The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-05-31
Mcucon. after 1915 mile march, at
p m, same date
Auor,u+ II 20 Senfp,nher 2 1913


August IL to September 7, 1918.
This period was devoted 10 intensive
training Of both men and officers upon
/ the range. Speciality schools for both
officers and men were Ia be found, and
all organizations took advantage of the
opportunity presented. Under competent
instructors The battery was soon whip
ped into an efficient lighting organ IA
tion and by the end of the training pc
Rod was ready TO take its place IN
line and fight shoulder to shoulder with
the best. Tho work throughout tn"
course was intensely interesting II was
during this period that W. were fortu-
nate in having assigned TO ns Lieut..
Howard r. Neill. n graduate tho SAT-
muir School Of Fire. lie dcvcI, ped cv"n-
! tually to be one of the bcSt artillery Of
ficers in the regiment. and his services
! both on the range and IN the field wer
! invaluable. August 5. and : were &C.
Cupied by brigade problems. both dcf"n-
sivc and offensive. These problems were
conducted under tn" supervision OF the
French instructing officers under condl-
tions Of real warfare as nearly ms could
be simulated. This was the elimination
,, Of our course at Meucon.
September 8 to IL, 1918.
Although VIC remained al Camp dc
MeuCnn during this period. there was no
special training beyond ordinary garri-
son duties II was during thiS period
that the battery was cQuipp>d ID. GNncrn:,r
cvcrhautrd and made ready TO take 80
place in the line. On September II
Lieut. Ferguson. who had been attend
ing school Of Mat"r'al' at CoCtVuidan.
reported back for duty.
September 18th, 1918.
$50 r. m. Friday. September 18TH.
the battalion moved from Eamn d"
Mcucon for Vannes. n march Of six
miles. in tho order &C" b" ~. Wh"r"
il cntraincd for Lnng"villo. The task
Of cntraining was accomplished with no
particular difficulty, in thirty-scvcn
minutes. The train, typical Of all
French troop trains. was made UP OF
nifty coaches az fiat cara for material.
81 box cars for horses and mon. on"
officers coach and one cahoosc). After
having certified Ia tn" u. T q. as TO
tho quantity and condition Of tho ma
tCrial. orders for travel wcrc handed
mo at ZOO r. IN. AZ l0:l1 p. m, tho
train pulled out Of Nanncs. under com
mand Of Captain Lester r. Graves. En-
route 10 LonCcvll" III" train paoG"d
through tho towns Cf E"uN1". Nnrraillcs
and Chnrtrcs. arriving nj ST flnrcnt'n,
Septomhcr II. 1918 ut son p. m. TIL"
country passed through was pretty. but
also gave tho impression Of being in
tensclv cultivated. as is typical of tn"
French countryside Train discipline
was excellent. Tn" kitchen. which was
loaded on fat car. was kept in ope-.
alton tho whole trip. enabling us to sue
cessfuly rcrvc tho mon with hot meals
at frequent intervals.
September 18th, 1913.
Al ST. Florcntinc W" received orders
from tho Regulating Officer 70 proceed
to LonEnvill". near Bar-l"-Duc. March
I'd three kilomctorG to Tannois. whore
we Joined the End Battalion and ReEi-
mental Headquarters. who had preceded
us to this point. and camped for the
night.
September 18th, 1913.
We had come as far az possible by
rail. From this point on our Journey
to the front was continued on foot. At
$50 D. M. 18th September. 1918 we left
Tannois, and after a night march Of 30
lilometcrs we arrived In the vicinity
Of Pierrentte, and camped for the day