The Columbus dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 19??-1922, 1920-08-11

knowledge presumably possessed by
the officer, causes the soldier in ac-
ton, subconsciously through habit, to
respond to control, thereby produc-
ing the unity Of action, that insures
superiority.
Of coures there were instances
where 2nd. Lieutenants and other of
ficers have stressed that superior
knowledge idea to an exasperating
degree. That reminds me of an in
cident that occurred at Camp Lee. A
new citizen soldier rushed up to the
Division Commander and said, "Say
little fellow, where is Division Head |
quarters? The General carefully
pointed it out to him and the soldier
hurried on but he was stopped by
some old-timers, who told him that it
was the Commanding General he had
addressed so unceremoniously. The
recruit thought he would DO the court !
ious thing, and apologize to the Gen.
eral, so he said, "Sir, | am sorry
spoke to you like | did, | didn't know
you were the General" The Major !
General said, "That's all right, old !
man, but be careful that you don't |
do that to a End. Lieutenant OF
course we have some Colonels too,
who are rather particular about their
salutes. A Colonel passed a negro !
soldier of one of the labor battalions |
in France and the negro didn't salute. |
The Colonel roared, "Why don't you
salute? Don't you see the insignia on
my shoulder?" "Yes'sr," said the
negro. 81 seed them chickens, OATS
why | thought you was de cook"
To have been intimately associated
with American citizen in training for
war and on the battlefelds Of France
were the most pleasurable experiences
of my military career, To see their
firm step in marching to battle and
the eagerness and determination in
their faces filled me with pride and
the man who most admired during
the World War was the American cit |
izen in uniform. They were rarely |
downhearted, in most cases you would
find them making sport of the hard /
ships and hazardous situations. One
day while we were holding sector
on the British front sergeant was
watching the projectiles from the Ger
man Minenwerfers which were being
hurled at his sector of trench and he
was giving directions to his men to
avoid them by moving to the right or
left along the trench, depending upon
where the explosive would fall. An
officer who was inspecting the sector
and lodging Minenwerfers at the same
time asked the sergeant what he was
doing. The sergeant replied, 'I'm
traffic policeman and / am prevent
ing congestion of traffic in this
area"
When it was time for my regiment
to be relieved on that occasion, my
men left the trenches at night to
lavoid observation and they were
transported in fiat cars by narrow
Iguage railroad from Rausart to Saul
Ity, their billeting area. At Rausart
the British soldiers were providing
my men with tea and sandwiches as
they came out of the trenches. / was
there with two British staff officers
and it was just about midnight. When
the men for the first train finished
their tea, called out "Get aboard,
Ithirty-two men per car" In re-
Imarkably short time the men had adj
justed themselves on the fiat cars and
las the train started off, the men all
singing, a British staff officer ex-
claimed, 81 wish Hindenburg could
see that" | asked him later what so
impressed him as to make that re-
mark He said that under their sys-
4a,,, 4bo nfGooy -, oo,N,,.,a,,l ,yo,,I1
have sent for the Adjutant, the Adj
jutant would have to notify the COM
Ipany commanders, the company com
manders would have to notify the
Sergeants- Major and the Sergeants-
Major would place a man at each car
to count Off the thrty-two men, all
Of which would take time and he
thought it truly remarkable that the
Americans own initiative enable the
Officer by one command to accomplish
the result so promptly. This cheer
fulness, initiative and resourcefulness
were characteristic of the American
soldier everywhere. Discipline does
not destroy these splendid military
assets, but it developes them to the
fullest extent along lines that make
them more valuable in the practice
of military science.
The honoree of this occasion, Mr..
Herman c. Craven, won his decora.