Germans who occupied Senlis. French colonial infantry played a large
part in this conflict. A weird and awful sight it must have been:
taxicabs and automobiles from Paris charging up the streets vomiting
bullets in all directions, houses catching fire from the bursting
shells, and by the light of their flames the men of both armies
fighting hand to hand, chasing one another through the doors and
windows of burning and collapsing houses, or making desperate stands
behind dead horses, street-barricades, or wrecked taxicabs. It is
said that in every such melee Turcos were to be seen exulting in
their favorite sport, close-range fighting.

* * * * *

After supper we passed through Fleurines, Pont Ste. Maxence, and
Blincourt to Estrees-St. Denis, where we spent the night. Along this
road had recently passed a great German army, and their engineers had
constructed new roads to the right and left of the original one, so
that their regiments had been able to march steadily three abreast,
probably no small factor in their successful retreat.

* * * * *

This morning we got under way at half-past six. The day was hazy,
threatening rain; mists rising from the ground made it impossible to
see clearly for any great distance. The heavy atmosphere muffled the
sound of guns so that it was difficult to judge their location even
when we were fairly close upon them. The day was, however, a most
advantageous one on which to move about near the front, provided one
were careful to ascertain where, off in the mist, the enemy's
batteries lay.

We first reached the front at Roye-sur-Matz, which we found was
occupied by a French colonial brigade. This place is about three miles
from Lassigny, which is far within the German lines, and from which
they have recently organized heavy attacks against the French forces.
In Roye-sur-Matz the German shells were bursting, punctuated by the
muffled slump of falling walls. The place had been deserted by its
inhabitants, but Turcos and black Senegalese wandered about the ruined
streets indifferent to the shell fire. For a week past there has been
heavy fighting in the vicinity of Roye and Lassigny, probably the
heaviest that has taken place in the Battle of the Aisne since the
latter part of September. We drove slowly down the main street of the
village looking for an officer who could tell us about the local
geography. We finally met the