The eight took the bath good-naturedly and as they passed out of the bathhouse, making room for the next eight to enter, they passed word along the end of the waiting line to the effect that it would be just as expedient to take off the slicker and stand out in the rain, that was still falling.
The same evening orders to leave the rest camp came forth. At 6 p. m. the regiment was assembled on the parade ground and soon started its march back over the four miles, through Cherbourg, to the railroad yards of the Ouest-Etat railway, which skirted the docks.
Arrived there at 7:45 p. m., sections of French trains were assembled ready to receive the soldiers. This assemblage of coaches was of infinitely greater variety than those of English ownership. Third class coaches were in evidence, but of greater import were the box cars containing the inscription, "40 Hommes or 8 Chevaux."
Forty men or eight horses may have been the official capacity but when forty soldiers with equipment C were assigned to such a car to spend the night and several succeeding nights, all that was needed to make sardines was a little oil.
Several sections of the battery were fortunate in securing third-class accommodations, but the remainder prepared to settle themselves in the box cars, the majority of which cars turned out to have flat wheels as the journey started.
Daylight remained abroad for the first two hours of the journey; while the cars jolted over the rails the boys sang and kept alive the spirit. Then came darkness. No lights in the car. Forty men stretched out in a small box-car. Incidently it might be added that a French box-car is about one-half the size of similar type of car used on the railroads in the United States. It wasn't fair to kick your buddy in the face or get on his ear. The night, however, gradually wore on and the towns of Valognes, Isigny and Manche St. Lo, were passed. Thence out of the Manche department, through the railroad center at Vire, in Calvados, the special, with its side-door Pullmans, rolled on, enroute through Flers, Coutenne and Pre during the early hours of the morning of August 6th. Daylight dawned as Alencon was reached and at 11:30 a. m., Le Mans loomed in sight. A half-hour's ride from Le Mans and an half-hour lay-over was ordered. The troops were allowed to alight for the time. A supply of iron rations was also furnished each car from the supply car of the special.
The next stop was made at Tours from 6 to 8 p. m. A short lay-over was also made at Poitiers at 11 p. m. The troop special was then nearing its destination. But few on board were aware that at the end of the next thirty-four kilometers was Montmorillon, in the department of Vienne, which was to be the stopping off place of Battery D for a stay of several weeks.
The troop special of thirty-five coaches and box cars, pulled into the station at Montmorillon at 1 a. m.; all was quiet about the station. A majority of the soldiers were too tired to care about location. They slumbered on as best they could in their box-car berths, while the special was pulled in on a siding, to remain until daylight when the order to detrain was to be issued.
