'HE 
 
 ORPHAN 
 
 BATTERY 
 
 1* 
 
 AND OPERATIONS 
 
 128TH U. S. F1EL0 ARTILLERY 
 
 
Class JXLi 
 Book__ J Jl2. 
 
 CowriiM I Z. 3 "5 
 
 COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 
 
THE 
 
 "ORPHAN BATTERY" 
 
 AND OPERATIONS 
 
 128th U. S. Field Artillery 
 (1st Missouri F. A.) 
 
 With Notes on the Organization of Which 
 
 Battery E Became a Part, and Various 
 
 Commentary Extracts. 
 
 Compiled by 
 
 LESLIE L. BUCKLEW 
 
 With Contributions by Members of the Battery 
 
 Howard M. White, Publisher 
 
 211 High Avenue 
 
 Cleveland, Ohio, U. S. A. 
 
 1921 
 
pl° 
 
 
 Copyrighted, 1921 
 
 BY 
 L. L. BUCKLEW 
 
 14 192! 
 
 PRESS OF 
 
 Howard M. White 
 
 CLEVELAND. O. 
 
 ©CI-A617665 
 
 p f 
 
Dedicated 
 
 To the Memory of 
 
 Our Comrade 
 
 Robert F. Clemments, 
 
 Wounded Sept. 26, 1918, 
 
 Died Oct. 2, 19 18, 
 
 In the Argonne. 
 
ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 Page 
 
 Band, 128th U. S. F. A 10 
 
 Part of the 128th F. A. on the Road 72 
 
 Batteries D, E and F at opening of Meuse- 
 
 Argonne Drive 76 
 
 Church at Neuville 78 
 
 Position of 2nd Batallion in Orchard Above 
 
 Very 88 
 
 Graveyard in Courtyard at Charpentry 98 
 
 Battery E at Camp Devens 100 
 
INDEX 
 
 Chapter I p age 
 
 Antecedents, 1812 to 1916 11 
 
 This happened even before the time of " Old 
 Battery A." 
 
 Chapter II 
 Organization and Roster Battery E 19 
 
 In which you will find your bunkie's name. 
 
 Chapter III 
 Record of Stations and Movements 27 
 
 Very dry but authentic. 
 
 Chapter IV 
 Incidents prior to arrival in France 51 
 
 Qathering strength. 
 
 Chapter V 
 In France prior to Armistice 67 
 
 Fulfilling the mission. 
 
 Chapter VI 
 Period covering Armistice to Discharge 99 
 
 Activity is over, but duty remains. 
 
FOREWORD 
 
 As time passes, and we hold more dear the 
 experiences and associations of the past, this 
 offering is made with a view of bringing to- 
 gether facts and reminiscences, which it is 
 hoped will keep vivid the memorable days of 
 comradeship in an organization in which I con- 
 sider I was most fortunate to have served. 
 
 L. L. Bucklew, 
 
 Kansas City, Mo. May 16th, 1919 
 
Band, 12Sth U. S. F. A! 
 
-.* »>-*." . ? 
 
 \11 jolly good fellow: 
 
CHAPTER I. 
 
 Antecedents, 1812 to 1916 
 
 In all things there must be a beginning; 
 therefore, for a history of this battery we must 
 go back to the first known artillery organiza- 
 tion in Missouri. From 1812 to 1916, over one 
 hundred years, brief extracts are here quoted 
 from Vol. 2, No. 4, Missouri Historical Society 
 Collections (Courtesy of Col. Warner) : 
 
 War of 1812. 
 
 "The first mention of an artillery company in 
 St. Louis, that I have found, is contained in a 
 letter now in the possession of this Society, 
 written by one John Sparks, to his kindred in 
 New Town, N. Y., giving a description of life 
 in St. Louis, in 1812. 
 
 "The Missouri Gazette of Saturday, August 
 22, 1812, says, 'St. Louis now boasts of one 
 troop of horse * * one company of rifle- 
 
12 ANTECEDENTS 
 
 men * * one company of artillery, now or- 
 ganizing, * *' 
 
 Mexican War 1846-7. 
 
 "President Polk ordered Gen. Kearny to raise 
 over three thousand volunteers, of which the 
 Governor called on St. Louis County to furnish 
 the artillery. * * The meeting of the re- 
 cruits was held May 28, 1846, in the office of a 
 Justice of the Peace, over a blacksmith's shop 
 on Third St., between Pine and Olive. Here 
 was organized Battery A Missouri Light Artil- 
 lery * *. Each artilleryman was required to 
 furnish himself with a good horse, saddle, cloth- 
 ing and in fact everything but arms * . On 
 June 13, 1846, a crowd of citizens assembled on 
 the Levee to see the men of Battery A, 105 
 strong, embark for Leavenworth * * which, 
 with the few regulars then stationed at Leaven- 
 worth, would form a column to be known as 
 the 'Army of the West'. This small force was 
 to cross the plains and take possession of Santa 
 Fe as a center of operations * *. On the 
 4th of July they struck the Santa Fe trail * *. 
 On account of the scarcity of provisions the 
 ration was cut down to flour alone * *. While 
 at Bent's Ford the battery received a supply of 
 mules to fill the places of the many horses that 
 
1812 TO 1916 13 
 
 the fatigue of the march had killed off. Out of 
 the hundred fine cannon horses originally sup- 
 plied not over forty were left * *. The col- 
 umn took a route that led within sight of Pike's 
 Peak, then across the Arkansas River and over 
 the Raton Range * *. Arriving at Santa Fe 
 on August 18th they covered the distance of 
 nearly nine hundred miles across the plains in 
 a month and a half * *, Col. Doniphan of 
 Missouri remaining in command of the volun- 
 teers, (see semi-official report of the Battle of 
 Braceto, 1st Lt. C. H. Kribben Mo. Light Art.) 
 
 'The men who boasted a pair of shoes were 
 to be envied. A few forunate ones had secured 
 suits of buckskin from the Indians. The sol- 
 diers had received no pay and had spent all 
 their brass buttons. 
 
 "On February 1st, 1847, Battery A, its 
 strength increased to one hundred and fifty men 
 by drafts on Fischer's battery, reached El Paso 
 with four brass six pounders and two twelve 
 pound howitzers. With the column now swelled 
 to a thousand men Col. Doniphan crossed the 
 Rio Grande * * (official report of the bat- 
 tle of Sacramento, Col. A. W. Doniphan) . Note : 
 the following is relative to returning: 
 
 "At the Rio Grande the artillerymen took 
 steamboat down the river reaching the mouth in 
 four days * * were mustered out of the 
 
14 ANTECEDENTS 
 
 service at New Orleans, and came by steam- 
 boat to St. Louis, arriving on July 3, 1847 * *. 
 Thus ended the wonderful Doniphan Overland 
 Expedition * * one of the most remarkable 
 feats in military history * * and most re- 
 markable of all as the longest march of field ar- 
 tillery in all annals of warfare, although the 
 achievement is almost forgotten now, and is 
 barely mentioned in current histories. William 
 Cullen Bryant, in 1847, writing for the New 
 York Evening Postpaid no expedition in history 
 was at all comparable to it, except that of Xeno- 
 phon, when he led the Greek Army across Asia 
 Minor, through the plains of the Euphrates, to 
 Babylon, and back over high lands of Armenia 
 to Constantinople, a distance not two thirds as 
 great. * * Of the four Mexican cannon 
 brought back * * two now flank the ter- 
 race in front of the Capitol at Jefferson City. 
 
 The Southwest Expedition, 1860. 
 
 "The eight hundred troops ordered out by the 
 Governor included the Missouri Light Artillery 
 of St. Louis * * . 
 
 Civil War Batteries, 1861-5. 
 
 "After the opening of the Civil War and dur- 
 
1812 TO 1916 15 
 
 ing it, many batteries organized in St. Louis or 
 by St. Louisians in the field on both the Union 
 and Confederate sides * * a brief mention 
 of the most important will be given * *. Con- 
 federates: Guibor's Battery * * . Union: 
 First Missouri Light Artillery * * , Second 
 Missouri Artillery * * , Landgraber's Bat- 
 tery * * also First Missouri Flying Artil- 
 lery * * Confederates who dubbed its Cap- 
 tain the 'Flying Dutchman.' 
 
 The Simpson Battery, 1868-75 
 
 The Provisional Battery, 1877. 
 
 Light Battery A National Guard of Mo. 1877-98. 
 
 "The first permanent quarters of the battery 
 was established in the old Armory building at 
 Fourth and Washington Ave. * * In 1880 a 
 serious fire * * moved to 19th and Pine, 
 but that, too, caught fire * * after the guns 
 were parked in a vacant lot * * . 
 
 "With veteran soldiers as its founders Bat- 
 tery A naturally became a well-disciplined sol- 
 diering body. Capt. Squires seems to have in- 
 stilled into the men an enthusiasm, esprit de 
 corps, or whatever it may be that holds together 
 a volunteer company. 
 
16 ANTECEDENTS 
 
 "During the eighties competitive drills 
 among the National Guard companies were in 
 vogue * * . The St. Louis Battery won a 
 great many trophies, among them prizes in 
 contests at St. Louis, Nashville, New Orleans, 
 Houston, Jacksonville and Kansas City. 
 
 Spanish War 1898. 
 
 "The outfit went into camp at Jefferson Bar- 
 racks * * May 16, they boarded cars for 
 Chickamauga * * Gen. Miles was about to 
 shift the seat of war to the Island of Porto 
 Rico * * Battery A prepared to join the ex- 
 pedition * * on the morning of July 24th. 
 
 * * The battery sailed from Newport News 
 on the 'Roumanian' and it is the story of a 
 cattle boat * * for over a week * * Gen. 
 Brooke was awaiting the artillery before begin- 
 ning the advance from Arroyo to San Juan * 
 
 * Gen. Brooke received news of the protocol as 
 the battery was preparing to open fire * * . 
 Returned to the States on 'Concho', arriving in 
 New York Sept. 15, 1898 * * .On Nov. 30th 
 
 * * mustering out ceremony was performed. 
 "A number of generous citizens in fall of 1898 
 
 subscribed liberally to the Armory Building 
 Fund * * . The battery then had a fine 
 home on Grand Ave., where its efficiency was 
 
1812 TO 1916 17 
 
 preserved by its Captain, Frank M. Rumbold, 
 who served in the Philippines and was also Ad- 
 jutant General of Missouri." 
 
 Mexican Border, 1916 
 
 Battery A again entered Federal Service, 
 leaving St. Louis June 20th, 1916, arriving at 
 Laredo, Texas, July 4th. Finished their Bor- 
 der Service about December 15th, and were 
 mustered out at Ft. Riley, Kansas, arriving in 
 St. Louis, December 23rd, 1916. 
 
ROSTER, BATTERY E 19 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 Organization and Roster Battery "E". 
 
 On July 19th, 1917, after a conference be- 
 tween Frank M. Rumbold, commanding the 
 regiment of artillery organizing in St. Louis, 
 and Karl D. Klemm, commanding the regiment 
 of artillery organizing in Kansas City, L. L. 
 Bucklew was requested to raise a battery in 
 Kansas City which was to become Battery "E" 
 of the St. Louis regiment. Work was started 
 the following day, and though recruiting was 
 going on for three other regiments, naval ser- 
 vice, regular army, aviation and an ambulance 
 unit the battery accepted 139 men and was 
 mustered into the State Guard on July 27th, 
 1917, in Convention Hall as Battery E, 1st. 
 Missouri Field Artillery. 
 
 This Roster contains the names of every one 
 who was in the battery, though there were some 
 whom we regret were not with us during the 
 entire time of our service: 
 
20 
 
 ORGANIZATION AND 
 
 Captain 
 
 L. L. Bucklew 
 
 Lieutenants 
 
 Beals, Herbert J. 
 Beaver, Fred H. 
 Buckley, William J. 
 Butts, Edward S. 
 Dinkins, William T. 
 DeHoog, Raymond E. 
 Gheen, Russell T. 
 Hoffman, G. 
 Mars, Chester L. 
 McMurray, Robt. J. 
 Pickrell, Chas. U. 
 
 Ramsey, J. 
 Reilly, Edw. C. 
 Sawyer, Alfred L. 
 Strecker, Arthur T. 
 Stubbs, S. 0. 
 Thomas, Chester I. 
 Thorburn, Fred T. 
 Weed, James A. 
 Winkler, Frank E. 
 Wright, Arthur 
 Zumwalt, Fred L. 
 
 1st Sergeants 
 
 Kempton, Leonard H. Snyder, Joyce R. 
 
 Anderson, E. E. 
 Baldwin, A. Brown 
 Beyer, Romaine 
 Brady, Chas. A. 
 Breitag, Arthur H. 
 Brock, Buford B. 
 Browning, Robt. E. 
 
 Sergeants 
 
 Campbell, Edw. R. 
 Carey, Dennis J. 
 Ching, Earl R. 
 Chenoweth, R. B. 
 Compton, Chas. A. 
 Feinor, G. H. 
 Fletcher. Rollie E. 
 
ROSTER, BATTERY E 
 
 21 
 
 Sergeants — Continued 
 
 Gattrell, William S. 
 George, Edwin A. 
 Githens, Fred C. 
 Hartnett, Paul F. 
 Howard, Orville A. 
 Johns, Harry C. 
 Johnson, Geo. E. 
 King, Jas. W. 
 Madigan, John B. 
 
 Matherly, Marvin P. 
 Mohart, Chas. T. 
 Mulford, Floyd H. 
 Severance, Horace W. 
 Thompson, Jas. G. 
 Vasey, Earl L. 
 Webb, William G. 
 Ziegler, Herbert F. 
 
 Corporals 
 
 Abbott, Ruvia A. 
 Alexander, Karl V. 
 Barnby, Arch W. 
 Bell, Rowan J. 
 Bollin, Frank J. 
 Bowling, Thos. E. 
 Burke, Geo. T. 
 Burke, Jerome J. 
 Carpenter, Walton 
 Cirkal, Jos. A. 
 Cirkal, Robt. G. 
 Chenoweth, S. D. 
 Claypool, Hugh 
 Coddington, David I. 
 Cook, Chas. S. 
 Davies, Jos. 0. 
 
 Dierkes, E. J. 
 Driemeyer, A. J. 
 Fritsche, John W. 
 Dietzel, Louis H. 
 Dorman, Lee C. 
 Gibson, John W. 
 Hogan, Edw. D. 
 Hubbard, Andrew F. 
 Langston, Ira 
 Leeman, Prehm F. 
 Little, Chas. A. 
 Mackintosh, T. E. 
 Maluy, W. B. 
 Miller, Jessie L. 
 Morgan, Jas. R. 
 Naumann, S. J. 
 
22 
 
 ORGANIZATION AND 
 
 Corporals — Continued 
 
 Newcomer, Guy B. 
 Pickens, Wm. C. 
 Purdy, Leslie L. 
 Rafiner, E. L. 
 Rigdon, E. 
 Rothgeb, Roy R. 
 
 Rotemund, Frank 
 Seath, Walter 
 Strader, W. E. 
 Taliaferro, Ben T. 
 Wimer, L. C. 
 Williams, Stanley 
 
 Chief Mechanics 
 
 Geenans, August 
 Hartness, Ralph 
 
 Brown, Jas. J. 
 Carpenter, W. B. 
 Charleville, Jos. A. 
 Groves, John 
 
 Noland, Jas. L. 
 
 Cooks 
 
 Harris, Raymond 
 Roasa, C. A. 
 Smith, Edw. D. 
 Smith, Leroy 
 
 Horseshoers 
 
 Boes, Thos. E. 
 Holmes, Mosie M. 
 
 Taylor, L. E. 
 
 Kirk, Jas. D. 
 Kubena, Frank W. 
 
 Farrier 
 
 Mechanics 
 
 Fallert, Frank J. 
 Mclnturff, Eugene 
 
 Stanford, Edw. H. 
 Maxwell, Stanley 
 
ROSTER, BATTERY E 
 
 23 
 
 Langstaff, Wm. 
 
 Ellings, Sam'l R. 
 Geenans, Chas. 
 Page, F. S. 
 Pool, G. C. 
 
 Saddler 
 
 Buglers 
 
 Pottorff , Woodson 
 Shore, M. L. 
 Thatcher, C. 
 Wood, Walter B. 
 
 Privates 
 
 (Including Wagoners and First-Class Privates) 
 
 Anderson, Arthur 
 Anderson, Wm. 
 Barnett, Earl 
 Baucom, Floyd F. 
 Bennett, J. W. 
 Bigus, I. L. 
 Bilyeu, Claude J. 
 Bomar, Robt. H. 
 Bowers, W. W. 
 Buckrucker, Fred C. 
 Butcher, Chas. T. 
 Brigman, Lee 
 Buckholtz, John J. 
 Burkhart, Walter 
 Burks, J. A. 
 Bush, J. L. 
 
