In spite of all this, whenever the order was given to charge, they
charged the enemy with a sort of inspired madness.
"The fight has been a hard one," Marshall Joffre wrote in an order of
the day that will be famous throughout eternity. "The casualties, the
number of men worn out by the exhaustion due to lack of sleep--and
sometimes of food--passed all imagining.... Comrades, the commander in
chief has asked you to do more than your duty, and you have responded
to this request by accomplishing the impossible." That is the finest
word of praise that has been given fighting men since the world began.
* * * * *
They knew how to suffer, those other soldiers of the Battle of the
Marne who were a part of General Foch's army at Fere-Champenoise. Five
times they attacked the Chateau de Mondement, and five times they were
driven back. Their officers were consulting as to the best thing to
do; and the men surrounded the officers, begging them with tears in
their eyes to lead them to the assault for the sixth time. For the
sixth time the attack was sounded, and at the sixth assault Chateau de
Mondement fell.
That officer at Verdun knew how to suffer. He will remain a figure
for the legends of the future for, running to transmit an order, he
received a bullet in the eyes which shattered his optic nerve.
Pages:
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60