The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-11-12
First American Unit Back In lts
Billet After Experience at
the Front

WlIu luC ftuCIlSuA al NY sA
Nov. 12.-The first Americas
artillery unit to establish contact
with the Germans came back to its
billets today. The men were tired
and muddy. but still as enthusiastic
a lot of soldiers as ever came out of
gun pits The artillery had longer
stay at the front than the infantry
and they came back, men and horses.
wet to the bone, covered with mud
and ready to sleep.
Their Homecoming" was one that
will long be remembered in this Sec
ton of France. 1t was late in the !
day when long lines of marching sol
diers and straining horses were seen
rounding a small mountain many
miles away. From the village to-
ward which they were marching the |
column could be seen winding around
the mountain to the valley upon
nearer hill and then down again.
The rain was beating in their faces
and village. snuggled in valley,
came into their view as they crossed
the crest of the hill.
Below them stood group in uni
form. About the group floated the
| American flag and number of chill
dren were grouped about. Suddenly
the band-for the group of uniforms
was band-started tune that
brought smile to the face of even
the most tired artilleryman in the
column. 1t was "the Campeblls are
coming. Some Of the artillerymen
cheered and the bearers of the Red
Battery pennants raised themselves
in their saddles and waved the pen
nants.
First Gun for the Germans
! The entire command was immedi-
ately drawn up on a. hillside and a
gun. covered with camoufage paint,
was drawn qpt in front. On the gun
shield an artilleryman had written
in chalk, "The first gun for the Ger.
mans" The Colonel in command
spoke to one Of the townspeople a
moment and addressing the men told
them the people of the village wished
to do honor to the gun and its crew,
and to the American army. The chill.
dren gathered around and placed a
floral wreath over the grim barrel
and bunch of wild flowers inside
the empty case of the first shot fired
| The regimental band then played the
American and French national an
thems.
That was all the cermony. but the
sight of Americans returning from
combat with the Germans cheered
the populace Of the village. so tina,
when the troopers dismounted many
old men and many women came up te
them to shake hands or to put theil
Harms affectionately around theil
shoulders. There is not much senti
= ment in the makeup of an American
4 artilleryman. His one idea is tha
81 he is in France to fight, so it took
81 moment or two for the men to decid
to accept the demonstration of az
81 prevail Even when this was don
4 the Americans were more or less en-
5 barrassed and many, whose busines
Il for some days had been confined t
killing Germans, actually blushed.
q Turn in Early.
9lI The artillerymen turned in at
Il o'clock. They will not be calle
Il out until hours after the regular tim
I'll The men were very tired, havin
I'll marched for many hours under Vi
81 favorable conditions and eating the
al short ration while perched astride
Ri horse or swinging on top of a gu
Ri carriage. The horses were woI
@ out, and some laid down as soon
E they reached their beds of straw. D
8 spite the hardships. not a man W;
81 heard to grumble, except about Il
Isl fact that no mail from home w
Isl waiting for him. Every one declar,
Isl enthusiastically that the firing
Isl shells at the Boche would be "f1l
business" All were anxious to
back again.
Not One Casualty
ri In this command there was not o
&t casualty, despite the length of
stay at the front and the fact th
Hl the Germans shelled the Americ
H artillery heavily several times. T
H| officers said that the night the Am
Hl ican trench was raided the artille
III got into action quickly and poured
El counter barrage into No Mans Lal
El They were sure the prevented all
EI Germans from reaching the ren
ri and that some of the Germans ne,
Hl got hack alive The officers a