So
it went all day, shells and bullets humming around, but only one of
my staff horses was hit. Our infantry advancing and retiring--others
advancing and coming back--Germans doing likewise, a hellish din
of shell fire, and me pouring in fire whenever I could see them.
"At last I got six shrapnel into a wood and cleared a heap of them
out and got into them with shrapnel. It was awful! The sergeant major
put his hand up to his head and said: "Oh, sir, it's terrible!" That
seemed to settle them, and at last we saw the infantry advancing
to their positions without resistance.
"Now was my chance. I determined to get those machine guns if I
could, as otherwise the infantry would. So I left ---- in command
and got the trumpeter, sergeant major, and six men with six rifles,
and went forward 'to reconnoiter,' as I reported to ---- after I
had gone. It was a weird ride, through thick black woods, holding
my revolver ready, going in front with the little trumpeter behind
and the others following some way in the rear. We passed some very
bad sights, and knew the woods were full of Germans who were afraid
to get away on account of the dreaded shell fire. We got in front
of our infantry, who were going to fire at us, but I shouted just
in time.
"At last we came to the edge of a wood, and in front of us, about
200 yards away, was a little cup-shaped copse, and the enemy's
trenches with machine guns a little farther on.
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