 Cagnizi, Luigi 
 Carden, J. W. 
 Carron, Thos. P. 
 Carver, Joe. 
 Casey, Chas. T. 
 Clifford, Harry 
 Curry, Geo. L. 
 Cezkawski, B. 
 Chambers, Leroy P. 
 Chastain, Roy C. 
 Clanton, W. S. 
 Clemments, Robt. F. 
 Connors, Thos. J. 
 Conrick, Robt. F. 
 Costello, Jos. 
 Coulter, Robt. C. 
 
24 
 
 ORGANIZATION AND 
 
 Privates — Continued 
 
 Dalton, Chas. M. 
 Dames, Henry J. 
 Danner, Edw. A. 
 DeHart, Paul E. 
 Dettling, Mat 
 Demeke, C. E. 
 Dillon, Geo. B. 
 Dobinson, E. J. 
 Duckworth, Cutch 
 Durrett, P. B. 
 Duncan, Lee 
 Dvorak, Jos. J. 
 Donka, Geo. 
 Eli, Henry W. 
 Fairleigh, Aug. 
 Field, A. H. 
 Flemming, L. F. 
 Flesh, Wm. A. 
 Frericks, J. F. 
 Franke, H. H. 
 Friend, R. D. 
 Fick, John 
 Gall, Seymour B. 
 Gee, Merrill H. 
 Gentry, G. R. 
 Gibbs, Winn 
 Gladish, H. E. 
 Gladstone, A. 
 
 Graham, Floyd E. 
 Grass, L. L. 
 Greaves, R. B. 
 Grebe, Aug. 
 Gregg, W. V. 
 Guedry, Chas. A. 
 Guethley, F. G. 
 Hanover, Ross N. 
 Hargrove, J. D. 
 Harrington, 0. C. 
 Harrison, E. C. 
 Harrison, J. N. 
 Hartstack, A. R. 
 Hassel, C. J. 
 Hatton, Rufus 
 Haupt, R. F. 
 Heaton, Guy V. 
 Hedkamp, Victor 
 Heede, Edw. 0. 
 Hennaberry, M. J. 
 Hoffman, H. D. 
 Hollingshead, G. S. 
 Holt, Geo. W. 
 Hopple, Raymond E. 
 Horrigan, J. D. 
 Horner, W. W. 
 Hostutler, John E. 
 Jasse, J. P. 
 
ROSTER, BATTERY E 
 
 25 
 
 Privates — Continued 
 
 Jeck, A. C. 
 Johnson, C. E. 
 Johnson, W. 
 Kahanek, Frank A. 
 Kainer, Otto H. 
 Kassel, V. 
 Keel, Robt. R. 
 Kelly, Henry G. 
 Kessler, Paul 
 Keyser, W. J. 
 Kimbriel, D. H. 
 King, Orvill 
 Kinser, D. B. 
 Knox, C. W. 
 Kretzer, E. L. 
 Kutac, C. 
 Lane, Walter 
 Lang, Roger 
 Langf ord, Tom R. 
 Lashbrook, Mai J. 
 Laskey, H. M. 
 Lawrence, G. J. 
 Lawson, W. H. 
 Leatherwood, W. M. 
 Lee, Ernest 
 Lee, Thorn. M. 
 Leitner, F. 
 Lewis, W. C. 
 
 Lewis, A. C. 
 Lewis, Frank 
 Leinback, W. A. 
 Linke, E. 0. 
 Linsley, M. G. 
 Lirette, A. H. 
 Little, J. E. 
 McKinstry, G. C. 
 Marshall, Robt. H. 
 Maxville, W. D. 
 Mayhill, R. P. 
 Mikesell, L. G. 
 Miller, John G. 
 Miller, J. J. 
 Morgan, Edw. V. 
 Murphy, D. A. 
 Murray, Frank 
 Nay, Leon 
 Noggle, L. 
 Obendorff, Aug. 
 Olson, Wm. L. 
 Palmer, A. 0. 
 Parker, H. J. 
 Peake, W. M. 
 Pirtle, R. W. 
 Pope, L. W. 
 Porche, J. E. 
 Powell, D. H. 
 
26 
 
 ORGANIZATION AND 
 
 Privates — Continued 
 
 Purcell, L. W. 
 Rains, H. L. 
 Randell, A. 0. 
 Raybrook, E. J. 
 Rea, Wm. C. 
 Redona, Juan B. 
 Rector, J. P. 
 Reeves, Curtis 0. 
 Rice, F. L. 
 Richmond, M. I. 
 Riley, C. A. 
 Rittenberry, C. L. 
 Roddam, Ross 
 Roof, Walter M. 
 Rosa, Agapito M. 
 Rundell, H. 0. 
 Russell, W. W. 
 Ryza, Emil A. 
 Safford, John B. 
 Sargeant, Dean R. 
 
 Scarborough, M. M. 
 Schnebeli, J. 
 Schoen, Carl 
 Schreiber, H. 
 Schroeder, Fritz 
 Schultz, P. 
 Selkirk, Ben 
 Shanklin, H. E. 
 Spurlock, A. H. 
 Stoenner, E. D. 
 Strother, W. L. 
 Sutton, Wm. E. 
 Thayer, F. D. 
 Thorpe, J. 
 
 VanDenBussell, Paul 
 VanWallegham, M. 
 Watson, Melvin 
 Weeks, J. W. 
 West, R. 
 
AND MOVEMENTS 27 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 Record of Stations and Movements 
 
 On August 5th, 1917, by executive order 
 dated Aug. 3rd, the entire National Guard was 
 inducted into the Federal Service and by Gen. 
 Order No. 5, A. G. 0., State of Missouri, troops 
 ordered to their camps; Battery "E" camping 
 opposite the fire station at Admiral and Lydia 
 Ave., Kansas City, Mo., until ordered to pre- 
 cede the regiment to Camp Doniphan (Ft. Sill) 
 Okla., leaving Kansas City Aug. 23rd, arriving 
 at Fort Sill the 25th, 3 :40 A. M. Quarters were 
 not complete and the battery was camped on 
 North side of area, moving to the South (artil- 
 lery) area Sept. 21st. The remainder of the 
 regiment arriving September 30th, 1917. 
 
 The intervening period prior to leaving for 
 Camp Mills, Long Island, N. Y., May 10th, 1918, 
 was one of hard work for everyone. 
 
 On May 20th, 1918, the battery sailed from 
 New York on H. M. S. "Saxonia." 
 
28 RECORD OF STATIONS 
 
 June 5th, disembarked at Tilbury Dock 
 (South London) England. We boarded train 
 for Winchester. On the 7th we resumed travel 
 by rail to Southampton and boarded a small 
 channel steamer crossing to La Havre, France, 
 that night, spending the following day and 
 night on heights above that city. The 9th we 
 were loaded in box cars and journeyed to Mont- 
 riel-Belfroi (near Angers), from there the bat- 
 tery marched to Chevalier Farm. 
 
 July 9th the regiment entrained for Guer, 
 from which point they marched to Camp Coet- 
 quidan, where years ago the great Napoleon had 
 a camp. July 16th the first firing was done with 
 the French guns, and realistic work carried on 
 energetically until Aug. 15th when we took 
 train for the Vosges Mts. (Gerardmer) passing 
 through Versailles, and back of the lines south- 
 west of Chateau Thierry. 
 
 Here follows extracts from Condensed Oper- 
 ations Report, from August 7th, 1918, to March 
 6th, 1919. 
 
 "Per Par. 3, Field Order No. 23, Hdqrs. 35th 
 Division, 16th Aug. 1918, upon arrival of the 
 regiment in Gerardmer and vicinity the batter- 
 ies were billeted for forty-eight hours' rest. 
 Regl. Hdqrs., Hdqrs. Co., Supply Co., Infirmary 
 with batteries A and B billeted in Gerardmer, 
 batteries C and D at La Tholy and batteries E 
 
AND MOVEMENTS 29 
 
 and F at La Forge. In compliance with the same 
 order the regiment made ready to relieve ar- 
 tillery units and occupy positions designated, 
 and in manner specified in an order issued 19th 
 of August by Chef d'Ecsadron Bouet Command- 
 ing the North Segment of 35th Div. Sector, on 
 heights of Vosges Mts., west of Colmar. 
 
 "On 21st of Aug. at 7 hr (A. M.), the battal- 
 ion and battery commanders with their person- 
 nel went forward on reconnoissance as out- 
 lined in above mentioned order. 
 
 "On the night of the 22nd-23rd of Aug., one 
 platoon of each battery proceeded to their re- 
 spective positions and on the night of the 23rd- 
 24th the remaining platoons were brought up 
 and occupied positions designated in the area 
 north of Col de la Schlucht and including the 
 Region of the Lakes (des Lacs). Echelons were 
 established as follows, the second battalion, Le 
 Valtin ; Hdqrs. Co., the first battalion and Regl. 
 Infirmary at Retournemer; Supply Co., at Lon- 
 gemer. The first battalion First Aid Station 
 near Gazon Martin (E battery station) and the 
 second battalion at P. C. Richard (lac Noir) . 
 
 "Immediately upon relief of the French units 
 the batteries assumed the missions of the de- 
 fense of the sector as transmitted to their com- 
 manders by the commanders of the relieved 
 units, particular attention being paid to the pre- 
 
30 RECORD OF STATIONS 
 
 cautionary measures outlined in Special Orders 
 NT 6.460, Artillerie de 33rd Corps d'Armee, 
 19th of Aug. 1918, by Lt. Col. Delaroche and as 
 supplemented by G. 0. 30 Hdqrs. 128th F. A., 
 dated 25th of August. 
 
 "All lines of communication, posts of obser- 
 vation and liaison were established in compli- 
 ance with Memo. Hdqrs. 128th F. A. dated 26th. 
 
 "Additional instructions as to the defense of 
 the sector were promulgated and certain mis- 
 sions as existing modified in F. 0. No. 4 Hdqrs. 
 Field Artillery North Segment 35th Div. Sector, 
 dated 27th of Aug. 1918. For tactical purposes 
 the north Segment, 35th Div. Sector was divid- 
 ed into three sub-groupings, viz: Region of the 
 Lakes (des Lacs), Bischstein and Gaschney. The 
 artillery of the subsegment des Lacs, consisting 
 of the 1st and 2nd Batteries, 1st R. A. M., (Reg- 
 iment d'Artillerie de Montague) French Army 
 and batteries E and F, 128th U. S. F. A., were 
 placed under command of Maj. Daniel F. Jones. 
 The artillery of the subsegment Bischstein and 
 Gaschney consisting of the 1st and 2nd Batter- 
 ies, 51st R. A. C, French Army and batteries A, 
 B, C and D, 128th U. S. F. A. were placed under 
 the command of Major Horace S. Rumsey, with 
 the Major of the French artillery at Mathilde 
 acting as advisor to both subsegments. 
 
 "Under direction of the Commanding General 
 
AND MOVEMENTS 31 
 
 60th F. A. Brigade August 28th, batteries of 
 the 128th F. A. participated in a special mission, 
 firing, concentrated fire, using Gas SheH No. 5. 
 This mission was accomplished at 20 hr (8 P. 
 M.) Aug. 29th, batteries A and B of this regi- 
 ment participating, taking position and firing 
 upon targets assigned as per Secret Order, 
 Hdqrs. 128th F. A. 
 
 "At 18 hr (6 P. M.), the 1st of Sept. 1918, the 
 batteries of this regiment were relieved of their 
 mission of barrage and counter-preparation and 
 withdrew from the line to their echelons as per 
 F. 0. No. 5, Hdqrs. 128th F. A. August 31st. 
 
 "All communications were left intact, all 
 trench and special equipment such as Gas 
 Equipment, etc., and all sector equipment in- 
 cluding maps, records and plan of defense was 
 left to relieving troops, as per Secret Order No. 
 79, Hdqrs. 35th Div., dated August 30th. All 
 munitions excepting sufficient amounts of 
 shrapnel and H. E. shell to fill caissons to the 
 proportion of 1/5 shrapnel to 4/5 H. E. shell 
 were turned over to relieving troops. 
 
 "In compliance with F. 0. No. 5, Hdqrs. 128th 
 F. A., Aug. 31st, all organizations of this regi- 
 ment left their echelons the night of 2nd-3rd of 
 September and marched to regroupment zone. 
 1st Battalion Hdqrs., Batteries A and B, from 
 Retournemer via Garardmer, Granges, Aumont- 
 
32 RECORD OF STATIONS 
 
 zey to Leveline-devant-Bruyeres. Supply Co., 
 from Longemer, via same route to same place. 
 Hdqrs. Co., from Retournemer via Gerardmer, 
 Granges, Aumontzey, Laveline-devant-Bruyeres 
 to Biff ontaine and thence, (not being sufficient 
 room there) about four kilometers further tow- 
 ards La Housserie where they were billeted at 
 an abandoned farm ; 2nd Battalion Hdqrs., Bat- 
 teries C. D. E and F from Le Valtin via Plain- 
 fang Fraize, Corcieux, La Chappelle where 2nd 
 Battalion Hdqrs., Batteries E and F were billet- 
 ed. Batteries C and D proceeding on to Les 
 Pouileres. Reml. Hdqrs. and Infirmary were es- 
 tablished at Biffontaine. All organizations were 
 in and liaison between the units established dur- 
 ing the day of Sept. 3rd. 
 
 "In accordance with F. 0. No. 35, Hdqrs. 35th 
 Div. dated 2nd of September this regiment pre- 
 pared to move into the Rosaries area and in 
 compliance with Secret Order No. 90 Hdqrs. 
 35th Div. dated 3rd of September and F. 0. No. 
 6 Hdqrs., 128th F. A., dated the 4th, moved to 
 the designated area by trains as follows : Train 
 No. 1, Regl. Hdqrs., Hdqrs. Co., and Supply Co., 
 loaded at La Chappelle at 16 hr. (4 P. M.) the 
 5th of Sept. Train No. 2, Battery A loaded at 
 La Chappelle at 20 hr. (8 P. M.) the 5th. Train 
 No. 3, 1st Battalion Hdqrs. and Battery C, load- 
 ed at Corcieux at 20:45 (8:45 P. M.), the 5th. 
 
AND MOVEMENTS 33 
 
 Train No. 4, Battery B, loaded at La Chappelle 
 at hr. (Midnight) the 5th. Train No. 5, Bat- 
 tery D, loaded at Corcieux at 0:45 hr. (12:45 
 A. M.) the 6th. Train No. 6, Battery E, loaded 
 at La Chappelle at 3 hr (3 A. M.) the 6th. 
 Train No. 7, 2nd Battalion Hdqrs, and Battery 
 F, loaded at Corcieux at 4:45 hr. (4:45 A. M.) 
 the 6th. The regulating officer at Epinal handed 
 to the senior officer of each train instructions 
 relative to the detraining point, also the route 
 which he would follow in marching to the area 
 in which his organization was to be billeted. 
 Regl. Hdqrs., Infirmary, Hdqrs. Co., and Bat- 
 tery A were located at St. Nicholas-du-Port ; 
 1st Battalion Hdqrs. Batteries B and C and 
 Supply Co., at Lupcourt ; 2nd Battalion Hdqrs., 
 Batteries D and F at Fleville. Battery E at 
 a farm out of Fleville in the direction of Nancy. 
 During the time the regiment remained in this 
 area all equipment was put in the best possible 
 condition and preparation made for further 
 movements. 
 
 "In compliance with F. 0. No. 35, Hdqrs., 
 35th Div. 10th of September 1918, and F. 0. No. 
 7, Hdqrs., 128th F. A. same date the organiza- 
 tions of this regiment moved north from their 
 respective stations to bivouac in woods S. E. 
 of Tomblaine. The movement started at 20 hr. 
 (8 P. M.), Sept. 10th, Batteries B, C, D, E, F 
 
34 RECORD OF STATIONS 
 
 and Supply Co., moving via Lupcourt, Ville-en- 
 Vermois to St. Nicholas-du-Port clearing Ville- 
 en-Vermois at 21 :30 hr. (9:30 P. M.). As soon 
 as the 129th F. A. cleared St. Nicholas-du-Port 
 this regiment continued the movement via Art- 
 sur-Meurthe to woods S. E. of Tomblaine where 
 all organizations were under cover by 4 hr. 
 (4 A. M.), Sept. 11th, 1918. 
 
 "(Note) — From this date until further refer- 
 ence is made the regiment was moved on mem- 
 oranda, and on verbal order from the Com- 
 manding General, 60th F. A. Brigade, issued 
 as the occasion demanded. Field officers and 
 battery commanders making reconnoissance on 
 heights beyond Nancy preparatory to St. Mihiel 
 offensive. 
 
 "On the night of llth-12th of Sept., 1918, 
 starting at 19 hr. (7 P. M.), the regiment pro- 
 ceeded through Nancy to bivouac in woods 
 north of Five Forks (los Cinq Tranchees), about 
 eight kilometers beyond Nancy. The regiment 
 maintained this position during the opening of 
 the St. Mihiel offensive on the 12th, 13th and 
 14th. 
 
