Evening star., 1918-05-07
ASLEEP, SOLDIER
MARCHES MILES
Tired Americans Were Hurry
ing to Aid Of British
in Big Drive.
by, HERBERT COREY.


IN LORRAINE WITH THE AMERI-
CAN TROOPS. April Johnny came
in smiling this morning. He Is the
orderly Of the major in whose Office
| I do most of my loaang-the office Is
the front room upstairs Of an old house.
| in which are some battered bits Of fine
old furniture, and through whose roof
the rain leaks into a gasoline can. He
smiles habitually. But this morning he
thought he had a real reason for grin
ming:
II walked seven miles night before
last" said he. land never knew it."
Johnny had been on a hike with tho
rest. He says his dad used to tell him
Of the Blue Racers who marched :'ith
Sherman. but dad'll have to show him.
II any soldiers in the civil war march
ed farther or faster than his outfit
the trenches pronto he wants to know
1t. There are no records of forced
marches at hand, but the prospects are
that Johnny's outfit did a record break
marched twenty-five kilometers with
out a break. carrying packs weighing
from fifty to sixty pounds--and they
were tired when they started.
Had Ended Thirty-Day Tour.
It had been ono Of the unexpected
things that happen in war. The Amer
ican troops had just ended q thirty
day tour in the training trenches, and
were on their leisurely way to a rest
area. The last day before the quick
step started had been a wonderful
glimpse Of early spring. The pear trees
trained against the southern walls put
forth their first pink spearheads of buds
that day.
The column of marching troops was
once held up by some officer, who no doubt
owns a farm at home, to let an old
French shepherd lead his flock along
the cross road, crook in hand and brass
horn over his shoulder. Lambs bleated
and buck-jumped and rammed bullet
headed into the woolly sides Of their
elders. while the busy sheepdogs raced
to and fro. their eyes sharp and wet
tongues dangling from open mouths.
the tiny villages, while buxom girls,
bare-armed and open-throated, did the
weeks wash at the common troughs
and shouted unintelligible badinage at
the marching men.
At noon our column reached the little
town In which we were billeted. The
men had marched twelve miles since
they had first shrugged their packs into
place that morning. They were hot and
dusty and thirsty.
Needed in the Trenches.
The afternoon was spent in vain
search. Then, just before dinner time.
when the wanderers began to drop into
their billets to spread their blankets
for the rest ahead, word came that the
Germans had struck the British line the
heaviest blow OF the war.
We march at 8 o'clock tonight" tho
officers told the men. I'VE are needed
in the trenches"
One might tell Of that night march
OF twenty-five kilometers by tired men,
carrying heavy packs, but 1t would only
be repetition Of the Same incidents.
Rain began to fall. Omcers dozed upon
their horses. At the ten-minute rests
men lay down in the roadside mud and
went 90 soundly to sleep that they had
to be shaken and dragged before they
could be awakened. Motor truck driv-
ers. already overworked, for they had
been running double and triple trips
ton. finished forty-eight hours without
rest at the wheel before dawn came. It
was At the heel Of his hike that Johnny
told with grin that he had marched
seven miles without knowing It." His
legs had been thrust on by an indom-
liable will. but his mind had been
drueged by an overpowering fatigue
march, 10 far as the great wars game
Is concerned, though most of them had
been trained in the magnificent school
OF the National Guard.
And here is ths cracker to this
OF the thousand men Of the b.tta,.
Ion. know best only three fell out
and ono of the threA was siclt