The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1918-09-19
PERSHINC'S MEN HAVE THEIR
FIRST CONTACT WITH THE FOE

millions of men which later was of
great advantage to him
Dn Aug. 81 he had completed his
great preliminary organization work
In Paris ana, wishing TO be nearer To
his army. moved his headquarters 10
b. town near the training camp Of
the American eNpeditlonary forces.
lie wanted to supervise personally the
training Of his men. 30 that they
woul bc able To- take their places In
the trenches at the earliest possible
moment
The American army was Increasing
weekly los thousands. All stages Of
training were to be- seen IN the vari-
ous camps. All 81 this training work
was new 10 both officers and men.
The world war q brought new
weapons, new methods ot using
weapons, and tactics that were un-
familiar. French ana British officers
and men had been detailed to teach
the Americans the use 90 these
weapons and methods. The Amori-
cam proved apt students. n ~ a
very short time some Of them q
become mora expert than thor in.
structors.
Created u Iuii General
President Wilson had bee - urged to
give Gonrral pcrshing ana several
other American generals rank equal
To that OF European officers with sim
liar commands. II was not fitting hr
was told. that the American COM
mandcr In chief should DE %outranked
by "a British or French officer, who
occupied a subordinate position, As
"A result, oct. 4. 1917. congress decided
TO revive tn" rank of general and To-
Great both pershinE and Tasker IL
Bliss. the chief Of staff. foil generals.
with the elevation of General
InAWglNNUa.H tho AaNa ANNtnANH aNNnAVNaN
To him on the front were Field Mar
shat petain and Sir Douglas Haig. The
American army never had the grade
OF field marshal.
by the promotion OF Pershing and
Bliss. thes" I've held u rank in the
military service az the United States
which heretofore had been held 10y
only four soldiers. George Washing
ton was a general in the Revolution
AIRY war. However, when he resumed
his military position in anticipation
OF a threatened war in 1879, IL was
only with the rank of lieutenant-gen-
eraL L. 5. Grant. W r sherman. ana
i. II. Sheridan We're the only other
generals.
Under the provisions a. the act that
created Pershing a general. all com
mandcrs of units larger than a di-
vision In the field will have the rank
OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENT as IN customary
in the European armies.
americans On Firing Line.
In the latter part Of October. 1917.
General Pershing felt that certain
units of his forces had received SUI
rci"nt training 10 occupy first line
trenches. Preparations were made to
have them replace French troops and
hold u sector of the line.
Under cover Of darkness those
fFsfsAfsa Ff4AVflHl from Tho NNFFnT aHNlaYaa
where they had been quar,rrcd It,
self nearly under the fire ~ the en
emy-throuEh roads nearly impnssu-
BILE with deep, sticky mud.
Missouri mules strained at the ma
chine guns that led the march. After
these q long column az infantry. the
men swathed in their ponchos and
the rain sltstening on their steel
trench helmets. The Americans
wuu along as proudly as though on
dress parade. Notwithstanding they
had marched miles hat day and still
had some miles To To. There was
absolute silence in the ranks. for tho
Germans might - any dis
cover their approach and shower
them with shrapnel
Nearing the trenches thcy passed
another silent line marching in the
opposite direction. IL Vas the French
hattalions whose places they were
taking on the front line. Tn. flash
ligh. Of "a French officer revealed
that nor" were the long expected
Americans, and soft greetings OF
WV" IAmerlque" came from the
poilus, who forgot their WEAKNESS ~
the sight.
1he troops entered the trenches
safely unit boy unit. passing quickly 20
the positions assigned to them hy the
French liaispn officer. who had re-
manned 90 conduct the transfer and
report the special activities 0f that