The states-graphic. (Brownsville, Tenn.) 1???-1984, 1917-11-16
FIRST U. s. ARTILLERY
UNIT HAVING TILT WITH THE
HUNS RETURNS HOME"
Men Back from Gun Pits for Rest and
Sleep: Tired and Muddy, But En-
t~husiastic: Crew Win Instruct 9th
ers Not Yet Sent to the Front

With the American Army, in France,
Nov. THE first American Artillery
unit to establish contact with the Ger
mans came back to its billet today as
enthusiastic a lot of soldiers as ever
came out of gun pits. The artillery
had a 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 n that
will long be remembered in this sec
\ ton of France. 1t was late in the day
when long lines of marching soldiers
and straining horses were seen round
l ing a small mountain many miles away
I From the village toward which they
were marching the column could be
I seen winding around the mountain to
/ the valley upon a les hill and then
1 down again. The rain was beating in
Etheir faces and a village, snuggled in
Ia valley, came into view as they cross
ed the crest of the hill.
The entire command was drawn up
on a hillside and a gun, covered with
I c~amoufiage paint was drawn out in
I front. On the gun shield an artillery
Imam had written in chalk:
"The first gun for the Germans"
Y The colonel in command spoke to
one of the t~ownspeople a moment and
then, addressing the men, told them
! the people of the village wished to hon
, or the gun and its crew and the Amer
lean army. The children gathered
around and placed a floral wreath over
81 the grim barrel and a bunch of wild
I lowers inside the empty case of the
t-irst shot fired. The %regimental band
then played the American and French
national anthems.
VIZ That was all the ceremony, but the
insight of the Americans returning from
( combat with the Germans cheered the
aApopulace of the village so that when
the troopers dismounted, old men and
aIwomen came up to them to shake
AHhands or put their arms a~ffectionately
a Round their shoulders.
Despite the hardships not a mar
3gas heard to grumble except about the
Tact that no mail from home was wait.
= Ing for him. Everyone declared en-.
Enthusiastically that the firing of shell;
,nKt the boche would be "ine business
were anxious to go back again.
lgA In this command there was not one
re. usually despite the length of its sta.
ndl the front and the fact that the Ger
ityts JAMS shelled the American artiller!
xAvily several times. The officer
at fAthat the night the Americantrenc
10 Eh was raided the artillery got in
sr ter Mon quickly and poured out a coul
~ were \rage into no mans land. The.
manskure they prevented all the Ger
g, that lfrom reaching the trench an
w Aek aome of the Germans lever go
live &uaa
= eH.n Y the crew which IRE
A. been the rAaiD the Ger3oans admit
.VIe vor-csy. One s~-aa4TemarKed Il
NY iewould rather have had that ext
ence and honor as a "buck" privi
~ than to be a major-general. The or
{ is composed of youngsters. They col
from South Bend, New York, Minnes
oils, Chicago, Baltimore, New Orleal
~ and Douglas, Ariz.
After a short rest this artillery CO
At tingent will be sent to other camps
Ter instruct other artillery men who ha
M no yet been at the front.
tut =
ed