DIY History | Transcribe | World War I Diaries and Letters | Conger Reynolds newspaper clippings, 1916-1919 | The American Magazine: "The Hottest Four Hours I Ever Went Through" by Floyd Gibbons

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Conger Reynolds newspaper clippings, 1916-1919

The American Magazine: "The Hottest Four Hours I Ever Went Through" by Floyd Gibbons - Page 9

The Hottest Four Hours I Ever Went Through, by Floyd Gibbons   147
direct against that German target. My fear was that myself and other American wounded lying in that field would die by American guns. That is what would have happened if that information had reached our artillery, and it is what should have happened.
The lives of the wounded in that field were as nothing compared with the importance of wiping out that machine-gun nest on our left which was holding up the entire advance.
I wanted to see what time it was, and my watch was attached to my left wrist. In endeavoring to get a look at it, I found out that my left arm was stiff and racked with pain. Hartzell, I knew, had a watch, but I did not know where he was lying, so I called out.
He answered me from some distance away, but I could not tell how far or in what direction. I could see dimly but only at the expense of great pain. When he answered I shouted back to him"
"Are you hit?"
"No, are you?" he asked.
"Yes; what time is it?" I said.
"Are you hit badly?" He asked in reply.
"No. I don't think so," I said. "I think I'm all right."
"Where are you hit?" he asked.
"In the head," I said. "I think something hit my eye."
"In the head, you damn fool!" he shouted louder, with just a bit of anger and surprise in his voice. "How the hell can you be all right if you are hit in the head? Are you bleeding much?"
"No," I said. "What time is it?"
"I'm coming over to get you!" shouted Hartzell.
"Don't move!" I hastened to shout back. "If you start moving, don't move near me. I think they think I'm dead."
"Well, you can't lie there and bleed to death," Hartzell replied. "We've got to do something to get out of here."
"Tell me what time it is and how long it will be before it's dark," I asked.
"It's six o'clock now," Hartzell said, "and it won't be dark till nine -- this is June.  Can you stick it out?"
I told him that I thought I could, and we were slient for some time. Both of us had the feeling that other ears -- ears working in conjunction with eyes trained along the barrels of those machine guns a hundred yards on our left -- would be aroused to better marksmanship if we continued to talk.
I began to take stock of my condition. During my year or more along the fronts I had been through many hospitals, and from observations in those institutions i had cultivated a keen distaste for one thing -- gas gangrene. I had learned from doctors its fatal and horrible results, and I also had learned from them that it was caused by germs which exist in large quantities in any ground that has been under artificial cultivation for a long period.
Such was the character of the very field I was lying in, and I came to the realization that the wound in the left side of my face and head was resting flatly on the soil. With my right hand I drew up my British box respirator, or gas mask, and placed this under my head. Thus I rested with more confidence, although the machine-gun lead continued to pass in sheets

