The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1920-07-01
Army Mule q Help in Time of Trouble

When it comes to enduring, sacri-
ficing, and dying, the humble and pie
beian mule can be relied on to do his
full duty, as he proved in the world
war. Many time, when the mud
was deepest and the seargeant-major
in his worst temper, the mule laid
back his ears, planted his feet firmly
upon any spot he could find, and
pulled a gun or a wagon out OF the
mire. There were more than $4,000
of him engaged with the army over
seas and more than one hundred
thousand with the troops in the
United States, and while he resorted
at times to ungentle tricks, yet when
it came to hard and necessary work,
when is came to going without eat
ing and drinking, when it came to
difficulties in transportation, the mule
was to be depended upon. He was
the hero of many a trying hour. Now
comes an official word Of apprecia-
ton from the Government. Accord
ing to the New York Sun:
There was no comparison" says
the Quartermaster-General's an
nouncement, "between the small, poor
ly nourished mule secured in Spain
and those purchased in southern
France and the powerful, outstanding,
mealy-nosed product Of the Middle
West, There was sharp criticism in
some places of the class Of animals
which came up from Spain for duty
on the battlefront. But these little
animals were able to haul machine
gun carts, releasing the heavy ami
mails for duty with the artillery and
ammunition-trains.
"There were times during the final
stage of the world-war when it was
impossible to give much-needed rest
to these animals. There were not
enough to do the work which confront
ed them, and the result was that it
was necessary to keep on the move
forty-eight, sixty, and sometimes sew
enty-two hours with hardly more than
a pause. Then is was possible only
to feed a small amount of grain and
a few handfuls of hay. Under this
strain the mule went forward, giving
his all uncomplainingly.
"The mule has always been given
the credit OF having his full quota Of
brains, but Mt times it seemed he had
more than his share. He may run
when hitched to q wagon. When tired
he makes his condition known BY
quitting. However, this quality did
not come to the fore during the days
of St.-Mihiel and in the Argonne.
"The record of the mule through the
world-war has been such as to reflect
much credit upon the dam, the farm
mare of the United States, as well as
upon the long-eared, loose-jointed pro-
genitor of that hybrid-an animal in
dispensable to the success Of our army
in the field.
Instances have been known where
pack-mule would loaf about the
army kitchen while the cook was
baking bread, until he observed the
cook busy at some other duty, when
he would approach the fire, raise one
foot, and paw off the lid of the Dutch
oven, grab the hot loaf within, and
make off with it on the run. He
would do the, same if he observed
hunk of bacon within easy reach"
A good many farmers these days,
devoted to their horses, say, "Gosh
darn a mule anyway" on general
principles, but the army loves and ad-
mires him for services rendered and
would like to see him get the Dis
tinguished Service Medal. Perhaps
his valor and constancy in wartime
will recommend him to softer senti-
ments in times Of peace.