The net result of the duel was two of Fritzie's guns
put out of business.
Before long our lamps on the sandbags, by which we got our light to see
to work the guns, were knocked off by an explosion and we were in
darkness; following that, the springs in the buffer of my gun were
broken, making it necessary to put it back in place by hand. Each time
the gun is fired it recoils and is brought back to place by the
hydraulic buffer containing the spring; but we had to perform this work
in the darkness by hand. The coals of Hades were now coming in heavier
each moment, because heavier caliber pieces had opened up on us, and we
were getting the worst of it; our weightier sisters must take a hand at
the game, and we kept up our end of the argument until this could be
done.
It was Dory's duty to reload the gun and push it forward in place for
position, each time yelling "Ready!" One time the gun was shoved into
place and the man on the right,--Dory was on the left--gave the "Ready!"
and I fired. The darkness was still thick and I could not see that Dory
was pushing up on the gun with all his might, to bring it into place
when I fired, and the recoil drove him back into the corner against a
pile of ammunition, smashing his arm.
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