 "At 19 hr (7 P. M.), the 14th, the regiment 
 moved forward in a westerly direction via Gon- 
 dreville, La Champagne going into Bivouac in 
 Bois de Villy, Ste. Etienne about six kilometers 
 N. E. of Toul. 
 
AND MOVEMENTS 35 
 
 "At 19 hr. (7 P. M.), the 15th, the regiment 
 moved forward via Toul, Foug, Lay St. Pagny- 
 sur-Meuse, Ourches to Bois de Void. Regl. 
 Hdqrs. was established at Ourches and the regi- 
 ment rested here in bivouac for twenty-four 
 hours. 
 
 "At 20 hr. (8 P. M.), the 17th, the regiment 
 moved forward via Void, between which point 
 and Menil-la-Horgne the movement of the en- 
 tire column was delayed for several hours by 
 heavy movement of truck trains. The march 
 was continued past Saulx-en-Barrois, through 
 St. Aubin, Nancois-le-Grand, about six kilo- 
 meters beyond where the regiment arrived at 
 13 hr. (1 P. M.), the 18th, having fed men and 
 animals during the delays. 
 
 "At 21 hr. (9 P. M.), the 18th, the regiment 
 moved forward via Nancois-le-Petite, Guerlont, 
 Silmont, Culey, Resson to bivouac in Foret de 
 Ste. Genevieve arriving there about 7 hr. (7 A. 
 M.), the 19th. 
 
 "At 1 hr. (A. M.), the 20th, the regiment 
 moved forward via Erize-St. Dizier, Rumont, 
 Seigneulles, Hargeville Genicourt-sous-Conde, 
 Conde-en-Barrois, thence through Rembercourt 
 to within about one kilometer of Sommaisne 
 where at 14 hr. (2 P. M.), the column was halt- 
 ed by the Commanding General, 60th F. A. Bri- 
 
36 RECORD OF STATIONS 
 
 gade and instructions given to feed, water and 
 rest for five hours. 
 
 "At 19 hr. (7 P. M.), the 20th, the regiment 
 moved forward via Sommaisne, Pritz-en- 
 Argonne-Foucaucourt, Fleury-sur-Aire, Autre- 
 court, Froidos to bivouac in woods west of Rare- 
 court arriving at 8:30 hr. (A. M.), the 21st of 
 September. 
 
 "During the day of the 22nd the batteries 
 remained in bivouac in woods, getting ready to 
 go into action, by stripping of all equipment not 
 essential to actual fighting. 
 
 "At 9 hr. (A. M.), the 23rd, the Commanding 
 officer, Col. Frank M. Rumbold with Lieutenant 
 Chevillard, liaison officer from the French 
 Army, and Lieut. Goodyear, operations officer, 
 128th F. A., accompanied the Commanding 
 General 60th F. A. Brigade on reconnoissance. 
 At this time the Commanding General indicated 
 the area in which this regiment would take posi- 
 tion. Due to physical condition later it became 
 necessary for Colonel Rumbold to relinquish 
 command of the regiment and he was evacuated 
 to the hospital that same evening, Lt. Col. 
 Walter J. Warner assuming command. 
 
 "At 19 hr. (7 P. M.), the 23rd of September, 
 in compliance with verbal instructions from the 
 Commanding General 60th F. A. Brig., the regi- 
 ment moved from the woods west of Rarecourt 
 
AND MOVEMENTS 37 
 
 in order as follows : 1st Battalion Hdqrs., Bat- 
 teries A, B and C, 2nd Battalion Hdqrs., Bat- 
 teries D, E and F, proceeded via Auxeville, 
 Clermont-en-Argonne and Neuvilly. The 1st 
 Battalion proceeded to position about 2.5 kilo- 
 meters N. E. of Neuvilly. The 2nd Battalion 
 proceeded about one kilometer north of Neuvilly 
 on the Neuvilly-Boureuilles road, taking position 
 on the southern slope of Les Cotes des Fori- 
 ment (Hill 241). Forward echelons were estab- 
 lished under the best cover available in and 
 around Aubreville, the rear echelons being 
 temporarily maintained in the woods west of 
 Rarecourt. 
 
 "In compliance with F. 0. No. 44 Hdqrs., 35th 
 Div., the 24th of September, and Annex No. 1- 
 to F. 0. No. 44 Hdqrs., 60th F. A. Brig., same 
 date the regiment made the necessary prepara- 
 tions to execute the missions mentioned therein 
 as pertained to it. All lines of communication 
 and liaison were established; Radio stations put 
 in operation and the coordinates of the panels 
 sent in. The 1st Aid dressing stations were 
 located with relation to the batteries. 
 
 "In compliance with Secret Field Order No. 9, 
 Hdqrs., 60th F. A. Brig., dated 25th and F. 0. 
 No. 10, Hdqrs., 128th F. A., same date the bat- 
 teries of this regiment prepared the data neces- 
 sary to carry out the missions assigned to them, 
 
38 RECORD OF STATIONS 
 
 in above mentioned orders. 
 
 "The 1st Battalion was designated to fire on 
 fugitive targets in liaison with the aeroplane 
 service and when not so engaged to execute 
 fire of interdiction on areas designated in Par. 3 
 F. 0. No. 10 Hdqrs., 128th F. A. Upon the same 
 authorization this Battalion participated in the 
 barrage mission from H hour plus 131 to H hour 
 plus 150, covering the right of the sector. Upon 
 telephonic orders from Hdqrs., 60th F. A. Brig., 
 received at 3 :30 hr. (A. M.) the 26th of Septem- 
 ber, the first Battalion was directed to place 
 smoke screen in front of designated enemy guns 
 to cover the advance of friendly tanks. This 
 mission being executed from H hr. plus 25 to 
 H hr. plus 50, in compliance with above men- 
 tioned paragraphs of F. O. No. 9 and 10, the 
 2nd Battalion executed the mission of barrage 
 from H hr. to H hr. plus 150 (2 hours, 30 min.). 
 
 "At 8:30 hr. (A. M.), the 26th, the Battalions 
 took preliminary measures to move forward. 
 Upon telephonic orders from Hdqrs., 60th F. A. 
 Brig., the 2nd Battalion moved forward on the 
 Neuvilly-Boureuilles road as far as mined area, 
 about one kilometer west of Buzemount, E bat- 
 tery being the leading battery, and being unable 
 to proceed farther on this road, crossed to the 
 field south of Boureuilles. One battery being 
 placed in position so as to fire on targets desig- 
 
AND MOVEMENTS 39 
 
 nated by infantry liaison. The 1st Battalion 
 moved forward on the road to the north of Les 
 Cotes des Forimont toward Buzemount, thence 
 toward Boureuilles where it was held up by road 
 congestion. At 19:30 hr (7:30 P. M.), the regi- 
 ment took position south of hill 239, remaining 
 there until 6:30 hr. (A. M.) the 27th. 
 
 "On the morning of the 27th the 2nd Bat- 
 talion moved forward occupying position on Hill 
 221, in accordance with Field Message. The 
 1st Battalion remaining in position covering 
 this advance, and having been completed, it 
 moved forward occupying position north of 
 Cheppy. In compliance with Field Message 
 dated the 27th, the 2nd Battalion executed zone 
 fire on area mentioned therein. 
 
 "At 6 hr. (A. M.), the 28th, the 2nd Battalion 
 moved forward via Cheppy and Very, occupying 
 position on Hill 218 west of Very. Immediately 
 on getting in position the batteries of the 2nd 
 Battalion delivered harassing fire on enemy 
 strong points, and in compliance with instruc- 
 tions in Field Message from Commanding Gen- 
 eral 60th F. A. Brig., dated the 28th, delivered 
 barrage as directed therein. The rate and dura- 
 tion of fire was controlled by telephonic orders 
 from the Commanding General 60th F. A. Brig. 
 
 "As soon as the 2nd Battalion was in position 
 on the hill west of Very, the 1st Battalion, 
 
40 RECORD OF STATIONS 
 
 which had covered the advance, moved forward 
 from its position at Cheppy, upon verbal orders 
 from the Commanding General 60th F. A. Brig. 
 The order being to move via Very to position 
 near Charpentry; The Commanding Officer of 
 the 1st Battalion, Major Horace S. Rumsey, to 
 establish his own mission by directly supporting 
 the infantry. This was executed as directed. 
 Liaison with the infantry was established and 
 fire delivered the afternoon of the 28th of Sep- 
 tember. 
 
 "At 5:30 hr. (A. M.), the 29th, the regiment 
 executed barrage mission as ordered in F. M. 
 No. 10, Hdqrs., 60th F. A. Brig., dated 28th. 
 
 "Throughout the day the 1st Battalion ex- 
 ecuted fire on strong points, which were causing 
 difficulties to our infantry, as called for by In- 
 fantry Commanders, and upon points also giv- 
 ing trouble as observed from the 1st Battalions' 
 O. P. established in Baulney. 
 
 "At 13:30 hr. (1:30 P. M.), the 29th upon 
 verbal orders from the Commanding General 
 60th F. A. Brig., the 2nd Battalion delivered 
 standing barrage on front of 1200 meters along 
 road near Apremont. 
 
 "According to exigencies of the situation 
 normal barrages were planned to give the great- 
 est protection to our lines, and were laid as the 
 position of our lines changed. Barrage held 
 
AND MOVEMENTS 41 
 
 preference over all other fire and was executed 
 on calls from the infantry. 
 
 "On telephonic orders from Hdqrs., 60th F. A. 
 Brig., the 2nd Battalion fired accompanying 
 barrage at 8:30 hr. (A.M.), over area 1000 
 meters in depth. The 1st Battalion continued 
 their mission of direct support of the infantry. 
 
 "At 9 hr. (A. M.), the 1st of October, on 
 telephonic orders from Hdqrs., 60th F. A. Brig., 
 the regiment executed fire of neutralization in 
 support of the infantry. Fire continued until 
 10:10 hr. (A. M.), when it was stopped on or- 
 ders from Hdqrs. 60th F. A. Brig. 
 
 "At 14 hr. (2 P. M.), the regiment executed 
 Zone Fire over area north of Chadron Farm, for 
 10 minutes as per order from 60th F. A. Brig. 
 All batteries then resumed Normal barrage 
 mission. 
 
 "The 1st Div., having relieved the 35th Div., 
 with exception of the artillery, this regiment in 
 compliance with F. O. No. 45 Hdqrs., 1st Div., 
 dated the 1st of Oct., was prepared to be re- 
 lieved during the night of lst-2nd. Upon later 
 orders, namely amendment to F. O. No. 45 as 
 above and F. O. No. 9 Hdqrs. 60th F. A. Brig., 
 dated the 2nd, the regiment continued its mis- 
 sion until relieved by the 1st Div. artillery mid- 
 night of 2nd-3rd. 
 
 "During the night of lst-2nd, the 1st Bat- 
 
42 RECORD OF STATIONS 
 
 talion was subjected to heavy concentration of 
 mustard gas. In view of this condition orders 
 were issued to evacuate the area but to leave 
 guns in position and laid; and to remain suffi- 
 ciently close by to fire in case of necessity. At 
 12:20 hr. (12:20 P. M.), the 2nd Battalion ex- 
 ecuted concentrated fire on enemy strong 
 points. 
 
 "At 1 hr. (A. M.), the 3rd of October, upon 
 telephonic information from Hdqrs. 60th F. A. 
 Brig., the regiment was advised that the relief 
 by the artillery of the 1st Div. had been accom- 
 plished and that the regiment was to withdraw 
 in compliance with F. 0. No. 9 Hdq. 60th F. A. 
 Brig., dated the 2nd. The 2nd Battalion with- 
 drew via Very, Cheppy and Varennes to area 
 in woods south of Varennes where bivouac was 
 made. Maj. Horace S. Rumsey, commanding the 
 1st Battalion upon receipt of orders for with- 
 drawal turned his command over to Capt. San- 
 ford. Maj. Rumsey suffering from gas burns, 
 was evacuated to the hospital. The 1st Bat- 
 talion withdrew via Charpentry and Varennes 
 to the woods south of Varennes where bivouac 
 for the day was made. 
 
 "At 18 hr. (6 P. M.), the 3rd, the regiment 
 proceeded toward the regroupement area arriv- 
 ing near Les-Islettee about 5 hr. (A.M.), the 
 4th where the regiment went into bivouac. 
 
AND MOVEMENTS 43 
 
 "At 13 hr. (1 P. M.), the regiment moved for- 
 ward to Camp Cotte where bivouac for the 
 night was made. In compliance with F. 0. No. 
 53 Hdqrs., 35th Div., dated the 4th, the regi- 
 ment resumed the march at 7 hr. (A. M.), the 
 5th, proceeding via Waly, Evres, Sommaisne, 
 Rembercourt aux Pots, Marats la Petite, Marars 
 la Grande and Seigneulles, where bivouac for 
 the night was made along the road. 
 
 "At 8 hr. (A. M.), the 6th, the regiment 
 moved into the area designated for billeting. 
 Regl. Hdqrs., Hdqrs Co., 1st Battalion Hdqrs. 
 and batteries A and C, located at Rosnes, 2nd 
 Battalion Hdqrs., batteries B, D, E, F and Sup- 
 ply Co., located in Erize la Brulee. 
 
 "From the 6th to the morning of the 12th of 
 October the regiment remained in the rest bil- 
 lets above mentioned. New clothing was issued 
 to replace that which had been subjected to the 
 gas attack. Material and equipment gone over 
 and the reorganization of the command per- 
 fected. 
 
 "At 8 hr. (A. M.), the 12th, the regiment 
 moved from its present location in compliance 
 with F. 0. No. 54 Hdqrs. 35th Div., dated the 
 11th proceeding via Belrain, Pierrefitte, Cou- 
 rouve and Thiilombois, where bivouac was made 
 for the night. 
 
 "At 18 hr. (6 P. M.), the 13th, the regiment 
 
44 RECORD OF STATIONS 
 
 moved forward to the Sommedieu area in com- 
 pliance with F. 0. No. 56 Hdqrs. 35th Div., dated 
 the 13th, proceeding via Villers, Genicourt to 
 Bois Sec, where camp was made. 
 
 "On the night of 14th-15th, in compliance 
 with above order and verbal instructions from 
 the Commanding General 60th F. A. Brig., the 
 regiment moved out of Bois Sec to relieve the 
 artillery units of the 15th D. I. C. (French) on 
 the Sommedieu Sector east of Verdun. 
 
 "All lines of communication and liaison were 
 installed. Plans for the defense of the sector 
 assumed, being those turned over by the re- 
 lieved units. 
 
 "In compliance with F. 0. No. 57 Hdqrs. 35th 
 Div., dated the 16th, the artillery fire of this 
 sector was confined strictly to actual demands 
 for defense of the sector. 
 
 "At 17 hr. (5 P. M.), the 18th, plans for the 
 defense of the sector were modified to comply 
 with F. 0. No. 11 Hdqrs. 60th F. A. Brig. As 
 soon as a battery was thoroughly overhauled in 
 the M. 0. R. S., it was brought back into posi- 
 tion to relieve another. 
 
 "At 5 hr. (A. M.), the 20th, defensive bar- 
 rage was fired on telephone call from Infantry 
 Hdqrs. 
 
 "During the night of 21st-22nd, defensive 
 
AND MOVEMENTS 45 
 
 barrage was fired three different times on 
 rocket and telephone call from infantry. 
 
 "At 8 hr. (A. M.), the 26th, the regiment as- 
 sumed protective barrage missions as set forth 
 in F. 0. No. 15 Hdqrs. 60th F. A. Brig. The 
 protective barrage mission for this regiment re- 
 mained unchanged by F. 0. No. 20 Hdqrs., 60th 
 F. A. Brig., dated the 29th of October. 
 
 "By virtue of F. 0. No. 67 Hdqrs., 35th Div., 
 dated the 4th of November, the infantry of the 
 35th Div. was relieved by the infantry of the 
 81st Div. The artillery of the 35th Div. remain- 
 ing in position, taking up the support of the 
 81st Div. All communication and liaison were 
 established at once. 
 
 "On the morning of the 7th of November, one 
 battery of this regiment opened fire for neutral- 
 ization as per F. 0. No. 25 Hdqrs. 60th F. A. 
 Brig., dated the 6th. 
 
 "In compliance with F. 0. No. 26 Hdqrs. 60th 
 F. A. Brig., dated the 9th, the batteries of this 
 regiment delivered preparatory fire on the areas 
 designated in par. 10, of F. 0. No. 26, for the 
 purpose of silencing enemy machine guns. Fire 
 opened at 7:30 hr. (A.M.), and concluded at 9 
 hr. (A.M.), firing 2979 rounds. Upon comple- 
 tion of firing at 9 hr. (A.M.), in compliance 
 with par. 13, of above order and telephonic in- 
 structions from Hdqrs., 60th F. A. Brig., bat- 
 
46 RECORD OF STATIONS 
 
 teries E, B and A, designated for tactical pur- 
 poses as the 1st Battalion, 128th F. A., with- 
 drew from positions prepared to advance as ae- 
 companing batteries with the attack of the 81st 
 Div. Inf., and moved out on the National High- 
 way No. 3, (Verdun-Metz Road), taking with 
 them all available caissons filled in the follow- 
 ing proportions: caissons with N. E. Normal, 
 pieces and caisson limbers with shrapnel. 
 
