Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-10-30
AMERICAN INFANTRY
AND ARTILLERY NOW
FIGHTING IN FRANCE
To an AriIIeyman Goes the
Honor of Firing the First
American Shot on Land
Against German AutoCraCy

AMERICAN FIELD HEADQUAR-
TIERS, France. Oct. 27.-American troops
are in the front line trenches and Ameri-
can artillery is behind them.
Official announcement or this fact was
made in the following statement from
headquarters today:
In continuation Of their training
as a nucleus for the instruction of
later contingents, some battalions of
our first contingent, in association
with veteran French battalions are
in the first line trenches of quiet
sector of the French front
They are supported by some bat
teries of our artillery, in association
with veteran French batteries.
| The sector remains normal. Dur
men have adapted themselves to act
ual trench conditions in a most say.
isfactory manner.
With American troops fighting in the
| trenches, side by side with French
poilus, a red-headed artillery captain
and his husky gunners will share the
fame of firing the first shell sent by an
American battery in the fight for de-
mocracy.
The captain gave the gunner a COM
mand-the gunner jerked the lanyard
and Americas first shot against German
autocracy screamed toward a German
| battery. 1t was precisely at o'clock.
/ The morning was a misty one.
The American infantry restlessIy
waited during certain day while the
American gunners were at their part Of
| the work. They remained in their billets
/ behind the lines until evening. Then
| they swung through the rain-swept mud
dy street of tiny village, their shadowy
forms disappearing down the road to-
ward the trenches.
Some attempted to sing, Tramp
Tramp, Tramp, the Boys Are Marching"
1t was just starting when others
shouted:
Shut up. The Boches will hear YOU"
Then silence fell-except for the rum
bling of the rolling kitchen that kept
/ pace with the soft shuttle of the feet of
( the marching detachment.
The shell case of the first shot fired
! for America in the worlds greatest war
/ is en- route to President Wilson today.
Major General Sibert ordered that it DE
} preserved for him.
Just five civilians-alI newspaper cor
Observation-Disclosures the first Ameri-
can troops marching to the trenches
USED FRENCH 10.
The guns used in firing the first shot
was one of the famous French ISIS. On
/ the second day the French shelled
German battery position which was To-
Gated by sound and the enemy replied
vigorously. projectiles falling close to
| the Americans who Joined in the artil-
lery duel.
All the troops will be relieved after a
certain period by others. Thus the
/ American expeditionary forces are get
ting the benefit of actual war conditions.
Standing in a little, almost deserted
shell-wrecked village, we'll within hos
tile gun range and few kilometres
/ from the trenches, the Associated Press
correspondent watched the troops march,
/ ing up in a driving rain over roads
covered with sticky mud The artillery
had been firing all day and as a result
the impression was given that there was
considerable more activity on this front
: than there had been for some time.
1T was soon after lulls in the f1rinS
and in the dark that the first machine
guns hauled by Missouri mules the driv-
ers swathed IN ponchos and with shrap-
mel helmets over their eyes, came up on
/ the road beside a dark canal There
was long line of these and then came
some infantry rolling kitchens, giving
off a savory odor of warm food.
/ All passed in silence. The last gun
/ carriage had sprawled on it the form of
| a soldier who had been taken i'll and
/ who was being held on by two of his
walking comrades.
Through another street paved with
/ cobbles and it's sides lined with gaunt
skeletons of shell-wrecked houses came
/ the sound of the tread of many hob
nailed boots and in the darkness the
( dim forms of men could be seen march,
/ ing.
The cautious flash of an electric
| pocket lamp disclosed that they were
/ American infantry. packs Oh their backs,
/ rifles slung on their shoulders. rain
| glistenng on their helmets and coats,
/ the wind whipping the bottom of their
coats around their legs, which were
moving with machine-like precision.
The Americans swung down the street
/ apparently as proud as though on dress
parade, Notwithstanding that they had
marched miles from the billets where
! they had been since coming by motor
! trucks and railway from the instruc-
! ton centers. As the ranks passed ev-
| cry now and then a soldier could be
/ heard whistling softly to himself, his
nearby comrades listening silently to
sentimental and popular pieces.
Finally from the rear came the whist
| led strain of a tune which all knew, and
/ from many places in the ranks whistles
and voices joined in. The tune was
/
officer, turning, ordered: stop that
| noisew
As the Germans were nearby, much
depended on approaching the zone quiet
! ~. The troops turned a corner and
! disappeared down an ink-black screened
road. AS a major standing there lis
/ tened he looked continuously at an il
! Illuminated watch dial He said
The men from the other direction
should now be entering the trenches. l
| have been standing here waiting to hear
| if the Germans discover the movement"
He paused, listened and then continued
There is no firing yet, although I eX-
pect it, for no doubt We are in for
strait if the 'boche' knows we are going
| in"
No "strafr' developed. although the
| Germans put over a few customary
Substituting nothing.
| The troops entered the trenches safely,
unit by unit passing quickly to the places
assigned them. Quietness was essential.
/ but the French welcome none the less
was heard and ii was enthusiastic
Every American was shaken by the
! hand, some were Rugged and even kissed
on both cheeks in the French custom.
Some OF the French troops were those
who helped to train the Americans. The
U