Nov. 12th-14th: Our stay in Varimont was punctuated by determined efforts to get separated from Argonne Mud and getting policed up and generally put in shape for a Fifth Avenue parade, which was to come off very soon. Lt. Gartley left for the 1st Division.
Nov. 15th: The company moved to Givry-en-Argonne to act as a loading detail for the Brigade which was to entrain, and the following day was spent in that occupation.
Nov. 17th: The company entrained about 11:00 P. M. and started on a two-day journey to Les Laumes, where they arrived about 3:00 P. M. on the 19th. With much grunting and puffing the initial ascent of the now well known hill was made, and about 5:00 P. M. we arrived at Flavigny, which was to be our home until we began our journey homeward.
CHAPTER VIII
FLAVIGNY-SUR-OZERAIN
It might be interesting to insert here a brief description of Flavigny, taken from a letter written home by one of the men:
“To say the least, Flavigny is a town that is somewhat interesting. There is a bit of history attached to the place in that we are told that Caesar fought a battle against the Germanic people in this neighborhood about 55 B. C., using the plateau across the valley as his base for operations against a town a few miles from here.
“Flavigny was then standing on its present site, although, perhaps, much smaller than it is today, and there are no evidences that any of the buildings then existing are now standing. It would hardly seem possible that they could be. Today, the village stands on the top of a high plateau, which is reached by a road winding around the mountain. Although it was a cold dismal day when we came here, we were dripping with perspiration by the time we reached the top.
“It is a walled village—part of the wall being formed by some of the buildings—having three entrances large enough for vehicles and a fourth one large enough for only persons or animals in single file. The main entrance, ‘La Porte du Bourg,’ opening to the road up which we came and which seems to have its ending in the centre of the town. About a quarter of a mile before reaching the town this road branches off to the left, winding around some farm buildings, and running along the outside of the wall overlooking the valley, and as it passes the rear of the village making a steep descent into the valley again.
“Opening into this road at about the centre of the village is the second entrance, ‘La Porte du Val.’ While this entrance seems to be of less importance than the others, as it is reached from the inside by a narrow alley, yet it is well protected, or was considered so as regards weapons of mediaeval warfare. There are two towers built of heavy stone, one on either side of the gate, each with peep-holes at the height of a man’s head. Between the towers and over the gate the wall is about twelve feet high, so built that soldiers standing on a ledge running behind the wall and over the gate from tower to tower could fire down on anyone along the road, or who might be trying to approach the town up the side of the mountain.
“Everything here is built of stone, of course, but with the exception of the more modern buildings there is decay everywhere. In many places the wall is crumbling and the houses are patched and crumbling and the thatched roofs are covered with moss, mould and dirt collected for ages. At ‘La Porte du Val,’ one of the gates which is still hanging being made of wood, worm-eaten and decayed, looks as if a slight puff of wind would blow it to dust.