Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-12-20
ChaumOnt Home of
U. S. Headquarters


Chaumont, France, Nov. 2O.-This
little city of the Haute Marine Is the
home of the general headquarters Of
the American cXpeditionary forces.
Until now its mention has been TABOO
and the whereabouts of &c. Fl. c." one
| of the secrets Of the war.
Here lives the commander in CHIEF
and in the buildings Of the French gar
rfson is housed the offices Of the gen.
eral staff and all the auxiliary organ
izations that go with 1.-THE nerve GEN.
ter of the army. A city of normally
about $4,000 inhabitants, Chaumont lies
on the eastern railway lines, 136~miles
out of Paris. 1t was formerly the cap
ital Of Bassgny, and is now the CAPT.
tai of the department of the Haute-
Marine.
Like most of the older cities or
France. Chaumort seems to have been
founded on a site Of strategic defens-
i've value. 1t crowns a high plateau
between the Marine and the SuiZe and
from the walls and towers of The old
city is a wonderful view of the valley
of the Marine. here the river being
u
flows beside it between it's poplar Dor
dered banks. Northward over the mar
row vale Of the Suize the view takes
in wide sweep Of rolling forest
crowned hills.
General headquarters were removed
from Paris here in September of last
year, Chaumont being selected after a
careful search of available locations.
1t lies in the center of what was the
American training area, every camp
as we'll as the Tout sector in wnict, the
American forces first saw battle. and
all the lines from Toul ca stward where
we were located, being within reach by
motor. ~.
The French post occupied as head
quarters offices is typical of French
garrisons. Three long four story. red
tile roof barracks form three sides OF
great quadrangle facing a wide ave-
| nue.. A group Of lesser buildings anu
the customary iron fence and orna-
mental gates is the remaining bounda-
ry. On either gate post flies the III
color and the stars and stripes.
Sentries pace their posts on every
hand, the quadrangle is iilled with hur-
rying officers and order!ics and clerks,
hands flash in salute, bugles give their
almost hourly calls for the various mil
itary events and periods Of the day.
staff cars and motor cycles roll in and
out and now and then the sentry at
the gate stiffens even more rigidly ana
brings his piece up with more snap
when great olive drab car, shining
like a yacht. slides in, the scarlet tab
on the wind shield with four white
stars signifying the communicable
/ chief.
Frequently the generals car APP
approached unheralded and so swiftly
that the sentry's cry Of. Turn out the
guard" is too late and the commander
| in chief Is gone before the guard can
| tumble from the guard house.
Until last spring General PershinS
made his residence in a large villa
near headquarters. He soon found
| however, that so near the workshop or
| the army he could not have the quiet
and lack Of intrusion necessary to his
| growing responsibilities and he re-
moved in May last to beautiful cha-
teau about five miles from the town.
| Here. in a great rambling castle sit
| uated in the Marine valley among
groves and wiie sunlit lawns. he lived
| with his personal staff. Connected 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
Americanized 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 a billet
for officers and many Of the finest res
licences have been taken over entire
| ~ by the hundreds Of messes. In r1apy
! of them officers have installed electro
! city and bath rooms and in some cases
central heating plants and with French
servants live comfortably. almost lux
! uriuusiy as measured II military
terms. Hundreds less fortunate OF
lacking in rank take their chances on
| whatever billet may be found In the
crowded town where a bed Is always
| at a premium.