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The Hottest Four Hours I Ever Went Through, by Floyd Gibbons 147 direct against that German target. My fear was that myself and other American wounded lying in that field would die by American guns. That is what would have happened if that information had reached our artillery, and it is what should have happened. The lives of the wounded in that field were as nothing compared with the importance of wiping out that machine-gun nest on our left which was holding up the entire advance. I wanted to see what time it was, and my watch was attached to my left wrist. In endeavoring to get a look at it, I found out that my left arm was stiff and racked with pain. Hartzell, I knew, had a watch, but I did not know where he was lying, so I called out. He answered me from some distance away, but I could not tell how far or in what direction. I could see dimly but only at the expense of great pain. When he answered I shouted back to him" "Are you hit?" "No, are you?" he asked. "Yes; what time is it?" I said. "Are you hit badly?" He asked in reply. "No. I don't think so," I said. "I think I'm all right." "Where are you hit?" he asked. "In the head," I said. "I think something hit my eye." "In the head, you damn fool!" he shouted louder, with just a bit of anger and surprise in his voice. "How the hell can you be all right if you are hit in the head? Are you bleeding much?" "No," I said. "What time is it?" "I'm coming over to get you!" shouted Hartzell. "Don't move!" I hastened to shout back. "If you start moving, don't move near me. I think they think I'm dead." "Well, you can't lie there and bleed to death," Hartzell replied. "We've got to do something to get out of here." "Tell me what time it is and how long it will be before it's dark," I asked. "It's six o'clock now," Hartzell said, "and it won't be dark till nine -- this is June. Can you stick it out?" I told him that I thought I could, and we were slient for some time. Both of us had the feeling that other ears -- ears working in conjunction with eyes trained along the barrels of those machine guns a hundred yards on our left -- would be aroused to better marksmanship if we continued to talk. I began to take stock of my condition. During my year or more along the fronts I had been through many hospitals, and from observations in those institutions i had cultivated a keen distaste for one thing -- gas gangrene. I had learned from doctors its fatal and horrible results, and I also had learned from them that it was caused by germs which exist in large quantities in any ground that has been under artificial cultivation for a long period. Such was the character of the very field I was lying in, and I came to the realization that the wound in the left side of my face and head was resting flatly on the soil. With my right hand I drew up my British box respirator, or gas mask, and placed this under my head. Thus I rested with more confidence, although the machine-gun lead continued to pass in sheets It prints 1000 copies for 20c $35 complete It Makes Sales -- Collects Money and Cuts Printing Bills 64% When you want from 20 to 1,000 form letters, don't wait, print them on the Rotospeed, complete, ready to mail -- in fifteen minutes. Thousands of manufacturers, merchants, jobbers, bankers and professional men have made remarkably profitable use of the Rotospeed Stencil Duplicator It prints better form letters than you have thought possible -- does it without typesetting, trouble or muss. Prints any number of copies on any size or weight of paper from a small card to an 8 1/2 by 16 inch sheet. It accurately reproduces typewritten and handwritten letters, drawings and ruled forms. A Child Can Operate It Rotospeed is the efficient, simplified duplicator. Has semi-automatic feed, automatic receiving tray and 6 other exclusive features. Only One Model $35.00 Complete This one model does all that a stencil duplicator can do and there are no additional attachments nor expensive accessories to buy. Write for Free Trial Offer You can have a Rotospeed for Free Trial. It will pay for itself before you decide to buy it. Write for the details of this remarkable offer. mail the coupon NOW. THE ROTOSPEED CO. 652 W. 5th St. Dayton, Ohio FREE TRIAL COUPON The Rotospeed Company 652 W. Fifth Street, Dayton, Ohio Send, without obligation to me, your booklet, samples of work and details of the Free Trial Offer. Name Address A Million Copies "One Totospeed has printed over a million copes and saved us more than a thouosand dollars." The Air Friction Carburetor Co. General Merchants "Rotospeed arrived at 3 p.m. At 4:15 it was in use and doing very good work." Le Gros and Co. Many Churches Use It "For two years we have used Rotospeed and do not understand how any up-to-date church or business house can do without one." Westminster Church $100 Plus "It is simple, accurate and speedy and our inexperienced office force has been able to turn out work to our satisfaction. It has saved us $100 in expenses beside the time." J. Hebner and Co. Many Uses "We sue it for getting our circular letters, report blanks, price lists, shipping tickets, scale cards and stock sheets. It has saved its cost a dozen times." Rowson-Works Lumber Co. A Big Manufacturer "We would not take a farm for it if we could not get another." Indiana Silo Co. I Am Making a Low Factory Price on 10,000 Cookers My rapid roasts, bakes, fries, steams or stews. Saves you work -- saves you steps -- saves you standing over hot cook stove. Try my Rapid Aluminum Lined Fireless Cooker. WM. CAMPBELL Original Fireless Cooker Man 30 days on my personal money back guaranty. take a vote of the entire family. If they don't say they never had better cooked meals -- if you don't say you did it with far less work, send cooker right back and I will return every cent. Send for Free Book Write postal TODAY. The Wm. Campbell Co. Dept. 97 Detroit, Mich. LePage's Clue Handy Tubes A household necessity is made by the Russian Cement Co. Gloucester, Mass. who also make and guarantee Signet The permanent ink