al