Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-04-02
r1rrH THE AMERICAN ARMY IN THE FIELD

WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY IN THE FELL,
w Feb 25-Sx men unknowtngy contributed
w to this story in the course Of night ramoie
along the lines There general, colonel,
millionaire major, captain, a eowpuncner' ana
rnoonshfner. In thinking it over later on was
struck by the extraordinary good fellowship that
exists in the American army, as revealed by tnerr
talks I do not mean It is extraordinary tnat eooo
feIlousin exists-ye rather take that for granted
but by its quality. The relationship between the
American officer and the American private y qnlIe
unlike that between officer and soldier In any other
army of which l have knowledge. In this army
they are really friends.
The general had just been saying that he 40
counted himself extremely lucky to be able to take
mart in this great adventure which the American
army is engaged. ''To the sea IN this way 10
fight for world freedom is one of the most romantic
bits in all history" said he. 1t compares with the
erfc deeds of the past-with the Crusades The mag
nfcent color and swing and music of 1t fairly cr1es
me away. The man who Is not part OF II mas mas
lost the best thing the world can offer: Then
he turned to the colonel:
''You know Williams. don't ycu?" said he Com
pany C's cook?
Imagine a general and a colonel in any other
army knowing a company cook! The general told
of talk he had had with Williams In the course
of one of his inquiries into how the men are getting
along Williams had been particularly happy that
day as the general approached the cook shack he
saw the galus cook doing few steps OF break
down.
az got a letter from home" he explained The
general hoped it contained good news
WHAT'S IN A LEG?'
''It certainly did, SIR said he MY brother,
he fell out of buggy ana DToke ms leg
The general said that did not sound like good
news
''It might a been me-" said Williams. Wouldn't
it be hard luck to have to stay at home and miss
all this-and then break a leg yet?7
The colonel was full of some stunts in the
artillery line he had been putting over. No use
saying what they are but they have appreciaby
rage going Thanks to the new idea, he dropped a
barrage on the Bosche the other day Just thirty sec
onds before Jerry started over the top. Broke him
ALI mr., " he said THAT little plan of his to
pot right there
He went on to talk Of his He had been
forced to work them pretty hard lately, building
roads and what not After the days work they haul
ed their ammunition for the next days firing There
was a week more when they put in sixteen to
eighteen hours every day. and not whimper,
the colonel said ''They are the best I have
seen. l don't think there is crouch in the regi-
ment Now that they fighting, believe the regl-
ment is absolutely happy.
The millionaire major was in bed when
calIed-it being after midnight of cruelty cold
night-with a little fire burning in his dugout and
his telephone hooked on his bed rail- He had just
returned from a round of his positions. The Bosche
had gassed pretty heavily during the fore part Of
night and the sweetish odor still hung about in
The bolIows of tbe land He had found his gun
crews night duty in their splinter-proof dug
outs
ALMOST VETERANS
The captain and his leutenants were all young
sters Not more than twenty-three or four years old
any one of them. Supper in their shack
like college frat dinner by some alchemy transpos
ed TO the WOODS IMAM any nIuS COuiu CuiHh Ol- n
Bosche rambled overhead and dropped bomb
near the windows ratified but the lively talk did
not even pause They almost veterans, for they
have been in the front line, and have been killed
in their ranks, and they firmly believe they have
counted for some of the enemy. After supper the
captain walked with us to the car
81 did not know that could be so fine he
said with deep feeling in his voice. 81 am just
kid"-apologetically-"an had not had very much
experience. I did not know that people are
clean and straight and square. II don't like to
pull what may seem like sob stuff but l tell you
on the level that love every of them, and they
love me. They're $3.50 damn fine"
The cowpunch used to ride for the Box Ranch
in Wyoming. He wiz with guitar, and after
supper had sung some of the classics of the range