Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-05

Of our position, but that was the nearest
they came to us that day.
That night the American infantry. hel<'
meted and ready for battle marched into otr.
front-line trenches The infantry beat u6i fo
France by nearly two months, but we of to@
artillery got into action more than twelve
hours ahead of the doughboys.
After two weeks of work on our battery
positions behind the front ine our regiment
OF artillery went into winte' quarters and
we were Kept out of the scrap until Janu-
airy. when we went in again with wallon.
Our battery was paid special honors All
along that hike to winter quarters.
Decked tho Gun with Flowers
The little gun that fired the first shot for
world liberty was decked with fresh 1owers
in every village, and we of C Battery had
TO run a kissing gantet almost every step
of the way | can tell you the French ap-
preciated the significance of that first shot.
They knew that 1t spelled freedom for them
from the invading Hun.
Sergeant Hugh Marsh of Belleville, H.,
who was with the first contingent of General
Pershing's forces to reach France. has given
me a graphic description Of the experiences
Of the infantry during the period was abb
sent at winter quarters and I shall tell 1t
as nearly possible in his own words.
After that | will resume my own story and
take the reader back again to the Yankee
battery positions behind the lines.
Sergeant Marsh spent four years on the
went across with the first contingent OF the
Pershtng forces.
The infantry moved right into the fight
zone upon their arrival in France and started
drilling eight hours a day under the guidance
of the famous Alpine Chasseurs. or Blue
Devils, as they are called by the Huns.
They taught the Americans the latest
wrinkles in bayoneting. grenade throwing
and the use of the trench knife.
On the first day of training the boys drew
their full trench equipment. which included
packs. gas masks. helmets trench knives and
grenade aprons. The latter look exactly like
a carpenters apron with pockets but In this
case the pockets are used to hold the deadly
srenades and not tools.
Green But Quick to Learn
OF course our lads were pretty green when
they started training for trench warfare
although most Of them were seasoned United
States soldiers. and were well up in the sort
of fighting game which prevailed before the
Hun inaugurated the most inhuman struggle
in history. But the Yankee infantrymen
were apt pupils. and in a few weeks they
outcassed their instructors in the use or
the bayonet and grenade
The infantrymen managed to have a pretty
good time while they were training They
had Wednesday and Saturday afternoons
off. and or these occasions they would 20
fishing or promenadng with come pretty
mademoSelle. When an American soldier
is struggling with his French he endeayors
first TO learn how TO ask for something ID
eat. and second. how to frame an invitation
for mademoselle to promenade with him
The boys found excellent trout fishing II
the canals near their camp but the nsf
didn't bite fast enough for the Americans
so they threw grenades into the water Ths
explosions that followed brought the nsl
stunned to the surface. where they wert
easily gathered by the doughboys by thi
basket. BY employing the grenade methox
the lads had fresh fish at nearly every r,saa
until the French police stepped in and put
stop to the practice.
doughboy considered himself lucky vvhej
he was picked TO go wood-cutting detai
for he could take his gun along and have )
shot at game. The woods near the caun
abounded with wild boar. rabbits. utaes1l
and geese. ll52
CONTINUED TOMORROW &