Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-12-01

acc of spades. with white turbans on
their heads. were maJestically strid-
ing about.
In PitIful Condition.
After we warped into the dock and
made fast, our work was ovor. We had
nothing TO do with the unloading OF the
horses. The French Cavalrymen came
aboard with bunch of cavalry halters
hanging over their arms. 1t was a
marvel TO see with what ease and eff
liciency that ship was unloaded. The
condition of the horses was pitiful.
They could hardly bend their legs from
stiffness. They would hobble down the
gangplanlt and stand trembling on the
dock. In about a minute or so they
would stretch their necks way up into
the air and seem TO be taking long
hrcaths OF the pure air. Then they
started to whinny. They were calling
backward and forward to each other.
Even though / did not understand
horse language. knew exacly what
they were saying. They were thank
ing their horse God for their deliver
ance from that He'll Ship and wero
looking forward to green pastures and
a good roll in the dirt Pretty soon
you could see them bend their forelegs
and lie down on the dock; then try to
roll over. 1t was pitiful: some of them
did not have the strength to turn over
and they feebly kicked Pretty soon
tho whole dock was mass of rolling
horses. the Frcnchmen jumping around.
ges;iculating and jabberinG.
After getting tho horses up. they
we're divided into classes. according to
their height and weight. Then each
horse was led into ring chalked out
on INC cock. and the army insp"ricr
examined It. Very few were rejected.
From this ring OF chalk they were led
into a portable stall and branded. You
could hear the sing-sonE voice OF the
brander shouting out what sounded
like "Bnttry Los" As he yelled this.
a French private would come over, get
the horse which had been branded, and
lead it away. ] got In conversation
with an interpreter and he informed
me that the average life OF these horses
in the French army was three days,
so these poor horses had only left that
hell ship to go Into a worse hell OF
bursting shells and cracking bullets.
I. after passing rigid examination
as to my nationality. and being issued
n cattleman's passport. inquired my
way 10 the prefecture of police. 7 de-
livcred to him II sealed envelope which
l had received In New York. Upon
opening II he was very gracious to
me, and / went into 4 rear room. where
an interpreter put me through q grill
ing examination. From there 1 was
III
ing, in the company Of n sergeant md
Il private. got Into little match box
compartment on the funniest looking
train l ever saw. Tho track seemed
To be about three feet wide: the wheels
of the cars looked like huge cogwheels
on an engine minus the cogs. After
humping, stopping and sometimes slid
ing backwards. in twenty-siX hours
we reached little town. Supplies
were piled UP as nigh as houses. Of
ncers and enlisted men were hurryinE
to and fro, and I could SEQ long trains
OF supply wagons and artillery limbers
always moving in the same direction.
Hears Guns of France.
/ was ushered into the presence OF a
French officer. who. l later found out,
was Brigadier General OF the quar-
termaster corps. l could hear q dis
tant booming. and upon inquiring
found out that it was the guns of
France. striving to hold back the Ger
man invaders. trembled all over
with excitement. and a feeling that
cannot describe rushed over me. was
listening 70 my first sound of the guns
on the Western Front.
Two days afterward I again reached
Bordeaux, and shipped to New York
on the French liner Rochambeau
Upon arriving in New York I reported
to the F'renchman who had sent me
over. He was very courteous. and as 1
reached out to shake hands with him.
he placed both hands on my shoulders