Evening star., 1917-11-08
FIRST u. S. ARTILLERY UNIT
TO FIGHT GERMANS ELATED
Tired and Muddy, Americans Return to
Billets Enthusiastic Over Their Initial
Experience in Shooting at Enemy.

By the Associated Press.
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY IN
FRANCE. Wednesday, November =
The first American artillery unit to
establish contact with the Germans
came back to it's 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 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
tion of France. 1t was late in the day
when long lines Of marching soldiers
and straining horses were seen round
ing 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 upon a near hill and then
down again. The rain was beating in
their faces. and a village. snuggled in
a valley. came into their view as they
crossed the crest Of the hill.
"The Campbells Are Coming"
Below them stood a group in uni
form. Above the group f1oated the
American flag and a number of children
were gathered about. Suddenly the
band-for the group of uniforms was
a smile to the face Of even the most
tired artillerynan 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 Immediate
ly drawn up on hillside and a gun
covered with camoufiage 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 people
of the village wished to do honor to
the gun and its crew and to the
American Army. The children gather
ed around and placed a floral wreath
over the grim barrel and a bunch OF
wild flowers inside the empty case OF
the first shot hred The regimental
band then played the American and
French national anthems.
Old Men and Women Greet Them.
That 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 many women came up to them, to
shake hands or 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 go 1t took a moment or two for
the men to decide to accept the demon
stration of approval. Even when this
was done the Americans were more or
less embarrassed. and many whose
business for some days had been con-
fined to killing Germans, actually
blushed.
Tonight the artillerymen turned in al
o'clock. Tomorrow they will not be
called out until hours after the regular
time. The men were very tired, having
marched for many hours under unfa-
vorable conditions and eating their
short ration while perched astride a
horse or swinging on top of gun car
riage. The horses were worn out and
some laid down as soon as they reached
their beds of straw.