 "At 9 hr. (A. M.), in accordance with par. 13, 
 of F. O. No. 26, Hdq. 60th F. A. Brig., the com- 
 mand of the three batteries E, A and B passed 
 from Commanding Officer, 128th F. A. to the 
 Commanding General, 162nd Infantry Brigade 
 81st Div. 
 
 "At 10 hr. (A.M.), the 9th of November 
 1918, the Commanding General, 162nd Inf. 
 Brig., telephoned, through liaison officer, 1st 
 Lieut. E. S. Butts, that the road to Haudiamont 
 was clear and that the artillery Battalion Com- 
 mander was to report to him at P. C. Bordeaux 
 and to further instruct the three batteries to 
 move forward on the Verdun-Metz Road toward 
 Haudiamont, beyond which point they could not 
 proceed because the advance had not yet pro- 
 gressed to sufficient depth to permit permanent 
 occupation of any forward positions. 
 
 "At 17:55 hr. (5:55 P. M.), the 9th Batteries 
 C and D fired special ten minute barrage on U 
 
AND MOVEMENTS 47 
 
 27.14 to U 37.07 upon request of Commanding 
 General, 162nd Inf. Brig. 
 
 "Upon authorization of the Commanding 
 General, 162nd Inf. Brig., batteries of the 1st 
 Battalion were returned to their original posi- 
 tions and a forward echelon was established 
 near by at about 17 hr. (5 P. M.). 
 
 "During the night of the 9th-10th of Nov. 
 batteries of the 1st battalion were laid on pro- 
 tective barrage mission as follows : 
 
 Battery E, U23.5-12 to U29-00.5 
 
 Battery A, U29-00.5 to U33-09 
 
 Battery B, U33-09 to U37.5-07.5 
 
 "Batteries of the 2nd Battalion were held in 
 readiness to fire on telephonic instructions, a 
 barrage covering the front extending in a 
 general line from U 68-03 to U 99-00 to U 37-14. 
 
 "At 6 hr. (A. M.), the 10th, upon authoriza- 
 tion from the Commanding General, 162nd Inf. 
 Brig., Battery A fired 100 rounds (accompan- 
 ing barrage) beginning N. W. corner La Noir 
 Haie (U 40-10) and proceeding N. E. for 200 
 meters to permit advance of one Battalion of 
 the 324th Inf. 81st Div. 
 
 "At 1 :30 hr. (A. M.), the 10th, Batteries E, A 
 and B fired barrage, as mentioned above on the 
 9th-10th, with change, in the increase of range 
 
48 RECORD OF STATIONS 
 
 300 meters. At 12:35 hr. (P. M.), same date 
 batteries E and A fired the same mission with 
 increase on range of 100 meters. At 16 hr. (4 
 P. M.), battery A fired for destruction 50 rounds 
 on strong point U 64-20.5. Total foregoing fired 
 875. 
 
 "During the night of lOth-llth, the regiment 
 laid on protective barrage on line U 27.8-14.1 to 
 U 41.3-14.2 to U 46.4-10.2. 
 
 "In compliance with F. O. No. 2 Hdqrs., 162nd 
 Inf. Brig., dated the 10th of November, the fol- 
 lowing missions were assigned to the 1st Bat- 
 talion to cover the advance of the 323rd Inf. 
 Battery E fired on Chateau des Hannoncelles 
 from 6:45 to 7:45 hr. (A.M.), the 11th. Bat- 
 tery B fired on La Noir Haie U42.6 to U46.8from 
 6 :45 to 7 :45 hr. (A. M.) . Battery A fired on the 
 S. E. edge of Bois de Manhuelles (U 33.4 to U 
 37.5-08) from 6:45 to 7:45 hr (A. M.). Rounds 
 fired 720. 
 
 "At 8:45 hr. (A. M.), the 11th of Nov., Bat- 
 tery E fired for destruction on strong point 
 Chauteau des Hannoncelles concluding at 9:10 
 hr. (A. M.). Battery B fired on Ville-en-Woevre 
 from 8:55 to 9:10 hr. (A. M.) Battery A fired 
 on U 64-20.3 from 8:55 to 9:10 hr. (A.M.). 
 Upon request of the Commanding General, 
 162nd Inf. Brig., and upon authorization by 
 60th F. A. Brig., Battery D fired for destruction 
 
AND MOVEMENTS 49 
 
 from 10:25 to 10:45 hr. (A. M.) on U 38.14. 
 Rounds fired 923. 
 
 "At 11 hr. (A.M.) the 11th of November 
 
 1918, all firing was stopped per order and bat- 
 teries E, A and B resumed status held prior to 
 morning of the 9th. 
 
 "At 5 hr. (A.M.), the 17th of Nov., the 1st 
 Division took over the line outposts. At that 
 hour this regiment was relieved of its mission 
 as per F. 0. No. 27 Hdqrs. 60th F. A. Brig., 
 dated the 16th. 
 
 "About 8:30 (A.M.) the 22nd of January 
 
 1919, the regiment left its position, and pro- 
 ceeded, by marching, via Sommedieu, Genicourt 
 to Thillombois where bivouac for night was 
 made. 
 
 "The march was resumed at 8 hr. (A.M.), 
 the 23rd, proceeding via Pierrefitte, Lavalle to 
 Lignieres, where 1st Battalion Hdqrs., batteries 
 A and C were billeted; the remainder of the 
 regiment proceeding on to Dagonville where 
 Regimental Hdqrs., Hdqrs. Co., Supply Co. and 
 battery B were billeted; 2nd Battalion Hdqrs. 
 and battery F proceeded to Grimacourt. Bat- 
 teries D and E to Cousance, where they were 
 billeted. 
 
 "About 15 hr. (3 P. M.), the 6th of March, 
 in compliance with F. O. No. 3, Order No. 124 
 and Annex 1, 2 and 3 Hdqrs., 35th Div., dated 
 
50 RECORD OF STATIONS 
 
 the 27th of February 1919, and F. 0. No. 1 
 Hdqrs. 128th F. A. dated the 5th of March, 
 the regiment proceeded by marching; Hdqrs. 
 Co. and 1st Battalion via Dagonville, Sal Mange ; 
 2nd Battalion via Loxeville, Willeroncourt Nan- 
 cois le Petite to Nancois-Tronville. The 1st 
 Battalion entrained and departed at 22:56 
 (10:56 P. M.), the 6th. Regimentals Hdqrs. 
 Hdqrs. Co., Supply Co. and 2nd Battalion en- 
 training and departed at 6:30 hr. (A. M.) the 
 7th for the Le Mans area." 
 
 The regiment moved by train, from the Le 
 Mans area on the 31st of March, for Brest, the 
 Port of Embarkation, and sailed for the United 
 States the 11th of April, on H. M. S. "Vedic", 
 arriving in Boston April 22nd and took train for 
 Camp Devens, Mass., leaving that camp April 
 27th for Camp Funston, Kans., arriving there 
 May 1st, and was mustered out of the service 
 May 2nd, 1919. 
 
ARRIVAL IN FRANCE 51 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Incidents Prior to Arrival in France. 
 
 In the Sunday edition of the Kansas City 
 Star July 22nd, 1917, an announcement appear- 
 ed of the forming of a new Kansas City bat- 
 tery of artillery. The notice told of the ad- 
 vantages of belonging to a home organization, 
 and asked for volunteers. Enlistments in Bat- 
 tery E of the First Missouri Field Artillery 
 were taken at the gas office, 910 Grand Ave. 
 Five days later at a meeting in Convention Hall, 
 the following officers were elected: Captain l! 
 L. Bucklew, Lt. A. L. Sawyer, Lt. E. C. Reilly, 
 Lt. C. L. Mars, Lt. R. J. McMurray. 
 
 From time of enlistment to August 5th, 1917, 
 in Kansas City, it was not only a wild scramble' 
 to secure full strength, but to get men who were 
 good material for non-commissioned officers, 
 and specialists such as are required in the artil- 
 lery. None of the enlisted men had artillery ex- 
 perience; a few had been in other branches of 
 
52 INCIDENTS PRIOR TO 
 
 the Service, and their experience was of great 
 value in helping instill the rudiments of soldier- 
 ing into the rest of the Battery. Joyce R. 
 Snyder was appointed 1st Sergt, and his long 
 experience in the National Guard was a great 
 help, for he had the appearance and manner 
 necessary to handle recruits, and knew the 
 game, which he played as an old soldier. There 
 were several others, who also knew the ropes, 
 and with their help it was possible to set down 
 the principles and spirit of the Battery, which 
 was to mean so much to us later. 
 
 Several evenings were spent in squad drill 
 at Convention Hall before we were called out; 
 an amusing incident of these drills was that of 
 "Dad" Geenans, who was discovered marching 
 at attention, with his pipe in his mouth; he 
 readily removed it when told to do so, but drill- 
 ing was hard work, and out would come the pipe 
 again. It was on one of these evenings that two 
 Philippinos, Rosa and Redona, were discovered 
 as observers ; it developed that Rosa was raised 
 north of Lipa, Luzon, where Capt. Bucklew had 
 served in the U. S. Army in 1899. Rosa and 
 Redona enlisted that same evening. 
 
 As members of the National Guard of Mis- 
 souri we were preparing to assemble August 5th 
 in response to the "Call." Some were making 
 hurried trips to their homes out of the city for 
 
ARRIVAL IN FRANCE 53 
 
 a farewell. All could not go home, for we had 
 men from all parts of the United States, Can- 
 ada, Scotland, Ireland, Belgium. Later there 
 joined us Brown, the American Indian, who was 
 followed by men from Italy, Russia and other 
 countries. 
 
 The morning of August 5th, 1917, in answer 
 to the President's call, 139 men were present 
 at Admiral Bvld. and Lydia Ave., where our 
 camp was located until the latter part of the 
 month. Complete uniforms were not available, 
 but what was originally called "Bucklew's 
 Army" did not wait for uniforms to learn to 
 perform the duties of a soldier ; they soon mas- 
 tered the rudiments. Mrs. Mars and Mrs. Dixie 
 Newland provided blankets. Chas. J. Carter 
 raised funds among lumbermen to buy shoes 
 and socks. Baker & Lockwood loaned tents and 
 cots. Efforts of Mrs. Severance and Miss Lillian 
 Bucklew brought results, and Mrs. Fuller of the 
 Red Cross supplied toilet articles. The Govern- 
 ment supplies came slowly, and if it had not 
 been for the generosity of these good people 
 many of the men would have suffered. Later a 
 Battery Roster was printed with paid advertise- 
 ments, which enabled us to start a battery fund. 
 
 The battery was isolated from other troops, 
 and being part of a St. Louis regiment was dub- 
 bed "The Orphan Battery." Our isolation 
 
54 INCIDENTS PRIOR TO 
 
 helped us, as it permitted the training of a small 
 unit in the basic principles of soldiering as plan- 
 ned, and there was no interruption of the policy, 
 for the isolation continued for some weeks; so 
 that by the last of October the battery as an 
 organization was functioning properly; each 
 one understanding just what was expected. The 
 battery had that great thing called discipline, 
 the thing that is the keynote of a soldier's suc- 
 cessful training, and without which soldiers are 
 little more than a mob. 
 
 We had our comedy: as an illustration, one 
 man who had been reprimanded, and upon being 
 brought to Lt. Sawyer, offered the latter a dime 
 to get a cigar, evidently to square the matter. 
 This man's later faithful service, as well as the 
 faithful service of others, wiped out their early 
 errors, and gave much satisfaction to those in 
 command. 
 
 Full of life as the men were, and up to as 
 many tricks as young boys would pull off, they 
 were a source of great pride; never were sol- 
 diers more loyal to their organization. Later, 
 as cold weather came, when other organizations 
 were provided with sweaters and kits, the "Or- 
 phan Battery" appeared to have been overlook- 
 ed, but the work of Mrs. Grace Morrow of Ex- 
 celsior Springs, Mo., as God Mother, resulted in 
 getting sweaters, socks, helmets and wristlets 
 
ARRIVAL IN FRANCE 55 
 
 by the dozen ; provision was made for everyone. 
 
 Great was the rejoicing when E battery was 
 designated to precede the regiment on August 
 23rd, 1919, to Ft. Sill. Flowers and lunch figur- 
 ed in the farewell. The 2nd Mo. F. A. Band 
 furnished the music. "Oh Johnny" with many 
 quick steps helped us on the way to Union Sta- 
 tion, and helped to defy hints of sadness, so that 
 few tears marked the departure. 
 
 Daylight the 25th found us on a siding at 
 Fort Sill, where we received our baptism of dust. 
 The Engineers were the only other troops of the 
 35th Division there when we arrived, and the 
 camp was far from ready to receive troops. Lt. 
 Mars on that day, with his detail, proceeded to 
 accumulate in his efficient way our supplies, 
 and his training of the detail at that time helped 
 the battery many times, and when it came to 
 shrewdness Sergt. Githens was "right there." 
 Gen. Lucian G. Berry arrived about this time to 
 take command of the 60th F. A. Brigade. 
 
 Tents were soon pitched. Hats were issued 
 and a solemn funeral service was conducted to 
 the burial place of the last civilian hat. Some 
 dressed in robes, and Lt. Rielly's battery band 
 provided music. Lt. Rielly also had charge of 
 our canteen ; and from sales to other organiza- 
 tions as the men arrived in camp hot, dry, and 
 hungry, we were able to lay aside a fund that 
 
56 INCIDENTS PRIOR TO 
 
 lasted through our service. Many will remem- 
 ber those hot September days and that swim- 
 ming hole which helped so much between drill 
 periods. Also how Lt. Sawyer injected hot 
 work and words as he worked out the battery, 
 according to his hard Annapolis training. Then 
 there was Lt. McMurray with his short snappy 
 way. The practice marches were hard, and 
 "Shorty" Olsen was not the last one in, for he 
 kept up with many who had longer legs. He it 
 was who had to climb the horse's leg to mount. 
 We did not like to lose him, but he had oppor- 
 tunity to do good work at Brigade Headquar- 
 ters; so he was ordered there, but visited us 
 often. Then we also lost Mackintosh, who was 
 promoted to Sergt. Major. Jeck, as well as 
 others, from time to time applied themselves 
 and were given opportunity in other organiza- 
 tions, until we were represented at Division, 
 Brigade, Regimental and Battalion Headquar- 
 ters, and some specially qualified men were 
 placed in other outfits, Sergt. Severance being 
 selected as Regimental N. C. Gas Officer. It can 
 also be said some passed up opportunities for 
 commissions. Corp. Davies was selected for 
 work at G. H. Q. There were many who served 
 their entire time as privates faithfully who de- 
 served rewards, but unfortunately these could 
 not be given to all. 
 
ARRIVAL IN FRANCE 57 
 
 The early period at Ft. Sill was spent in set- 
 ting up exercises, close order drill and lectures. 
 Winter came ; no day was too cold but the bat- 
 tery was out at work. Four 3 inch guns were 
 received. The men were put through iron train- 
 ing and discipline, but plenty of good plain food 
 developed them into strong soldiers, capable of 
 endurance, Maj. Daniel F. Jones commanding 
 our battalion. 
 
 To replace discharged and transferred men 
 others from Camp Funston, Kans., together 
 with additions from the 129th F. A. and in- 
 fantry were received. The infantrymen were 
 experts in the manual of arms, and this helped 
 the rifle drill of the battery. In March, 1918, 
 additional men arrived from Camp Travis, 
 Texas; they were a husky lot. 
 
 The work of the gun crews had to be learned 
 over again when our equipment was changed 
 to 4.7 tractor drawn artillery. The range was 
 out at Signal Mt., and while the infantry were 
 burying bayonets in dummy Germans, the ar- 
 tillery were heaving shells at the mountain. The 
 banging away of the 60th Artillery Brigade at 
 firing practice, gave the men a good idea of the 
 part they were soon to play in the Great War. 
 When the guns were prepared for shipment to 
 France many personal articles were hidden in 
 the caissons, which were never seen again. 
 
58 INCIDENTS PRIOR TO 
 
 Our picket line was the scene of several fistic 
 encounters, however all of them did not take 
 place there. When a member of the battery- 
 became involved with some one from another 
 outfit the battery spirit was evident. The feel- 
 ing that we were the best, was backed up by- 
 several facts, such as winning the football game, 
 and Weeks taking the wrestling championship 
 for his weight, in the Division. He was offer- 
 ed a tour in France when we were leaving 
 there but declined. Recalling the general desire 
 to have the battery- at top notch, we remember 
 the final inspection at Ft. Sill, when one man 
 forgot his comb; as soon as the battery was 
 dismissed, another member of the battery pro- 
 ceeded to take satisfaction out of the hide of the 
 careless one. 
 
