Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-12-24
QUARTERS
CASTLE NEAR CHAUMONT
American Commander Goes Dash
ing Through City Before Soldiers
Can Turn Out

Chaumont, France, Der. i0.-fCor
respondence Of The Associated Press -
This little CITY 0f the Hautc Msrne Is the
home Of the general headquarters Of the
American ETpedironary Forces. Until
now. its mention has been taboo and the
whereabouts Of o. II. q one OF the Sc
crets of the war.
Here lives the commandcr-in-chief ana
iu the buildings oi the French garrison. ls
housed the Offices 81 the general staff and
all the auxlliarv examinations that 70
with lr--thc nerve center Il the army
4 cltv of normally about 5000 inhaDi-
tants, G ChaUmont lies on the Eastern rali-
wav lines, 81 unlcs east al Pans. IL was
formerly the capital Of Basslgny and is
now the capital Of the Department 81 the
Heute Marne
Like most Of the older cities OF France.
Chaumont seems to nave been founded on
a site Of strategic defensive value. II
crowns high plateau between the MaEne
and the SuIze and from the walls ana
towers d the old city - a wonderful v1ew
of the valley Of the Marne, here the river
being hardly as vide a. the Marne Canal
that flows beside il between It's popular
bordered banks. Northward over the mar
row vale of the Suze the view taxes N q
vide sweep 81 rolling forest crowned hills.
from Paris here IN September Of last wear
Chaumont being selected alter 3 carefu
search oi available locations. II lies IN the
center OF what was the American trs1n-
ing area. every camp as well As the 1oui
sector ID which the AmenCzsn forces hrst
saw battle, ana all the lines from Toul cast
ward, where we we're located, beng within
reach by motor.
The French post. occupied as head
quarters Offices, Is typical Of French gar
risons Three long four story, nj tile
rooted barracks form three sides OF
great quadrangle facing q vide avenue. a
group of lesser buildings and the custom
4rv ron fence and ornamental gates Is the
remaining boundary On either gate post
flies the Trcolor and the Stars 3nd Stripes.
Sentres pace their posts on every hand,
thc quadrangle IS filed with huryinG
officers and orderlies and clerks, hAnus
flash in salute, bugles give their almost
hourly calls for the various military
events and periods ot the day, staH cars
and motor cycles roll in and out and now
and then the sentry at the gate stlfens
even rnore rgidly and brings his piece mp
with more snap when 2 great olive drab
car. shining like i Yacht, slides ~, the
scarlet tab on the wind shield with four
white stars, signIfying the coElmanuer-in~
chief
Frequently the generals car approach
= unheralded and 80 swiftly thar the
sentry's CRY Of. Turn out the guard IS
100 late and the coWmander-in-chleT Is
gone before the guard can tumble from
the guard house
Until last spring General Pershlng made
ms residence IN large villa near head
uuarterS He soon found, however that So
.,aar tho ,.t,rt-ehNy, ~ ba army Nc pgEltE
not have the qmet and hack oi intrusion
necessary 70 his growing responsibilities,
ana he removed Iu Man 'a-t, 10 bcauti-
ful chateau about FIVE miles from town
Here IN 9 great rambling castle, situated
IA the Marnc valley among groves snd
wide -unht lawns, he lived with his per-
sonal staff Connected hv telephone with
every divisional eorpl ana army head
quarters, his own Offices N Chaumont and
with Paris. he did his Nork there when no.
With the army.
Chaumont itself has become almost
Americani1ed by the presence of the head
quarters Its little hotels arc always
crowded with officers i has been very hos
pitable to the American occupation,
Nearly every home With spare room =
thrown open as billet 'or officers AMI
many of the finest residences have been
taken over entirely ny the hundreds ol
m sSeS. In manv of them he officers nave
installed electricity and bath rooms and iu
some cases central heating plants and with
French servants, live comfortably, AL
most luNlriously As measured IN military
terms. Hundreds less fortunate or lack.
ing in rank, take their chances on what
ever billet NAV be found IA the crowded
own. where a bed IS always az Il premium
------------