Nearer and nearer came the boom! boom! boom of the guns. Then, late that evening, we were assigned to billets, and knew that our long hike was over, and that we were again confronted by the enemy.
Thus ended our six weeks’ march through France.
CHAPTER XII
ON THE BATTLE LINES
We had come to a halt near a beautiful village, with vine-clad cottages and an old château; and were quartered in billets and temporary barracks.
“Have you seen this?” said our French lieutenant interpreter, whom we met as we were on our way to the “Y”.
“What is it about?” we answered, Yankee fashion, by asking another question.
In reply, he translated from a French newspaper he held in his hand, the message of General Pershing tendering to General Foch all the American forces as follows: “I come to say to you that the American people would hold it a great honor to her troops, if they were engaged in the present battle. Infantry, artillery, all are yours to dispose of as you will. Others are coming.”
“That’s great!” was the general comment. And then we gave three rousing American cheers for our general, which drew a crowd of soldiers and citizens to inquire its cause.
Then there was a general talk about the military situation, in which our captain took a part, and some of which I will repeat, to explain the situation.