 All will recall the days when gun emplace- 
 ments were dug near Signal Mountain, and the 
 hikes to and from there, skirmish lines were 
 formed to drive out the rabbits, and when one 
 bounded across the prairie the men would 
 whoop, and the chase be on, assisted by dogs, 
 who always went out on these trips. This short 
 recreation was a relief from the hard, serious 
 work many had to do. The cooks had their 
 troubles trying to follow directions of Major 
 Pirn; as Harris said, "Keep out of food stuffs 
 these three eyed 'Dingusses' with curly tails 
 
ARRIVAL IN FRANCE 59 
 
 and long feelers, to change white uniforms fre- 
 quently and keep their nails clean." Sergt Zieg- 
 ler, who had the thankless job of Mess Sergt., 
 could not be beat, and he gained a reputation in 
 the Division by the excellent manner in which 
 he carried on his work. The following is quoted 
 from the K. C. Times, Nov. 22nd, 1917: 
 
 "PRAISE KANSAS CITY UNIT 
 
 "Battery E Crack of 128th Regiment at 
 
 Doniphan. 
 
 "Camp Doniphan, Okla., Nov. 22.— Battery E 
 of the One Hundred and Twenty-eighth Field 
 Artillery, recruited in Kansas City and com- 
 bined with the five other batteries from St. 
 Louis, is considered the pacemaker of the regi- 
 ment. Praise for the battery is heard wherever 
 there is a discussion in the regiment. 
 
 "Col. F. M. Rumbold, commander of the One 
 Hundred and Twenty-eighth, has personally 
 commended the officers, non-coms and privates 
 of Battery E, for their efficiency and superior 
 drill work. * * 
 
 "Battery E has another point of superiority 
 over every other unit in the Division. That is in 
 the mess shack. 
 
 "Herbert F. Ziegler, a Missouri University 
 
60 INCIDENTS PRIOR TO 
 
 man, presides as mess sergeant. Under him are 
 four cooks with experience that would qualify 
 them to cook for kings: John Groves, former 
 cook for a big circus ; Raymond Harris, head of 
 a delicatessen shop in San Francisco; Walter 
 Carpenter, in the John J. Grier Rock Island ser- 
 vice, and Leroy Smith, who was a printer at 
 Burd & Fletcher's before enlisting. 
 
 "Big plans are being made for Thanksgiving 
 Day. Menus and programs have been printed 
 on olive drab paper, speeches are being prepared, 
 and the afternoon will be devoted to eating what 
 they can of the following menu: 
 
ARRIVAL IN FRANCE 61 
 
 Cream of Chicken 
 
 Celery Olives Pickles 
 
 Roast Turkey Oyster Dressing 
 
 Cranberry Sauce 
 
 Mashed Potatoes Candied Sweet Potatoes 
 
 Early June Peas 
 
 Romaine Head Lettuce Salad 
 
 Mince Pie Pumpkin Pie 
 
 Russian Fruit Cake 
 
 Oranges Grapes Bananas 
 
 Assorted Nuts 
 
 American Cheese 
 
 Coffee Grape Juice Tea 
 
 Cigars Cigarettes Mints" 
 
62 INCIDENTS PRIOR TO 
 
 There was another period of rejoicing when 
 the thirteen men sent to France ahead of us, 
 as the "Over Sea Detail," departed, for we felt 
 we had started; several parties were held late 
 that night. 
 
 It was about this time Charlie Geenans had 
 been sent to the Infirmary. Feeling lonesome 
 he wrote a note to the Doctor, telling him he 
 did not like to stay there, and that he was going 
 to his battery ; he slipped away, and was found 
 in his tent. 
 
 The isolation camp was patronized by many, 
 and a sorry lot it was when some one in a tent 
 would break out with the measles, resulting in 
 all men in that tent being marched away. 
 
 Sergt. Ching became so proficient with the 
 tractors that he was called on to give instruc- 
 tions in the regiment. Chief Mechanic Nolan 
 likewise attained results with the 4.7 material. 
 The chiefs of section were not the only ones 
 who studied and attended night classes. Each 
 section was capable of working independent of 
 the battery if detached and thrown on their own 
 resources. Then also did Sergt. Gattrell impart 
 his knowledge to his detail, and control the 
 men as none other in the Brigade. They had 
 their close associates in the detail, and in each 
 section; each trying to outdo the other. 
 
 Responsibilities were placed; work outlined 
 
ARRIVAL IN FRANCE 63 
 
 for each; and all held to strict accountability. 
 This resulted in all having confidence in them- 
 selves and executing with a will the most ardu- 
 ous duties. 
 
 Later two men were assigned to the battery, 
 who did not hold the views of soldiering as we 
 did ; when they displayed this attitude it did not 
 take long for them to be shown the light, by 
 the men themselves, and they developed into 
 good, faithful soldiers, 
 
 Our beloved Lashbrook let his energy run 
 away with him one night. A deep hole had 
 been dug at one end of the battery street. He 
 wanted to get to Lawton more often, where his 
 sister was living then; on this night about 
 eleven o'clock, so he claimed later, he jumped 
 in the hole; the guard claimed he yelled as 
 though he was being murdered. The guard 
 with others lifted him out; he was carried to 
 the hospital. Major Pirn fixed him up and Lash- 
 brook said he almost believed he did have three 
 ribs broken, as the Major thumped his ribs 
 and confined him to the hospital for a short 
 time. Lashbrook often said it was not his ribs 
 but his head ; for the sun was hot, drilling hard, 
 and as an orderly he was not excused from 
 drilling. 
 
 Spring came and on May 10th, 1918, the bat- 
 tery and regiment entrained for New York. It 
 
64 INCIDENTS PRIOR TO 
 
 was fortunate the battery passed through Kan- 
 sas City, for it enabled the men to see their rel- 
 atives and friends ; also put on a parade. Short 
 marches were also made at Bloomington, 111., 
 Cleveland, Ohio, and Buffalo, N. Y. New York 
 City was reached the 14th, and arrival at Camp 
 Mills the 15th. Inspections and final oversea 
 examinations took place there. 
 
 Five o'clock May 20th, the troops sailed 
 aboard R. M. S. Saxonia. The ship had a capa- 
 city of only 3000 and was rather old ; some fears 
 were expressed as to her ability to fight sub- 
 marines. 
 
 Coming into the harbor of Halifax, alone, the 
 morning of the 23rd, the Saxonia joined many 
 other camouflaged transports. The next morn- 
 ing the fleet of 17 ships weighed anchors and 
 started across the Atlantic. On deck it was 
 compulsory to wear life belts, and boat drills 
 were held regularly. Mess put on by the ship's 
 cooks was very poor compared to what our camp 
 rations had been ; their rabbit stew well deserv- 
 ed the name of cat. Rain and cool weather was 
 the rule, but only one day did the sea get rough. 
 
 At 6 o'clock, June 1st, a speck was observed 
 on the horizon, which, when it came closer, 
 proved to be the first destroyer sent out from 
 England, to meet the incoming transports. Sev- 
 eral other destroyers joined us; one carried an 
 
ARRIVAL IN FRANCE 65 
 
 observation balloon, which it could drag over 
 the water at great speed like some huge dragon 
 fly. The sub-chasers added much to the feeling 
 of safety, as we were then passing through the 
 danger zone. 
 
 June 2nd, about 6 P. M. two "subs" were re- 
 ported close to the convoy. The alarm was giv- 
 en; all the transports changed course. The de- 
 stroyers rushed to the spot where the submar- 
 ines had been reported and dropped depth 
 bombs, one "sub" being reported as destroyed. 
 
 June 4th, everyone welcomed the sight of 
 land when the white cliffs and green hills of 
 England came into view. June 5th, at 11 :30 A. 
 M. the Saxonia tied up at Tilbury dock. These 
 were the first American troops to land in this 
 part of England. The troops boarded 3rd class 
 railway coaches for Winchester. Arriving at 
 Winchester, a long hike was made to Camp 
 Winnal Downs, with full packs. Time at this 
 camp was spent in resting up. English rations 
 were wholesome, but meagre. The scarcity of 
 food brought home the slogan, "Save or starve." 
 
 Two days' stay at this camp and we left for 
 Southampton, crossing the Channel in a small 
 cattle boat, at night. 
 
PRIOR TO ARMISTICE 67 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 In France Prior to Armistice. 
 
 The Battery set foot on French soil for the 
 first time at La Havre, June 8th, and found 
 themselves in a quaint old city. The next day 
 the men made their acquaintance with the "sol- 
 dier side door Pullman," for they were loaded in 
 French box cars at the rate of "40 Hommes — 8 
 Cheveaux" (in accordance with the sign on the 
 car door). The cars looked like toys compared 
 with the big American box cars, being four- 
 wheeled, and having a hand brake. 
 
 The scenery of France, as the train rolled 
 along, proved much different than that of the 
 States. Instead of Prairie land in large tracts, 
 the country was rolling, the fields were small, 
 but intensively cultivated ; many of the gardens 
 having moss covered tile walls between them, 
 giving a most picturesque appearance. Peas- 
 ants tilled the soil, many with last century im- 
 plements. 
 
68 IN FRANCE 
 
 The box car ride ended at Montriel, June 10th. 
 The Battery was billeted at Chevalier Farm, 
 two kilometers from the small village of La 
 Meighnan, and eight kilometers from Angers, in 
 the wonderful valley of the Loire. Here again 
 in our isolation from other billets, the Battery 
 had its "family" difficulties to smooth out but 
 nevertheless many will recall some happy days 
 here. From the gate to the Chateau, stretched 
 a long lane bordered with parallel rows of state- 
 ly trees; in this lane the Battery spent many 
 hours, carrying out the daily scheduleu On the 
 adjoining farm was a French family consisting 
 of mother, daughter and crippled soldier son. 
 This good woman had lost one son, killed early 
 in the war, and another was then a prisoner in 
 Germany. These two hard working women and 
 the cripple were very kind to us — it was our 
 first intimate knowledge of what the French 
 had, and were enduring in this War — and when 
 we sympathized with this woman she bravely 
 said, "it is for France" ; so loyal are these peas- 
 ant folk. 
 
 The French Cafe proved a novelty to the 
 Americans. Even the smallest villages had nu- 
 merous cafes where wines and beer were sold; 
 and as a consequence some indulged too freely 
 — and became "beaucoup zigzag" as the French 
 would say. 
 
PRIOR TO ARMISTICE 69 
 
 June 19th, the Battery received its issue of 
 the famous French 75mm guns — this again ne- 
 cessitated changing the gun drill learned at 
 Doniphan. These guns were retained however 
 throughout the campaign. 
 
 June 20th saw all of the oversea detail back 
 with the Battery again, having completed their 
 course in advanced work at Valdahon, and need- 
 less to say their instruction was of great value 
 to them and their comrades. Everyone enjoy- 
 ed their stay at Chevalier Farm. Passes to An- 
 gers gave the men an opportunity to view a 
 large French city. 
 
 One the 9th of July the Battery entrained for 
 Camp Coetquidon, near Guer, and arrived there 
 the same day. This camp was a finishing school 
 for artillery. Schools for specialists were con- 
 ducted. The issue of horses was received at this 
 camp, and it took only a few weeks for the men 
 to become proficient in handling them. 
 
 After firing a regimental problem, in which 
 an advancing barrage was worked out on the 
 opposite hills, the Battery's "School of fire" 
 work was finished. The outfit was now ready 
 for the fighting fronts, and on August 16th the 
 journey across France eastward began. The 
 route led through Rennes, LeMans, Versailles, 
 (just outside of Paris) Chaumont, Epinal and 
 Remiremont. At Epinal the first Boche aero- 
 
70 IN FRANCE 
 
 plane raider and anti-aircraft guns were seen 
 in action. Sunday, Aug. 18th, the organiza- 
 tion left the train at Remiremont, and proceed- 
 ed overland, with guns and horses, to La Forge, 
 a small village in the Vosges mountains. Aug. 
 21st the march was taken up through Gerard- 
 mer, and into the Vosges-Gerardmer Sector. 
 
 The Battery faced the Germans for the first 
 time on Aug. 22nd, when they pulled the guns 
 into position up the side of a mountain. Move- 
 ment and the furnishing of the supplies here 
 was very difficult, owing to the mountainous 
 character of the country. There was no active 
 campaign on in the Vosges at this time, so the 
 Boche sent over only harassing fire. The Bat- 
 tery registered and fired for the first time at 
 the enemy on Aug. 27th, Sergt. Ching sending 
 over the first shot at 3 P. M. From the artil- 
 lery 0. P. Nicholai, the Germans and their sys- 
 tem of fortifications in the mountain fastness 
 could be seen. The Allies and the Germans both 
 had lost many men trying to take each others' 
 strong positions, resulting in the warfare 
 changing to small offensives and raids. We were 
 careful not to fire on the city of Munster and 
 other towns in range. From our 0. P. on a 
 clear day the Rhine Valley was easily visible. 
 Some French citizens in this section were pro- 
 German, and required continual watching. This 
 
PRIOR TO ARMISTICE 71 
 
 quiet sector did not remain quiet after the Am- 
 ericans arrived, and the last two days that the 
 Battery was in this position there was continu- 
 ous fighting and heavy shelling. 
 
 In occupying new positions, orders were 
 strictly enforced, prohibiting anyone crossing 
 open fields and thereby leaving a trail through 
 the long grass distinctly discernable in German 
 aeroplane photos — consequently giving the en- 
 emy a cue as to recent activity in that position. 
 As this position became active, amid the loud 
 report of the H. E. shells could be heard the 
 quiet thud of gas shells and the shrieking of gas 
 sirens — the din was deafening. The Battery 
 was in the open in a new position, therefore did 
 not have the shelter of dugouts; and during 
 the most uncomfortable periods a few of the 
 men occupied a small partly built ammunition 
 shelter. Shells fell in the position, but no one 
 was injured. Sept. 1st the sector was taken over 
 by the relieving Division, and the march over- 
 land began. To keep troop movements un- 
 known to the enemy, all moves near the front 
 had to be made under cover of darkness (this 
 was called "night seeing" in France) . Strict or- 
 ders kept anyone from smoking at these times, 
 for fear of observation of flashes of light by the 
 Germans. One weary night after traveling 41 
 kilometers, La Chappelle was reached. From 
 
72 IN FRANCE 
 
 there sixteen hours on a slow moving train 
 brought the Battery to Einvaux on Sept. 6th. 
 We marched several kilometers from this point, 
 and were taking cover in an old orchard, when 
 the whir of an aeroplane and the firing of anti- 
 aircraft guns were heard, and suddenly a Ger- 
 man plane appeared, flying low; their machine 
 gun bullets cut leaves from the trees over us, 
 the plane passed to a field adjoining and landed, 
 undamaged, except for gasoline leaking from its 
 tank, which had been pierced by a machine gun 
 bullet. The Germans continued firing until they 
 landed. Capt. Bucklew, taking Lt. Dinkins, 
 Sergt. Ziegler, Sergt. Gattrell, and several oth- 
 ers, quickly formed a skirmish line and rushed 
 the Germans before they could do any damage 
 or destroy the plane ; for they carried a grenade 
 to be used in an emergency like this. Sergt. 
 Ziegler acted as interpreter; of the two German 
 officers, one wore two Iron Crosses, one of the 
 First Class and one of the Second Class. One 
 officer was crestfallen and unhappy; the other 
 said he was glad the war was over for him and 
 gave Capt. Bucklew his goggles. Thus the first 
 German captives in the Brigade fell to Battery 
 E. One of the Germans wanted to light a cig- 
 arette while standing near the leaking tank ; he 
 was prevented from striking the match, as it 
 was no doubt his intention to destroy the plane 
 

 
 ;■''-.■ 
 
 
 
 
 
 ••-'V- 
 
 «9 
 
 1 
 
 i • i 
 
 mmr* * 
 
PRIOR TO ARMISTICE 73 
 
 and those of us standing near, if possible. 
 
 The march continued through Fleville to a 
 farm known as "Farme de Frocourt", four kil- 
 ometers outside Nancy. Here a rest was taken. 
 Sept. 10th the farm was left behind, and the 
 night march taken up by way of St. Nicholas. 
 The 60th Field Artillery Brigade was now on 
 the road, moving as a whole. 
 
 The fact was now made known that the Divis- 
 ion, as a part of the 1st Army, was being held in 
 reserve for the attack to be made on St. Mihiel. 
 At 1 :00 A. M. on Sept. 12th, the American bom- 
 bardment began; at 2:00 A. M. the Brigade 
 moved forward, after having stood in a soaking 
 rain for six hours waiting to know as to wheth- 
 er or not we would be used in the first lines; 
 and learned that fighting did not always mean 
 actual shooting. The American barrage contin- 
 ued until nine in the morning. The Brigade was 
 now stationed in a big beech tree forest, "Foret 
 de Have." News came into camp about capture 
 of many Germans and gain of large territory, 
 which meant the drive had succeeded, and fur- 
 ther support by the Brigade would not be re- 
 quired in this operation. 
 
