Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-12-25
MARCH OF AMERICANS
OVER THE Rhine RIVER
One Hundred Years Hence School
I Pupils VIII Read OF His
toric Trip.
BAND PLA.s QUICK-TINlE
Soldiers Forced to Change Step in
Crossing Ancient Bridge Because
Structure Began to TrembIc With
Great Weight.
by DAMON RUNYcN.

WITH TIE AMERICAN ARMY OF
OCCUPATION, CoBLENZ. December 90
CDclayed). Ono hundred years hence
the school children of America will Ee
reading i'll their histories OF how on
Friday, December IL. 1918, an Amcri-
can army marched over the River
thine. This thought struck us with
dramatic force as we lay in bed carly
that morning in the palatial Hotel
Coblon"crhof and listened 10 the conf
men, Of our roommate, Miller, of the
press bunch. who stood at the window
and, gazing down into the street made
fraGmcntary reports on events below
white putting on his shirt.
wet said Miller. jubilan,iy. Oar
thought, combined with the prospect OF
seeing a wet. proved to me alluring. We
arose. Up TO this moment it had been
our intention of covering the historic
occasion by the simple cxpedicnt OF
sheets. The Hotel Cohlenzerhor fronts
on the Rhine. 1t is only Il few yards
from the river in fact. The crossing
handily arranged to take place on Il
bridge right beneath the hotel win
dows Many military notable prob
selves had planned.
Crossing rivers has become more or
less OF "n incident with the American
thought. however. We hurried forth into
me street IL was shortly before
"clock. German time. and shortly be-
fore O'Clock, army time. The crossing
had been set for o'clock. army time
which made ii o'clock German time
our armies have got in the habit Of
n.ing forehandcd with the Germans.
~ either or o'clock anybody's time
It Is still fairly dark in this country.
A!So. 1t was raining this morning. The
hiShteenth Infantry of the First Di-
al Ia, H., La.
III the streets shedding water from its
steel helmets. It's band was waitin.;
m wiii, rs j., at The head Of the column
w MI -, ram DROPS trickiing into its
was bumped upon IA horse looking nj
ms wrist watch. All the officers around
W." were looking at their wrist
w Ne civilians watching the scene
We Sidied up alongside Il dripping
"o .oi hnoy or our acqua!mtance.
~ mat one hundred years hence tho
schooi children OF America will bc
rc"ulns m their histories about what
YOU are abou, to do
HISTORIC MARCH, OVER
RHINE RIVER HIGGINS
Well what OF it," Then the ualiE:
", n!nio All having aprarsntly arrived
orders, the Eighteenth yhoulderei i'a ,u,,',.
General Parker booted his horse VIII
along. s"'' "''' chihS
We hurried across the bris.o ,bo,,
or me Column to view the formal en-.
trance into the town on that Side w.bin,,
IS called Ehrenhreitstein, after tbe nI,i
l9Etress which frowns on tie hei,bts
above. Cincinnati solder kent in
issuing to-day tina; ;hc name sounIs
axe some old-time Red battery
ARRIVING slightly ahead of tho troons
Was ''EniuS Woods war dog. Vesie
NeXt c.. - .iunius Wood himself. Th,.n
= y NJ 9. \. girl. Then General
Parker and his staff Our army sim.
ply Viii not be dramatic. This is es
pccia.ly true OF John Soldier We Won,
back down the line to confide new
thought TO our friend. This is Inc
hrst time iii over a century that hos
tile troops have crossed this river"
we Informed him. That SOL he said
calmly. We'll, what do you hear about
us going homc?"
They had to march the troops over
ont OF step This particular bridnn -
ar ancient structure on steel pontoons
Il lies close 10 the water. They n;cL
II apart every fiw minutes 10 Int
steamboats,. which move in an inter
minablc line up and down the Rhin.
through When the soldiers wer.
marching in step they shook the br;dcs
until it had threatened paIpita ton.
once in passage. the band struck IN
4 marching tune and put ali tho men
back in step again. The musicians had
20 be suppressed.
Going across. the troops me,
stream or German civilians who live.