The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-11-08
Back At Billets After First
Experience In The
Gun Pits ~
TIRED AND MUDDY
BUT ENTHUSIASTIC
Villagers Pay Simple Trib-
ute To "First Gun" and
Its Grew
(By Associated Press.)

With the American Army In
France. Wednesday, Nov. 2. - (By
The Associated Press) - The arst
American 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 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 home coming" was one that
will long be remembered in this sec
ton OF France. It was late in the
soldiers and straining horses were
seen rounding a small mountain
many miles away. The rain was
beating in their faces.
AS they came into the village a
band started a tune that brought a
smile to the face Of even the most
tired artillerymen in the column. 1t
was The Campbells Are Coming.
Some of the artillerymen cheered and
the bearers Of the red battery pen
nants raised themselves In their sad
dies and waved the pennants.
The entire command was immedi-
ately drawn up on hillside and a
gun, covered with camoufage paint,
was drawn out in front. on the gun
shield the artillerymen had written
in chalk: "The first gun for the
Germans" ...
Simple Ceremony.
The colonel in command spoke to
one of the townspeople q moment
and addressing the men told them
the peo@e of the village wished 70 do
honor to the gun and it's crew md
TO the American army. The chluren
gathered around and placed q Fhoral
wreath over the grim barrel and a
bunch OF wild flowers inside the
empty case Of the first shot fired. The
reEimental band then played the
American and French national
anthems.
That was ali the ceremony, but the
sight Of Americans returning from
combat with the Germans, cheered
the populace of the village so that
when the troopers dismounted many
old men and many women came up
to them, either TO shake hands or TO
put their arms afkectlonately around
their shoulders. There is not much
sentiment in the makeup Of an Am
erican artilleryman. His one idea
is that he is in France to night, so 1t
took a moment or two for the men
to decide to accept the demonstration
Of approval.
Tonight the artillerymen turned in
at 6 o'clock. Tomorrow they will
not be called out until hours after
the regular time. The men were
verv tired, having marched for many
hours under unfavorable conditions
and eating their short ration while
astride a horse or swinging on top
Of a gun carriage. The horses were
worn out and some lay down as
soon as they reached their beds or
straw.
No Grumblina Heard.
Despite the hardships not a man
was heard to grumble except about |
the fact that no mail from home was |
waiting for him. Everyone declared |
that the firing OF
shells at the Boche would be fine
big. All were anxious to go back
again.
In this command there was not one
casualty despite the length OF its /
stay at the front and the fact that
the Germans shelled the American
artillery heavily several times. The
oficers said that the night the AM 4
erican trench was raided the artil-
ery got into action quickly and
poured a counter barrage into No
Mans Land. They were sure they
prevented all the Germans from
reaching the trench and that some Of
(Continued on page 81