 The Battery took up the hike again, traveling 
 northward just behind the front. Night after 
 night the men followed the caissons, snatching 
 what rest they could get during the short halts. 
 
74 IN FRANCE 
 
 Daylight found the guns and horses hidden in 
 the timber or comouflaged from aeroplane ob- 
 servation. Changed orders now called for all pos- 
 sible speed. Hay and oats for the horses were 
 hard to obtain, and carry. Many times, even the 
 "corn willy" supply was short. Because of the 
 wornout condition of the horses the men were 
 required to carry their packs; soon the horses 
 began to give out, and every few kilometers 
 horses had to be taken out, some to be shot and 
 others turned loose. We were northwest of Ver- 
 dun, opposite the Argonne; motor trucks laden 
 with ammunition poured up to the front in a 
 never ending line. At this place Sergt. Githens 
 succeeded in getting camouflage screens, and 
 the Regimental Supply Company worked day 
 and night under very trying conditions, doing 
 excellent work. 
 
 Sept. 22nd, the Brigade, weary and footsore, 
 drew into the woods outside of Rarecourt, hav- 
 ing traveled 350 kilometers since leaving the 
 Vosges Mts. Eighteen nights of hard marching 
 had brought the Brigade up in time for the com- 
 ing offensive. One of the nights Lt. Wright was 
 having trouble with a mired wagon, and sent 
 Lashbrook to get a rope. Lashbrook searched 
 diligently, and in the dark found one tied to a 
 post, which rope he unfastened and found the 
 other end tied to a horse. No one ever claimed 
 
PRIOR TO ARMISTICE 75 
 
 the animal and for a long time Lashbrook's 
 find shared forage with the other horses. 
 
 Sept. 23rd the Battery moved through de- 
 stroyed Neuvilly, up to what was to be their po- 
 sition in the great drive to be pulled off in the 
 Argonne. In the moonlight hours of early mor- 
 ning on the 24th, the guns were established in 
 position and camouflaged under fire of the Ger- 
 man batteries. Daylight found the position 
 without any human movement or trace of the 
 work accomplished, everyone remaining hidden. 
 The following night was spent by every availa- 
 ble man carrying and stacking rows of 75mm 
 ammunition to be used in the opening barrage 
 of the offensive later known as the Meuse-Ar- 
 gonne. Pvt. Frank Lewis was injured by en- 
 emy shell fire while carrying ammunition. 
 Horseshoer Holmes was also slightly wounded. 
 
 In the territory assigned to the 35th Division 
 to capture stood Vauquois Hill, a formidable for- 
 tress, tunneled with deep concrete dugouts. In 
 Man's Land, a forest of barbed wire, protected 
 an extensive trench system of the Germans. The 
 French had been unsuccessful for four years in 
 trying to capture Vauquois Hill, in the famous 
 Hindenburg Line. 
 
 At midnight, and during the early hours of 
 Sept. 26th, the American-French offensive 
 broke out with a roar; the big guns, smaller 
 
76 IN FRANCE 
 
 guns, and machine guns tried to outdo each oth- 
 er in noise. At 5:30 A. M., the Battery joined 
 in the barrage lasting until 8:00 A. M., and 
 smoke belching from three thousand guns dot- 
 ting the countryside, and making a thick fog. 
 Regularly, the drum fire would be broken by a 
 still louder explosion ; that of the 15-inch Naval 
 guns sending over death and destruction from 
 the rear. The flash of the guns made the dusk 
 seem ghastly. The Battery barrage was creep- 
 ing, jumping forward at one hundred meter in- 
 tervals until the thirtieth jump was reached, 
 starting at 3,000 meters and ending at 6,000 me- 
 ters. As the hands of our watches pointed to 
 the zero hour, the indescribable din and thunder 
 of many guns rolled over the Valley of the Aire. 
 Far and near thousands of flashes blended 
 together in the early morning hours and made a 
 continuous glow. The guns sizzled, and empty 
 shells were thrown nearby, as our 75's belched 
 fire and sent their message to the Germans ; the 
 shells from large calibre guns in the rear shriek- 
 ed and whined in their flight over our heads. 
 Strong as were the German dugouts, machine 
 gun nests and battery emplacements, they could 
 not long withstand the tons of high explosives 
 that were dropped on them. The guns also swept 
 German crossroads, ammunition dumps and 
 barbed wire entanglements. During this time 
 
Batteries D, E and F, early morning-, Sept. 26, at opening c| 
 and before moving forward on Varennes road. 
 
leuse-Argonne Drive, just after IV 2 hours continuous firing 
 e barbed wire entanglements in front of guns. 
 
PRIOR TO ARMISTICE 77 
 
 the German and Austrian artillery gave reply, 
 but it was feeble in comparison. 
 
 At 6:30 A. M., the doughboys had gone over 
 the top; the artillery was ordered forward at 
 8:30 A. M., just as two 120mm German shells 
 rocked the Battery position ; the American rail- 
 road guns were still keeping up their work on 
 the German back area. Just as day was break- 
 ing a carrier pigeon flew between two of the 
 guns as they fired. The frightened bird, no 
 doubt bewildered by the concussion, kept on the 
 wing and flew to the rear. When the enemy 
 started to retreat, they exploded mines and de- 
 layed our advance; many of their traps and un- 
 exploded mines were discovered later. 
 
 Battery E was the first to limber and get out 
 on the Varennes road when the advance was or- 
 dered ; so led the column in the march forward. 
 The first obstacle was a mine crater thirty feet 
 deep and one hundred and sixty feet wide, which 
 split open the road to Varennes, the ground on 
 both sides being low and muddy. Here a detail 
 of engineers was starting to construct a road 
 around the barrier for traffic was becoming con- 
 gested. The Germans, observing this tempor- 
 ary tie-up, threw shells directly into the mass 
 of men and material. Battery E had been mov- 
 ed from the immediate vicinity of the crater, 
 though only a short distance, however. Capt. 
 
78 IN FRANCE 
 
 Bucklew, Lt. Dinkins, and the Special Detail 
 were within a few feet of one of the shells that 
 fell in the road. Lt. Dinkins and Pvt. Clem- 
 ments were the only two of Battery E wounded ; 
 the others killed and injured belonged to the en- 
 gineers. Lt. Dinkins, receiving a severe wound 
 close to the spine, did not recover for several 
 months. Pvt. Clemments seriously wounded in 
 the left side and arm, later succumbed to these 
 injuries, and the Battery mourned the loss of 
 "Bob" as he was known to his comrades. He 
 had "gone West" before we were relieved in the 
 Argonne. Ambulances now appeared to carry 
 away wounded. German prisoners in large num- 
 ber were being sent back by their captors. Ger- 
 man wounded were also being taken back, and 
 they included Prussian Guards, Grenadier 
 Guards and Foot Guards. 
 
 During the bombardment on the 26th, and 
 the succeeding barrage from midnight to 8 A. 
 M., the First Army Artillery fired over 313,000 
 rounds. Capt. Bucklew, Sergt. Gattrell, and Corp. 
 Vasey, on the first day, advanced to vicinity of 
 Charpentry, on a reconnoissance, every effort 
 being made to advance as far as possible, for 
 the Hindenburg line had been broken, and the 
 Kriemhilde line was bending. 
 
 The necessity of keeping ammunition moving 
 forward, as thousands of rounds were being 
 
U. S. official 
 
 Church at Neuvilly, to whic 
 
J* 
 
 ur wounded were removed. 
 
PRIOR TO ARMISTICE 79 
 
 spent, prevented movement of many vehicles 
 over the shell torn roads and fields — so food 
 must wait; then it was the packs of some dead 
 soldiers afforded a few rations. The problem 
 of moving guns and supplies during the first 
 days' advances was one of the most difficult, 
 because of the condition of the ground after 
 four years of fighting, and roads which had not 
 been used since 1914. Even if the roads had 
 been in perfect condition they could not have 
 accommodated the volume of traffic incident to 
 such a large operation. During the days and 
 nights that followed, the cannoneers and driv- 
 ers helped the few remaining horses to move 
 the guns and caissons through mud; Sergt. 
 Ziegler and his section exerted every means to 
 get the rolling kitchen and water cart forward. 
 
 Fighting in the air was in full swing, and it 
 was at this time that the Germans sent two of 
 the American observation balloons up in flames ; 
 one by a direct hit from their artillery, and the 
 other from the machine gun of a German avia- 
 tor. The onslaught made in the Argonne result- 
 ed in the Germans bringing their best troops 
 from other parts of the line. Except on the ex- 
 treme right, where it had reached the Army ob- 
 jective along the Meuse, the American front on 
 the night of September 26th was approximate- 
 ly upon the Corps objective everywhere, but 
 
80 IN FRANCE 
 
 still about five kilometers short of the Army ob- 
 jective, the attainment of which line was essen- 
 tial to the strangling out of the German hold of 
 even the lower part of the Argonne forest; not 
 to speak of the still more important object of 
 arriving on the other flank, within striking dis- 
 tance of the Metz-Meziers railroad. The effects 
 of surprise, and the opportunities for flanking 
 operations, except tactically against local objec- 
 tives, were now over, and there was nothing for 
 it but to drive ahead with all the strength and 
 determination possible, and force a way forward 
 against the most bitter frontal resistance that 
 the power of the Germay army could exert. 
 
 An incident, which will perhaps prove inter- 
 esting, in recollection, was a trick to which one 
 of the Allied batteries resorted. This particu- 
 lar battery had been stationed in a small clump 
 of trees, and the Germans, being aware of their 
 location and having the range and direction, 
 fired on it at will. The night before an attack 
 by the Allies, previous preparation having been 
 made, the small clump of trees was cut, and 
 with the battery was moved to a point one hun- 
 dred meters east; the next day, when the Boche 
 replied to the Allied offensive, they dropped sev- 
 eral hundred shells in the spot where the bat- 
 tery and clump of trees had been — it was evi- 
 dent they were firing from their old data, and 
 
PRIOR TO ARMISTICE 81 
 
 if they had an observer, no doubt he was mis- 
 tified at the ineffectiveness of their fire on this 
 occasion. 
 
 The retreating Germans continued to shell 
 the advancing troops. The Battery went into 
 position for the night, amid barbed wire and 
 captured German dugouts. 
 
 September 27th, the Battery again moved 
 f orward to a new position, on a hill in the open ; 
 the guns had only the screen camouflage to pro- 
 tect them from observation. The men lay in 
 shell holes. Vauquois Hill, in the broken Hin- 
 denburg line, was to the right and rear ; on the 
 road up to this position the tanks large and 
 small could be seen as they stopped, after hav- 
 ing done their work of going through the wire 
 ahead of the infantry. The country from which 
 the Germans had fled, was thickly pockmarked 
 with shell holes ; here and there a large shell had 
 torn a crater, sometimes as large as forty feet 
 wide and fifteen feet deep. Looking over to 
 Vauquois Hill, one could see where the large 
 shells had gouged out the mountain, transplant- 
 ing the dugouts to the bottom of the hill. It 
 looked as if nothing could have lived through 
 the destructive fire. On calls from the infan- 
 try, the Battery responded with H. E. shells on 
 the retreating Germans ; at one time the dough- 
 boys were forced to fall back, but a timely bar- 
 
82 IN FRANCE 
 
 rage saved the day. Robt. Cirkal was one 
 member of the Battery detailed as a runner for 
 liaison with the infantry, and his hazardous 
 work was carried out with considerable credit. 
 The enemy made a counter attack the morn- 
 ing of the 28th, and after it had been repulsed 
 by a barrage, the Americans pushed on, the 
 right taking position north of Chaudron Farm, 
 while the left cleared the Bois de Montebeau to 
 its north edge, despite heavy cross fire from be- 
 yond the river Aire. The strong position of Ex- 
 ermont now lay in front, and preparations were 
 made to attack it on the morning of the 29th. 
 All the 75mm batteries of the 128th and 129th 
 U. S. F. A., the 155mm batteries of the 130th U. 
 S. F. A., one battalion of the 219th French Ar- 
 tillery, 317th French Artillery and the 451st 
 French Artillery, preparing for, and supporting 
 the attack. At one time, when several men were 
 in close quarters, one asked why the shells were 
 called "Whiz-bangs"; another replied, "if you 
 hear the whiz only, you are no longer alive, but 
 if you hear the whiz and the bang then you are 
 alive ; so they are only mentioned in this world 
 as "Whiz-bangs." The Battery again moved 
 forward, passing through Boureuilles, Cheppy, 
 and to the north of Very. The country was an 
 awful picture of No Man's Land ; here and there, 
 where once stood a village, were now only a 
 
PRIOR TO ARMISTICE 83 
 
 few walls and piles of debris remaining. On 
 every side lay the gigantic spoils and salvage of 
 war. German equipment lay in disordered piles 
 with the American equipment lost in battle; 
 the German dead lay among the Americans, 
 their heads in the direction of the advance. 
 The American infantry, machine gunners and 
 engineers, bearing the brunt of the attack, were 
 the first to fall; with equipment strapped to 
 their backs, they lay where death had overtaken 
 them. The German loss was large, entire bat- 
 teries of 77mm's and immense stores of ammu- 
 nition being captured; everything from Lugers 
 and Mausers to playing cards and prayer books, 
 were scattered on the way ; many dugouts were 
 just as the fleeing Germans had left them. In 
 a dugout belonging to a German officer, hung or- 
 derly rows of clothing, and on a table was 
 spread food and wine, just as it had been hur- 
 riedly left by its occupant. 
 Following quoted from Stars and Stripes : 
 "By the 29th of Sept. they had reinforced 
 their front lines by the introduction of three 
 more Divisions, so that on that date their order 
 of battle stood, from the Meuse westward: 
 CXVth Div., astride the Meuse; the Vllth Re- 
 serve Div., XXXVII Div., CXVIIth Div., 1st 
 Guard Div., Vth Div., XLVth Div., and Ilnd 
 Landwehr Div., of which the 1st and Vth Prus- 
 
84 IN FRANCE 
 
 sian Guard Divisions were immediately east of 
 the Aire river." 
 
 At the position north of Very, the Battery 
 was using nine different barrage tables on the 
 Germans, for offensive and defensive purposes. 
 The Germans, in falling back, adopted the de- 
 fensive tactics of using machine gunners in 
 the rear guards. These Hun nests, established 
 in the Argonne forest, were difficult to destroy ; 
 when the infantry could not take them, they 
 had to be blasted out by artillery. 
 
 Sept. 29th, the 35th Division had pushed be- 
 yond their objectives, and passed the neigh- 
 boring divisions. The German artillery were 
 now replying with heavy fire to our artillery, 
 showing that they were attempting to make a 
 stand. Huge fires could be seen behind their 
 lines, destruction of property being more desira- 
 ble to them than the capture of it by the Allies. 
 German aeroplanes were making desperate at- 
 tempts to get over the American lines but at 
 almost every attempt they would lose a plane 
 or two; in some instances their aviators flew 
 close enough to exchange shots with troops on 
 the ground. 
 
 After seven days of fierce fighting, in which 
 infantry companies were reduced to 50% of 
 their strength, it became necessary for the 35th 
 Division to have relief because of casualties. 
 
PRIOR TO ARMISTICE 85 
 
 The 1st Division relieved the Missouri and Kan- 
 sas boys, the Battery moving to the rear at 2 
 A. M., October 3rd, our artillery supporting the 
 1st Div. infantry until their own artillery came 
 up. A march of ninety kilometers brought the 
 organization to Erize-la-Brulee on October 6th, 
 six kilometers from Bar-le-duc. The men were 
 billeted in barns and lofts for rest and recovery, 
 after the strenuous days at the front — out of 
 range of bursting shells, they took a new view 
 of life. It was a relief for them to see smiling 
 faces again, instead of battling humans bent 
 on destruction. The men were decootized at a 
 French Red Cross bath house, and new clothing 
 issued to those who had come in contact with 
 gas but had not been seriously burned. In 
 being sent to "rest billets," the men felt that 
 this was a misnomer, for they thought they 
 did everything but rest. 
 
 The following is quoted from statements 
 made in Washington, D. C, by General Peter 
 E. Traub, who commanded the 35th Div. in the 
 Argonne. (Kansas City Star, February 20th, 
 1919.) 
 
 "In five days and five nights my division ad- 
 vanced against three of the finest "boche" di- 
 visions in the entire Hun army for a distance of 
 12 and one-half kilometers, taking positions 
 that had baffled the French four years and 
 
86 IN FRANCE 
 
 which they had pronounced impregnable, taking 
 more than one thousand prisoners, twenty-four 
 pieces or artillery, eighty-five machine guns, one 
 hundred anti-tank guns and much other war 
 material; they advanced in the most exposed 
 sector of the entire battle front against artillery 
 fire concentrated on them from the surround- 
 ing crests, almost perfect observation posts, 
 and did it at a loss of life that under the cir- 
 cumstances of the battle was marvellously low. 
 My men did what they were told to do. Gen- 
 eral Traub said that the dead in the battle as 
 reported to him a few days after the battle was 
 a little more than five hundred, which after- 
 wards was increased by deaths from wounds, 
 and that the total wounded did not exceed 4,500 
 (he added he thought that 4,300 represented 
 more nearly the mark) and that more than half 
 of these wounded were of the slightly wounded 
 class, so that they returned to duty in a short 
 while after the battle." 
 
