WAR- CHRONICLE

65
were thrown up beside a large hay-rick and then covered with
beams, clay and straw. We wondered whether the Russians would
set the rick on fire the following day, as they generally did in
East Prussia. Daylight came on. To the right and left of us
shrapnel was bursting, but the Russians seemed to consider our
hay-rick harmless. Besides there were eight others in the vicinity,
and we had a splendid view. Down below, the broad river flowed,
the banks on the opposite side were high, just like at Hohenwarthe
on the Elbe. A town almost entirely destroyed by shells, in front
of which the meadows spread out intersected by the river. Beyond,
to the right of the town, a valley with villages, and behind it a
large free decline lined on both sides with woods. We made
careful observations, in the course of which we discovered that
earth had been thrown up in some places and dark zic-zac lines.
They were so numerous that it was impossible to distinguish
whether they were real or apparent entrenchments. It is true,
now and then we could distinguish something brown moving about,
but were we to use our heavy shells for that?
The day passed quietly and the sun set so peacefully, dyeing
the opposite river banks in deep purple and red. During the night
the rattle of the enemy musketry could be heard sometimes loud, then
dying away, and again increasing. 1 The next morning we had a
dense fog, but towards midday the weather cleared up. We
suddenly then saw the Russians busily engaged working at their
entrenchments, far beyond on the hill. In a few minutes the distances
were measured and gauged and the first shot went off at
long range. Unfortunately the range was not quite sufficient. But
what was that? There where it burst, hundreds of brown figures
jumped out of the zic-zac lines. Another shell was at once sent
thither. It was shorter, but also caused activity where it fell. Now
different ranges—and side fire—accompanied by quick fire. Our
dreadful shells burst with a loud detonation at all points of the
far plain, sending forth smoke and iron and everywhere, where
they fell, the Russians came rushing from their trenches, dashing
about in wild despair, sometimes in batches and sometimes singly
like hunted rabbits. It must have been like hell over there, but
now they have reached the cover of the wood. Soon it began to
rattle there too, a horse which has been frightened and broken
loose, rushes across the field. Ha-ha—columns and guns are in
the wood. Two of our guns take the wood under fire, while the
others finish off the entrenchments. At last only three or four men
can be seen rushing about, we can afford to spare them and in a
short time there is quiet on both sides.
Twilight comes on, when a rattling is heard and, down below
on our bank, shells burst over the heads of our pioneers. The
rattling increases. What can it be and where can it come from?
An infantry officer comes up to us, he has seen it. Above the
town, under no cover up on the hill, we see a flame. Now we