The allied troops were hard-pressed to fight off this assault, and decided to fight in shifts. The British took their position first while the Americans rested to take over the next day.
British losses were heavy. Even the Scots' piper had been killed. The day ended with no substantial advance on either side, and the British settled in for a well-deserved rest.
The next morning very early, while the Americans were getting ready to fight, the British were preparing for rest, such as it was in battlefield conditions. Men lay everywhere, watching without seeing, listening without hearing, when the drone of the pipes was heard around the Scots' encampment.
Now, this got their attention, since their piper had been killed the preceeding day. Men strained to see where the sound was coming from.
Then, they saw. There in the air a scant few feet off the ground, their piper stood marking time with his pipes in his arms, waiting for the troops to follow him.
The Scots moved as if in a dream. They prepared for battle. Separate from the American assault, the Scots were marching off, their eyes in the sky as though entranced. They kept on pushing their way to the German lines.
The English weren't about to be left behind. At the signal, they
followed their fellow-soldiers, and the battle was a rout. The allied
troops won the day.
~~~~~~~~~~~
William J. Williams died in 1971 and was buried at Sawtelle Veterans'
Cemetery in Los Angeles, on Marne Ave.