 As observations on the Battery alone would 
 not properly bring out the operations in which 
 we were a part, it is deemed best to quote ex- 
 tracts here from the report of General Pershing 
 to the Secretary of War as published : 
 
 "On the day after we had taken the St. Mihiel 
 
PRIOR TO ARMISTICE 87 
 
 salient, much of our corps and army artillery 
 which had operated at St. Mihiel, and our di- 
 visions in reserve at other points, were already 
 on the move toward the area back of the line be- 
 tween the Meuse River and the western edge of 
 the forest of Argonne. With the exception of 
 St. Mihiel, the old German front line from 
 Switzerland to the east of Rheims was still in- 
 tact. In the general attack planned all along the 
 line, the operation assigned the American Army 
 as the hinge of this Allied offensive, was direct- 
 ed toward the important railroad communica- 
 tions of the German armies through Mezieres 
 and Sedan. The enemy must hold fast to this 
 part of his lines or the withdrawal of his forces 
 with four years' accumulation of plants and 
 material would be dangerously imperiled. 
 
 "The German Army had as yet shown no de- 
 moralization and, while the mass of its troops 
 had suffered in morale, its first class divisions 
 and notably its machine gun defense were ex- 
 hibiting remarkable tactical efficiency as well as 
 courage. The German General Staff was fully 
 aware of the consequences of a success on the 
 Meuse-Argonne line. Certain that he would do 
 everything in his power to oppose us, the ac- 
 tion was planned with as much secrecy as pos- 
 sible and was undertaken with the determina- 
 tion to use all our divisions in forcing a decis- 
 
88 IN FRANCE 
 
 ion. We expected to draw the best German di- 
 visions to our front and consume them while the 
 enemy was held under grave apprehension lest 
 our attack should break his line, which it was 
 our firm purpose to do. 
 
 "Our right flank was protected by the Meuse, 
 while our left embraced the Argonne forest, 
 whose ravines, hills, and elaborate defenses 
 screened by dense thickets had been generally 
 considered impregnable. Our order of battle 
 from right to left was the Third Corps from the 
 Meuse to Malancourt, with the 33rd, 80th, and 
 4th Divisions in line, and the 3rd Div. as Corps 
 reserve ; the 5th Corps from Malancourt to Vau- 
 quois, with the 70th, 37th and 91st Div. in line, 
 and the 32nd Div. in Corps reserve; and the 
 First Corps from Vauquois to Vienne-le-Cha- 
 teau, with the 35th, 28th and 77th Div. in line 
 and the 92nd in Corps reserve. The army re- 
 serve consisted of the 1st, 29th and 82nd Div. 
 
 "On the night of September 25th our troops 
 quietly took the place of the French who thinly 
 held the line in this sector which had long been 
 inactive. In the attack which began on the 26th 
 we drove through the barbed wire entangle- 
 ments and the sea of shell craters across No 
 Man's Land mastering all the first line defenses. 
 Continuing on the 27th and 28th, against ma- 
 chine guns and artillery of an increasing num- 
 
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 13 Xt 
 
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PRIOR TO ARMISTICE 89 
 
 ber of enemy reserve divisions, we penetrated 
 to a depth of from three to seven miles and took 
 the village of Montfaucon and its commanding 
 hill, and Exermont, Gercourt, Cuisy, Septsar- 
 ges, Milancourt, Ivory, Epinonville, Charpentry, 
 Very and other villages. East of the Meuse, one 
 of our divisions which was with the Second Col- 
 onial French Corps captured Marchevilie and 
 Rieville giving further protection to the flank of 
 our main body. We had taken 10,000 prisoners, 
 we had gained our point of forcing the battle 
 into the open, and were prepared for the en- 
 emy's reaction which was bound to come as he 
 had good roads and ample railroad facilities for 
 bringing up his artillery and reserves. 
 
 "In the chill rain of dark nights our engineers 
 had to build new roads across spongy, shell torn 
 areas, repair broken roads beyond No Man's 
 Land, and build bridges. Our gunners, with no 
 thought of sleep, put their shoulders to wheels 
 and drag-ropes to bring their guns through the 
 mire in support of the infantry now under the 
 increasing fire of the enemy's artillery. Our at- 
 tack had taken the enemy by surprise, but, 
 quickly recovering himself, he began fierce 
 counter attacks in strong force supported by 
 heavy bombardments with large quantities of 
 gas. From September 28th to October 4th we 
 maintained the offensive against patches of 
 
90 IN FRANCE 
 
 woods defended by snipers and continuous lines 
 of machine guns, and pushed forward our guns 
 and transport, seizing strategical points in prep- 
 aration for further attacks. * * It was now 
 necessary to constitute a Second Army, and on 
 Oct. 10th the immediate command of the First 
 Army was turned over to Lieutenant General 
 Hunter Liggett. The Command of the Second 
 Army, whose divisions occupied a sector in the 
 Woevre, was given to Lieutenant General Robt. 
 L. Bullard, who had been commander of the 1st 
 Division and then of the Third Corps.* * Our 
 constant pressure against the enemy brought 
 day by day more prisoners, mostly survivors 
 from machine gun nests captured in fighting at 
 close quarters. On October 18th there was very 
 fierce fighting in the Caures woods east of the 
 Meuse and in the Ormont wood. On the 14th 
 the First Corps took St. Juvin, and the Fifth 
 Corps, by hand to hand encounters, entered the 
 formidable Kriemhilde line where the enemy 
 had hoped to check us indefinitely. Later the 
 Fifth Corps penetrated further the Kriemhilde 
 line, and the First Corps took Champigneulles 
 and the important town of Grand Pre. Our dog- 
 ged offensive wearing down the enemy, who con- 
 tinued desperately to throw his best troops 
 against us, thus weakening his line in front of 
 our Allies and making their advances less dif- 
 
PRIOR TO ARMISTICE 91 
 
 ficult. * * On the 6th a division of the First 
 Corps reached a point on the Meuse opposite 
 Sedan, 25 miles from our line of departure. The 
 strategical goal which was our highest hope was 
 gained. We had cut the enemy's main line of 
 communications and nothing but surrender or 
 an armistice could save his army from com- 
 plete disaster. 
 
 "In all 44 enemy divisions had been used 
 against us in the Meuse-Argonne battle. Be- 
 tween September 26th and November 6th we 
 took 16,059 prisoners and 468 guns on this 
 front. Our divisions engaged were: 1st, 2nd, 
 3rd, 4th, 5th, 26th 28th, 29th, 32nd, 33rd, 35th, 
 37th, 42nd, 77th, 78th, 79th, 80th, 82nd, 89th, 
 90th, 91st. Many of our divisions remained in 
 line for a length of time that required nerves 
 of steel, while others were sent in again after 
 only a few days of rest. * * On the three 
 days preceeding November 10th, the Third 
 Corps and the Second Colonial and Seventeenth 
 French Corps fought a difficult struggle through 
 the Meuse hills south of Stenay and forced the 
 enemy into the plain. Meanwhile, my plans for 
 further use of the American forces contemplat- 
 ed an advance between the Meuse and Moselle in 
 the direction of Longwy by the First Army, 
 while at the same time the Second Army should 
 assume the offensive toward the rich iron fields 
 
92 IN FRANCE 
 
 of Briey. These operations were to be f ollowed 
 by an offensive toward Chateau-Salins east of 
 the Moselle, thus isolating Metz. Accordingly, 
 attacks on the American front had been order- 
 ed, and that of the Second Army was in pro- 
 gress on the morning of November 11th, when 
 instructions were received that hostilities 
 should cease at 11 o'clock A. M. * * Final- 
 ly, I pay the supreme tribute to our officers and 
 soldiers of the line. When I think of their hero- 
 ism, their patience under hardship, their un- 
 flinching spirit of offensive action, I am filled 
 with emotion which I am unable to express. 
 Their deeds are immortal, and they have earn- 
 ed the eternal gratitude of our country. 
 "I am, Mr. Secretary, 
 
 Very respectfully, 
 
 John J. Pershing, 
 General, Commander-in-Chief, A. E. F." 
 
 October 12th, after having a brief six days at 
 Erize-la-Brulee, we were ordered to move to the 
 front again. The route went through Pierfette, 
 Courovre, Souilly and to Sommedieu on the 
 right of Verdun. October 15th the Battery took 
 over the Sommedieu position from the French. 
 This was eleven kilometers southeast of Ver- 
 dun. The Allies had the heights, while the Ger- 
 
PRIOR TO ARMISTICE 9S 
 
 man position stretched out beyond the plain be- 
 low. No Man's Land was a marsh waste, with 
 here and there an almost totally destroyed vil- 
 lage. German aeroplanes were busy continually 
 on observation duty, so that good camouflage 
 discipline had to be observed to keep from re- 
 vealing our gun positions to the enemy. The 
 German batteries were repeatedly hammering 
 this sector, searching out the roads and woods 
 with shell fire; mustard gas caused severe cas- 
 ualties to our infantry on this front. The Bat- 
 tery firing was in accordance with the plan of 
 the sector, on calls from the infantry during the 
 first days in this position ; a star shell by night 
 or telephone call at anytime would find the artil- 
 lery ready with the necessary barrage. With 
 good firing data, objects in enemy territory such 
 as ammunition dumps, buildings and cross 
 roads were picked out and destroyed. 
 
 The following is quoted, from an order of the 
 commander of the Fifth German Army, General 
 Von der Marwitz, secured by intelligence officers 
 which shows the importance the Germans at- 
 tached to holding this front : "It is on the un- 
 conquerable resistance of the Verdun front that 
 depends the fate of a great part of the Western 
 Front, perhaps even of our nation. The Fath- 
 erland must rest assured that every commander 
 and every man realize the greatness of his mis- 
 
94 IN FRANCE 
 
 sion, and that he will do his duty to the very- 
 end; if they do this the enemy's attack will, as 
 heretofore, break against our firm will to hold." 
 
 November 3rd, after heavy losses in men, 
 from a recent gas attack, the 35th Division in- 
 fantry was relieved by the 81st Div. infantry. 
 The artillery of the 81st Division was not with 
 their infantry, so we continued the support of 
 this division and spent the last days of active 
 warfare with them in the offensive on the 
 Woevre plain, below the hills outside Verdun in 
 the direction of Metz. Battery E felt proud to 
 have been selected as one of the batteries to ac- 
 company the infantry, and the last three were 
 very uncertain days. November 10th, after a 
 preparatory barrage the 81st Division infantry 
 went over the top, and though there were ru- 
 mors of an armistice there was no official infor- 
 mation on the subject; so the fight was as fierce 
 as it had ever been. The Germans fought just 
 as violently as before, and severe losses were in- 
 flicted. Mention of this period is found in the 
 extract from "Operations Report" in chapter 
 III. 
 
 The following is a copy of the order to cease 
 hostilities as received by Capt. Bucklew at 10 :20 
 A. M., November 11th, twelve kilometers east of 
 Verdun, on the Verdun-Metz road during the 
 attack on the Woevre plain : 
 
PRIOR TO ARMISTICE 95 
 
 Headquarters 128th F. A., 
 11th Nov., 1918. 
 Warning message from Job 11. 
 Hostilities will cease on whole front at 11 
 hour this morning, Nov. 11, 1918. 
 
 Troops will not pass the line obtained at that 
 period. 
 
 Outguards will be established at this hour 
 and no intercourse with the enemy allowed. 
 The line obtained will be carefully marked. 
 Enemy soldiers may be received as prisoners, 
 but no communication with the enemy will be 
 permitted, either before or after cessation of 
 hostilities. 
 
 Further orders will be transmitted. 
 
 Chief of Staff. 
 Received by Col. Warner 8:25 A. M. 
 
 Transmitted through 2nd Battalion Hdqrs. 
 128th F. A. 
 
 Battery E fired its last round fifteen minutes 
 before 11 o'clock, but the general firing did not 
 cease until the last minute; the quiet, which we 
 had not known for so long, was awe-inspiring. 
 There was a feeling that thanks should be given 
 and a thought expressed for those who had 
 "gone West". The attacking forces had suc- 
 ceeded in crossing the big marsh, and the lines 
 were marked. 
 
96 IN FRANCE 
 
 SERVICE CHEVRONS 
 
 You can strip him of his chevrons, 
 
 You can take his stripes away, 
 And the badge of his division, 
 
 Which produces your dismay, 
 You can make him scrap his medals, 
 
 But, no matter how you try, 
 You can never, never legislate 
 
 That glitter from his eye. 
 He has seen a summer day 
 
 That you have never dreamed, 
 He has seen flesh turn to clay, 
 
 While affronted Heaven screamed; 
 He has seen the shattered trench, 
 
 He has seen the twisted wire, 
 He has seen strong, living men 
 
 Charred and black in molten fire; 
 He has seen beneath his feet 
 
 Flesh of comrades turned to clay, 
 As you never could have dreamed. 
 
PRIOR TO ARMISTICE 97 
 
 He has seen a summer day. 
 
 You can ban the golden arrow 
 That is stitched on his right sleeve, 
 
 And eradicate distinction 
 With a simple "by your leave" ; 
 
 Promulgate your resolutions, 
 Hurl the ink until you die, 
 
 But you can't esponge his mem'ry 
 Nor the glitter from his eye. 
 
 He has seen an autumn night 
 That you could never bear, 
 
 With helFs fire his only light, 
 Pointing out hell's angel there ; 
 
 He has known a single hour 
 When cold steel, red hail and gas 
 
 Ceased and left a holy calm 
 Such, as come when angels pass ; 
 
 He has seen his comrades stand 
 Half transfigured in release, 
 
 Knighted, spurred and panoplied 
 By their liege lord, the Prince of Peace. 
 
 — Artillerist in "Stars and Stripes." 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 From Armistice to Discharge. 
 
 The following is an extract from Stars and 
 Stripes of February 14th, 1919 : — quoted so the 
 activities just preceeding the Armistice will be 
 made clear. 
 
 "Further light was thrown this week on the 
 great unfought battle of the war, the Allied of- 
 fensive of November 14th in Lorraine which 
 would have forced the evacuation of Metz, and 
 to avoid which the German general staff put up 
 its hands. It may now be stated that the Am- 
 erican divisions summoned for that battle were 
 — taking them as they were lined up from left 
 to right when the fighting stopped — the 7th, 
 28th, 33rd, 92nd, 4th, 35th and 88th * * an art- 
 icle just published in the Journal des Debats by 
 Henry Bidou, the French military critic. 
 
 "In support of his argument that the Ger- 
 mans collapsed because of a genuine military de- 
 feat, Mr. Bidou says: 
 
100 FROM ARMISTICE 
 
 " 'It is no secret that the French Army had 
 prepared for November 14th a last attack en- 
 trusted to General Mangin between Metz and 
 Strasbourg in the general direction of Sarre- 
 bruck. This attack, by a development north- 
 ward, would have cut the lines of operation of 
 the German armies and, separating them from 
 the Rhine, would have driven them to certain 
 capitulation. 
 
 Forces Present for Battle 
 
 " In this battle, perhaps the gravest in his- 
 tory, what were the forces present? I am au- 
 thorized to publish the figures. On the Allied 
 side, there were 25 divisions, 19 French and 6 
 American ; on the German side, there were four 
 divisions, two of them Landwehr. When stupe- 
 fied by this inequality, I asked what at least 
 were the reserves the German General Staff 
 had at its command, I was told : 'Zero'. I asked 
 what they could bring from other fronts where 
 they had been so severely engaged ; again I was 
 told: 'Zero.' 
 
 " That was the actual situation at the begin- 
 ning of November. The German general staff 
 was on the eve of a nameless disaster. It had 
 already prepared the evacuation of Metz. But 
 that was not enough. Sure of being unable to 
 
TO DISCHARGE 101 
 
 resist, it put down its arms and saved the de- 
 bris of its army by the armistice of November 
 11th, which was a genuine military capitulation. 
 Germany, thus on the eve of the most inevita- 
 ble and most irreparable defeat, escaped from 
 it by giving up the fight, dropping its sword 
 and crying 'Enough/ Was it well done to grant 
 this ? That is not up for discussion here. But 
 for anyone to come forward now with a claim 
 that she was not whipped, that is either the 
 most prodigious ignorance or the boldest impos- 
 ture/ 
 
 "According to Mr. Bidou, the people of the 
 Rhineland honestly believe that the German 
 army emerged unbeaten from the war and that 
 the causes of the collapse were internal, both 
 political and economic. He points out that, as 
 a matter of fact, the German army was soundly 
 beaten on July 15th, again on July 18th, again 
 on August 8th and thereafter suffered a succes- 
 sion of disasters throughout August, September 
 and October. 
 
