The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-11-08

FRENCH CHILDREN
PUT WREATH ON !
FIRST U. S. GUN
Ovation for First American Ar
tiIIery on Firing Line.
Back From Gunpits Weary but
Enthusiastic.
IKE HnMF-G0MlNG FETE
LIKE HOME COMING FETE
One Cannon Is Labeled First
Gun for Germans"
Not Single Casualty Despite
Long Stay at Front.

With the American Army in France.
Wednesday. Nov. Z. (By the Asso-
ciated Press) The first 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 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 tina.
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 toward which
they were marching the column could
be seen winding around the mountain
to the valley. up on nearer hill and
then down again. The rain was beat
\ ing in their faces and a village snug
| gled in a valley came into their view
as they crossed the crest of the hill.
Band Plays "Campbclls Are Coming"
Below them stood a group in uni
| form. Above the group floated the
! American flag and a number of chill
dren were gathered about Suddenly
| the band-for the group of uniforms
was band-started, a tune that
brought a smile to the face of even
| the most tired artilleryman in the
column. 1t was THE Campbells Are
Coming Some of the artillerymen
cheered and the bearers of the red
battery pennants raised themselves in
! their saddles and waved the pennants.
The entire command was drawn up
| Immediately on a hillside and a gun
covered with camouflage paint was
drawn out IN front. On the gun shield
an artilleryman had written in chalk:
The first gun for the Germans"
The colonel in command spoke to one
of the townspeople a moment and ad-
! dressing the men told them the peo-
pie of the village wished to do honor
| to the gun and it's crew and to the
American army. The children gath
cred 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.
Civilians Greet Sammies.
This was all 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 women came up to them, to
shake hands or to put their arms af-
fectionately around their shoulders
There is not much sentiment in ~the
makeup of an American artilleryman
His one idea is that he is in France
to fight so it took a moment or two
for the men to decide OF accept the
demonstration of approval Even
when this was done the Americans
were more or less embarrassed and
| many whose business for some DAYS
had been confined to killing Germans
actually blushed
Despite the hardships not a man
was heard to grumble except about
the fact that no mail from home was
waiting for him. Every one declared
enthusiastically that the firing of
shells at the Boche would be fine
| business" All were anxious IN 20
| 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 artiI-
lery heavily several times The Of
ficers said that the night the Ameri-
/ can trench was raided the artillery
got into action quickly and poured q
counter barrage into No Mans Lands.
They were sure they prevented all the
Germans from reaching the trenches.
that some of the Germans never got
back alive.
The members of the crew which
fired the first shot at the Germans
admitted that they enjoyed the experi-
ence greatly. One gunner remarke(I
that he would rather have had that
experience and honor as a buck pri-
Vate than to be a major general. The
crew is composed of youngsters. They
came from South Bend, New York
Minneapolis, Chicago, Baltimore. New
Orleans and Douglas. Arizona After
short rest this artillery contingent
will be sent to other camps TO instTucf
other artillerymen who have not been