The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-12-25
J yPershin HI adquarters
Where the Commander in Chief
Of the A. E. F. Was Located
in France.

in France.
hannoont, France, Nov. 20 (Corre
I spondence of The Associated Press
his little city of the Haute Marn,
rs the home of the general headquar
tsrs of the American Expeditionary
Forces. Until now its mention ha:
i been taboo and the Whereabouts o1
o. one Of the secrets of the
war
Here lives. the commander-in-chie1
and in the buildings Of the French
garrison is housed the Offices OF the
5 general staff and all the auxiliary or
ganizations that go with 1.-THE nerve
center OF the army. A city OF nor
ma1ly about fifteen thousand inhabl-
tants, Chaumont lies on the Eastern
railway lines. 163 miles east OF Paris.
It was formerly the capital OF Bas-
signy and is now the capital of the
Department Of the Haute Marne.
Like most of the older cities OF
France. Chaumont seems to have been
founded on a site Of strategic defen-
sire value. IT crowns a high plateau
between the Marne and the Suize and
from the walls and towers of the old
eity is wonderful view Of the valley
OF the Marne, here the river being
hardly as wide as the Marne Canal
that flows beside it between it's poplar
bordered banks. Northward over the
narrow vale OF the Suize the view
takes IN a wide sweep of rolling for
est crowned hills.
General Headquarters were remov-
ed from Paris here in September Of
Last year, Chaumont being selected af-
ter a. careful search Of avilable loca-
tions. It hes in the center Of what
was the American training area, ey-
cry camp as well as the. Toul sector
in which the. American forces first
saw battle, and ali the lines from Toul
eastward where we were located, be-
ing within reach by motor.
The French post occupied as head
quarters Offices is typical of French
garrisons. Three. long, four story,
red tile rooted barracks form three
sides Of a great quadrangle facing
wide avenue. A group Of lesser
buildings and the customary iron
fence and ornamental gates is the re
manning boundary. On either gate
post flies the Trico2or and the Stars
ard Stripes.
Sentrfes pace their posts on every
hand. the quadrangle is filed with
hurrying officers and orderlies and
clerks, hands fash in salute, bugles
give their almost hourly calls for the
various military events and periods
at the day, staff cars and motorcycles
roll Ia and out and now and then the
sentry at the gate stiffens even more
rigidiy and brings his piece up with
more snap when a great olive drae
car, shining Ike yacht, slides IN,
tha scarlet tab on the wind shield with
four white stars signifying the com
mauder- in-chief,
frequently the generals car ap-
nroaehes unheralded and so sWlltiy
that the sentry's cry OF Turn ou1 Tue
guard. is too late and the com
mander-in- chief is gone before lne
guard can tumble from the guaro
house.
Until last spring General Persnlng
made his residence in q large villa
ssaar Headquarters He soon founo
boweyer. that so near the workshop
of the army he could not have the
S;IIissst and lack Of intrusion necessary
fo his growing responsibilities and ne
removed in May last to beautl1ui
chateau about five miles from town
Here in a great rambling castle slI-
natad in the Marne valley among
groves and wide sun1it lawns he n.y.
ed with his personal staff. Connect
ed BY telephone with every divisional
corps and army headquarters, his own
Offices IN Chaumont and with PARIS
he did his work there when not with
the army
Chaumont itself has become almost
Arnerfcanized by the presence Of the
headquarters It's little hotels are al
ways crowded with officers. 1t has
been very hospitable to the American
occupation. Nearly every home with
a spare room is thrown open as bill
let for officers and many of the finest
tirely by the hundreds Of messes. In
many of them the officers have install
ed electricity and bath rooms and in
some case central heating plants and
with French servants live comfortably,
almost luxuriously as measured in
military terms. Hundreds less for
tunate or lacking in rank take their
chances on wha tever billet may be
found in the crowded town where a
bed is always at a premium.
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