 "From July to October, the German army lost 
 the enormous total of 400,000 prisoners. It left 
 on the field a quarter of its total artillery, 5,000 
 guns. Toward October 20th, the last 17 divis- 
 ions engaged had all been led back to the fire 
 after less than three days' rest. The jumble of 
 
102 FROM ARMISTICE 
 
 units, not only of divisions and regiments, but 
 of battalions, was unbelievable." 
 
 The Battery remained in the vicinity of the 
 position it occupied November 11th, called 
 Camp Massa until January 21st, 1919. This 
 period was very trying on every one, the mon- 
 otony being broken at times by inspections, care 
 of horses, material and practice marches. 
 
 Colonel Taylor took command of the regiment 
 while we were in this sector, but he was ordered 
 to Germany when we were ordered home; as 
 there was not much to do, we had that good- 
 natured grumbling in which men indulge when 
 there is not much cause for it — the grumbling is 
 in the inverse ratio to the cause — in other words 
 the more comfortable they were, and the less 
 they had to do, the more some are inclined to 
 grumble ; while during long marches in the rain 
 and darkness, when rations were short they fre- 
 quently saw the funny side of many things and 
 joked about them. We wanted to go on into 
 Germany or go home, but many weeks dragged 
 on with us in the area of destroyed towns and 
 soldiers' cemeteries — so the holidays passed; 
 we provided most of our own amusements and 
 made the best of the situation. Some were 
 able to get away to "leave areas" and saw some- 
 thing of other parts of France. 
 
TO DISCHARGE 103 
 
 Thanksgiving 1918 
 
 November's misty sunshine on the streets of 
 
 Paris lay; 
 The colors of all the Allies from window and 
 
 wall were gay ; 
 There was laughter and joy in plenty, as, under 
 
 the autumn sky, 
 I saw, through the Arch of Triumph, the Stars 
 
 and Stripes go by. 
 
 By a band of martial music the fluttering flag 
 was led, 
 
 And the column of drab-clad soldiers with a rap- 
 id, rhythmic tread ; 
 
 And the passing throng of Paris stood rigid, 
 with eyes aflame, 
 
 As under the Arch of Triumph my country's 
 banner came. 
 
 And the hush that was on the people found echo 
 
 in my breast; 
 It beat with a deep thanksgiving that our flag 
 
 from the golden west 
 In the fight for human freedom had borne so 
 
 brave a share, 
 And wherever the wind unfurls it the heads of 
 
 men are bare; 
 
104 FROM ARMISTICE 
 
 That the lads of our drab-clad armies at Trugny 
 
 and Montf aucon, 
 On the flaming slopes of Mezy, in the hell of 
 
 the deep Argonne, 
 Had fought with as fine a courage for the lands 
 
 where the Hun had trod 
 As the men of the elder decades who fought 
 
 for their native sod. 
 
 For now, through the misty sunshine that veil- 
 ed the queenly town, 
 
 The bronze men over the archway on the pass- 
 ing flag looked down — 
 
 The men of Lodi and Jena, and it seemed that 
 their haughty glance 
 
 Said: "Flag of the Great Republic, thou, too, 
 art at home in France ; 
 
 "Thou hast won the right in glory on the fields 
 
 where thy arms have gleamed 
 To stand with our own Tricolor henceforth in 
 
 the hearts of a race redeemed." 
 Then the martial music quickened and, a flame 
 
 on the misty sky, 
 From the shade of the Arch of Triumph the 
 
 Stars and Stripes went by. 
 
 J. M. Hanson, Capt., F. A. 
 
TO DISCHARGE 105 
 
 Our first move homeward was made when we 
 left Camp Massa, marching through Pierfette 
 and Loxeville to billet in an old factory at Cous- 
 ances, eleven kilometers from Commercy. We 
 had shelter here and a fair home. On the 4th 
 of February the guns were turned in at Souhme 
 and on February 19th the horses delivered to 
 the 33rd Division; this relieved us of consider- 
 able routine work. 
 
 While in this area the Division was reviewed 
 by General Pershing and the Prince of Wales. 
 The following is an extract from the Kansas 
 City Star relative to this event: "Members of 
 the 35th Division in France have been reviewed 
 by General Pershing and the Prince of Wales. 
 Gen. Pershing made them a fine speech, prais- 
 ed them highly for their bravery and endur- 
 ance in the Argonne Battle, and then bade them 
 goodbye, wishing them a safe voyage across the 
 ocean and a warm welcome by their loved ones 
 at home. 
 
 "The Prince of Wales then made a speech, and 
 when he finished the boys of Missouri and Kan- 
 sas cheered him almost as loudly as they did 
 their own General Pershing * * 
 
 "The Meuse River from Commercy to St. 
 Mihiel and Verdun, perhaps farther, has cut 
 a valley a half mile wide through a range of 
 hills. Imagine yourself standing on a bluff and 
 
106 FROM ARMISTICE 
 
 looking across the river directly below you, 
 and there seeing fifteen to twenty thousand 
 troops lined in battalion formation, pla- 
 toon front, seven hundred and fifty to one thou- 
 sand men in a battalion, and you will get an 
 idea of the magnificant spectacle we saw yester- 
 day. * * 
 
 "It was then 1:30 and the troops had been 
 assembling since 10 o'clock, so some of them 
 had been waiting for more than three hours — 
 standing in the rain, carrying field packs, gas 
 masks and rifles and wearing their field helmets. 
 * * When the mounted party of twenty or 
 thirty officers and orderlies, General Persh- 
 ing and the Prince in the lead, had reached a 
 position directly in front-centre of the division, 
 the party halted, and the band played 'My Coun- 
 try Tis of Thee' while general, prince and pri- 
 vate saluted. The reviewing party rode up and 
 down in front of the division and entirely 
 around the troops * * the party then dis- 
 mounted, the horses were led off to the divi- 
 sion's left and the party on foot began a com- 
 plete inspection of the troops — rank by rank. 
 This required nearly two hours. 
 
 "At last, about four o'clock, the last file had 
 been inspected. * * Then we heard the impres- 
 sive strains of a march and a sharp command, 
 unusually clear at that distance, probably three- 
 
TO DISCHARGE 107 
 
 quarters of a mile — 'Squads right! March! * * 
 "From where I stood you could not see the 
 step of any individual soldier, with the impres- 
 sive result that each batallion seemed to be a 
 solid mass, moving slowly as if impelled by 
 some unseen power, the whole conveying an im- 
 pression of tremendous might. 
 
 "Pershing and the prince in front, and the 
 other mounted officers directly behind, received 
 the salutes and 'Eyes right !' as the twenty bat- 
 talions passed in review. 
 
 "When the last file had moved past, the di- 
 vision halted and all the officers, from lieuten- 
 ants to generals, were called to hear a talk by 
 Pershing, who with his party had now dis- 
 mounted. * * 
 
 "He is not an orator, but he is an effective 
 speaker, his earnest, forceful manner making 
 up for any faults in style. He put all his vigor 
 into his brief address, emphasizing his state- 
 ments with sharp gestures, made with clenched 
 fists, leaning toward the officers to drive home 
 his points, and speaking with an intensely ear- 
 nest voice and manner. His address was extem- 
 poraneous, but it was not in the nature of orders 
 to subordinates, but was a talk, man to man. 
 He said, in part : 
 
 " 'I am glad of this opportunity to say a tew 
 
108 FROM ARMISTICE 
 
 words to the officers, and through the officers 
 to the men of this excellent division. 
 
 " The 35th Division made an enviable record 
 in its comparatievly short time in the Zone of 
 action, and it has shown up splendidly in the 
 review today. 
 
 " 'You are going home, and in a short time 
 you will have the joy of seeing your loved ones 
 again. 
 
 " The hardships of this war have been tre- 
 mendous, and we have all come through the 
 struggle at least a little the better men for it. 
 
 " 'We have gained inspiration, and I trust 
 that you officers and the men of this division 
 will use that inspiration in your future life. 
 
 " There is one thing I trust you will not do, 
 and that is be misled by certain persons at home 
 who seek to make political capital out of the con- 
 duct of this war. 
 
 " There have been hardships, but we expect 
 that in war. I have no patience with the carp- 
 ing critics, who whine about various unavaida- 
 ble difficulties that soldiers must face. 
 
 " 'I have nothing but contempt for the man 
 who cries because there was no sugar in his 
 coffee or because this or that did not suit him. 
 
 " We do not mean to boast or brag, and we 
 pay tribute to our great allies, but it is a fact 
 
TO DISCHARGE 109 
 
 that we came into this struggle at the critical 
 time and your courage, your strength, your en- 
 durance, your dauntless daring and tremendous 
 power crushed the enemy. 
 
 " 'So that when you go home you may know 
 that you deserve the welcome and gratitude of 
 the country. 
 
 " 'I don't know what your plans are for the 
 future, but whatever they may be I take this 
 opportunity of wishing you success, and I wish 
 the division good luck on its trip home. 
 
 " 'The 35th Division comes from my part of 
 the country, and I am proud of the record you 
 have made/ 
 
 "When Pershing ended his remarks someone 
 yelled: Three cheers for Pershing/ and they 
 were given by the officers and spectators with 
 a roar, and the division troops, who were still 
 in formation off to the left, spontaneously took 
 up the cheer as if to show the general they did 
 not want him to forget them. Pershing waved 
 his hand in token of appreciation. 
 
 "The officers were starting to return to their 
 commands when Pershing signaled for atten- 
 tion and said: We have with us today a dis- 
 tinguished guest who has greatly enjoyed this 
 review, and I want you to meet him. I have the 
 honor and pleasure to introduce to you the 
 Prince of Wales/ 
 
110 FROM ARMISTICE 
 
 "The prince, who, with General Bullard and 
 other officers of the reviewing party, had stood 
 at one side during Pershing's talk, now came 
 forward, saluted with the peculiar British style, 
 and said : The 35th Division first trained in Eu- 
 rope with British troops, and we were awfully 
 sorry when you left us. You have fought well, 
 and I am glad to have been with you today/ 
 
 "The prince looks and acts like a Boy Scout 
 about 17 years old, though today's papers say 
 he is 25. 
 
 "Evidently he wasn't looking to be asked for 
 a speech, and he was very nervous and kept 
 clawing at the belt of his trench coat. He talks 
 with the typical British accent and a British 
 choice of words and manner. But he is not at 
 all 'stuck on himself/ and his frank, open ac- 
 tions made a hit. He was smoking a cigarette 
 when Pershing called on him, and as soon as he 
 had bowed to end his talk he lit another one 
 with a match from a gold match-box. Three 
 rousing cheers were also given for the prince." 
 
 Another lap of the homeward journey was be- 
 gun on March 6th, when the Battery hiked six- 
 teen kilometers to Tronville with full pack, en- 
 training in American box cars for the Le Mans 
 area on the 7th; the route included Troyes, 
 Bourges, Tours to LeMans. On the 8th of 
 March the Battery was billeted at Savigne-L' 
 
TO DISCHARGE 111 
 
 Eveque (12 kilometers from Le Mans) at Cha- 
 teau Martrie owned by the Boitelle family. The 
 large grounds were beautiful; an artificial lake 
 and several buildings on the property. The sta- 
 bles near the Chateau were substantial build- 
 ings and make good billets for part of the Bat- 
 tery. Many years ago the father of the present 
 owner was interested with the Vanderbilts in 
 thoroughbred horses, and the metal plates over 
 the stalls in the stables showed the many tro- 
 phies which had been won. We had ball grounds 
 and most of the time was given to recreation 
 and preparation for final inspection. 
 
 The Battery marched away from this place 
 during a snow storm March 30th, and hiked 20 
 kilometers to Corneille, but owing to delayed 
 trains the start for Brest was not made until 
 4:30 P. M. of the 31st. April 1st, the seaport 
 of Brest was reached. The camp here was an 
 immense city of tents accommodating 60,000 
 embarking troops; huge kitchens could feed a 
 regiment every ten minutes; things were done 
 on a grand scale and efficiency was the watch- 
 word. Rules of the camp were rigidly enforced 
 — decootizing baths and pack inspections were 
 gone through. The only real work was that of 
 large day and night details for kitchen work. 
 
 April 11th proved to be the eventful day, the 
 organization marching to the dock and boarding 
 
112 FROM ARMISTICE 
 
 the R. M. S. Vedic, as each man answered to 
 the last roll call in France. Some were disap- 
 pointed because we did not draw an American 
 transport, but this could be overlooked as we 
 were on our way home. The ship left Brest 
 at 5:30 P. M., while the receding shores of 
 France brought back many memories of hard- 
 ships endured, battles won and brave comrades 
 lost, never to return. The second day out a bad 
 storm was encountered and the "Vedic," not 
 having a heavy cargo, rocked like a cork; the 
 seasick had to endure two more storms before 
 the end of the voyage. We were able to make 
 but fifty miles in twenty-four hours during one 
 of these storms. 
 
 April 22nd, land was sighted and the ship- 
 steamed into the harbor of Boston. The men 
 were wild with joy at seeing the good old U. S. 
 A. again. The Boston Committee of Welcome 
 met the 'Vedic" in an excursion boat and threw 
 over a barrage of candy, tobacco and doughnuts. 
 Music and cheers alternated until the last sol- 
 dier was aboard the N. Y., N. H. & H. cars bound 
 for Camp Devens at Ayers, 42 miles from Bos- 
 ton. More decootizing baths were given here. 
 No work or details were required of the men, 
 it being an ideal camp for home-coming sol- 
 diers. The Red Cross, Y. M. C. A., K. of C. and 
 

 ittery K, 128th Field Artillery, A. R. F., Camp Devens, Mass., April, 1919. 
 
TO DISCHARGE 113 
 
 the Jewish Welfare Board held open house for 
 anyone wearing a uniform. 
 
 April 27th, the Battery was split up into dif- 
 ferent detachments Missouri-Kansas and Texas 
 men ; the Texas men bade goodbye to old friends 
 and left for their Texas camp ; the Missouri and 
 Kansas men entrained for Camp Funston at Ft. 
 Riley, Kansas, April 29th, the 128th Field Artil- 
 lery paraded in St. Louis, the home of most of 
 the men. The returning troops were received 
 with open arms. In the downtown district the 
 crowd was so great that the column of squads 
 had to march single file in places. Several hours 
 were given the soldiers to meet their friends 
 and relatives while refreshments were being 
 served. The next day the train passed through 
 Kansas City and stopped several hours. 
 Extract from Kansas City Star April 30, 1919. 
 
 "An 'orphan* with many mothers, fathers, 
 wives and sweethearts, is Battery E, 128th Field 
 Artillery, a Kansas City unit which stopped 
 three hours at the Union Station early today. 
 Nearly one thousand relatives and relatives-to- 
 be were on the station platform when the second 
 section of the train bearing the 128th, F. A. 
 pulled in at 7:35 o'clock this morning. 
 
 "Kansas City's battery of the 128th Regiment 
 F. A., did not parade here because no orders 
 had been received permitting it. The men want- 
 
114 FROM ARMISTICE 
 
 ed to. They would have liked to march down 
 Grand Ave. and show the home folks how the 
 'best battery in the 128th' looked and acted. 
 But orders are orders and Capt. Leslie L. Buck- 
 lew, the commander, had to content his men 
 with visiting among their relatives on the sta- 
 tion platform. 
 
 "There were tears and cheers — and later hugs 
 and kisses. When the train reached the yards 
 the men were hanging from the windows and 
 when the Union Station was reached the Kansas 
 City artillerymen dropped to the platform and 
 dashed into the arms of awaiting mothers, fath- 
 ers, wives and sweethearts with the esprit de 
 corps they unlimbered, going into action. 
 
 "Because of its isolation, Battery E received 
 little publicity during the war. Many persons 
 in Kansas City never heard of the organization, 
 80 percent of which was recruited here. But, 
 nevertheless, the Germans heard a lot from 
 them — in fact, the battery was just as free in 
 spreading American 'propaganda" behind the 
 Hun lines as was Kansas City's own, the 129th. 
 
 On Friday, May 2nd, forty-eight hours after 
 the arrival at Funston, the battery was muster- 
 ed out. Friends of twenty-one months' army 
 service parted with a feeling of regret. The 
 next day the 129th F. A. and part of Battery E 
 paraded through the streets of Kansas City and 
 
TO DISCHARGE 115 
 
 to Convention Hall; here they had a generous 
 dinner, and met old friends. Soldier comrades 
 said good-bye, perhaps forever. Thus "The 
 Orphan Battery" was disbanded, but members 
 meeting here and there will give the 
 hearty handshake and always remember with 
 pleasure old times; not forgetting a thought 
 for those who have "gone West" as well as com- 
 rades in sanitariums suffering from that dread 
 disease resulting from poison gas. 
 
 May our reunions be well attended, so we 
 can have a hearty chorus to again sing "The 
 Four of Us," also that famous artillery song, to 
 enjoy the thrill — 
 
 "Over hill, over dale, as we hit the dusty trail 
 And the caissons go rolling along." 
 
 THE END 
 
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