Towering like a giant over the uniform type of barrack and buildings at Camp Meade, stood a large observation tower, situated on what was known as the "plaza," the site of divisional headquarters. A general panorama from this tower was an inspiring sight. Radiating from the plaza, extending for several miles in any direction the gaze was focused, there appeared the vista of the barracks of the troops together with the sectional Y. M. C. A."s canteens, stables, corrals and other supply and administration buildings; also the interposing, s.p.a.cious drill fields.
The beauty of this scene was enhanced by the mantle of snow that often garbed it during the winter mouths. To see a city of 40,000 in such uniformity as marked the cantonment construction; with its buildings covered with snow; the large drill fields spread with a blanket of snow; and, a snow storm raging--is a tonic for any lover of nature.
On the night of Wednesday, November 28th, the first snow greeted the new soldiers at Camp Meade. The ground, robed in white, breathed the spirit of the approaching holiday season. The coming of Thanksgiving found discussion in 019 centered on the subject of pa.s.ses to visit "home."
On November 24th fifteen of D battery men were granted forty-eight hour leaves and departed for their respective homes. All the officers remained in camp and planned with the men to enjoy the holiday.
The Thanksgiving dinner enjoyed by Battery D was one never to be forgotten in army life. Mess-Sergeant Al Loughran and the battery cooks, ably championed by the K. P."s, worked hard for the success of the Thanksgiving battery dinner. Battalion and battery officers dined with the men, the noon-mess being attendant by the following menu:
Oyster c.o.c.ktail Snowed Potatoes Roast Turkey Turkey Filling Cranberry Sauce Celery Peas Oranges Apples Candy Cake Nuts Bread b.u.t.ter Coffee Mince Pie Cigarettes Cigars
Sweet dreams of this dinner often haunted the boys when "bully-beef" was the mainstay day after day many times during the sojourn in France.
After the dinner officers and battery members adjourned to the second floor of the barrack where battery talent furnished an entertainment, consisting of instrumental and vocal numbers and winding up with several good boxing bouts. Barney McCaffery, of Hazleton, Penna., a professional pugilist, was the pride of the battery in the ring.
Corporal Frank McCabe, of Parsons, Penna., was one of the real comedians of the battery. His character impersonations enlivened many an evening in 019. Every member of the outfit was deeply grieved when Corporal McCabe was admitted to the base-hospital the latter part of January, suffering with heart trouble. On January 24th at 8:20 p. m., Corporal McCabe died. This first casualty of the battery struck a note of sympathetic appeal among the battery members. A guard of honor from the battery accompanied the body to Parsons where interment was made with military honors.
After Thanksgiving Battery D settled down to an intensive schedule of instruction. Days of rain, snow, and zero weather followed, making the routine very disagreeable at times, but never acting as a demoralizer.
Days that could not be devoted to out-door work were used to advantage for the schedule of lecture periods during which the officers conducted black board drills to visualize many of the problems connected with artillery work.
On December 6th, 1917, a series of regimental practice marches were inst.i.tuted, first on foot, then on mount. The first mounted marches, however, were rather sore-ending affairs, as were the first lessons in equitation. Saddles and bridles were lacking as equipment for many weeks after the receipt of the horses. Mounted drill, riding bare-back, with nothing but a halter chain as a bridle, was the initiatory degree of Battery D"s equitation.
Barrack 0103, about half the size and situated in the rear of 019, was completed on December 19th, when a portion of Battery D men were quartered in the new structure, thereby relieving the congestion in 019.
Christmas and New Year"s of 1917 furnished another controversy on the question of holiday furloughs. On Sat.u.r.day, December 15th, inspection was called off and forty men were detailed to bring more horses from the Remount station for use in the battery. The detail completed its task faithfully, the men being happy in the thought that, according to instructions, they had, the night previous, made application for Christmas pa.s.ses. Gloom greeted the end of the day"s horse convoy. Announcement was made that all Christmas pa.s.s orders had been rescinded in the camp.
The gloom was not shattered until December 20th, when announcement was made at retreat formation that half of the battery would be allowed Christmas pa.s.ses and the other half would be given furloughs over New Year"s Day. The loudest yell that ever greeted the "dismissed" command at the close of retreat, rent the atmosphere at that time.
More disappointments were in store for the boys before their dreams of a furlough home were realized. Sat.u.r.day, December 22nd, was decreed a day of martial review at Camp Meade. Secretary of War Newton D. Baker visited the cantonment that day and the review was staged in his honor. Battery D formed with the regiment on the battery street in front of 019 at 1:20 o"clock on the afternoon of the review. The ground was muddy and slushy. The regiment stood in formation until 3:15 o"clock when the march to pa.s.s the reviewing stand started. At 4:30 o"clock the review formation was dismissed and the boys dashed back to 019 to get ready to leave on their Christmas furloughs.
It was a happy bunch that left 019 at 5:15 p. m. that day, under the direction of Lieut. Berkley Courtney, bound for the railroad station and home. An hour later the same bunch were seen trudging back to 019.
Their happiness had suddenly taken wing. A mix-up in train schedules left them stranded in camp for the night, while the hours of their pa.s.ses slowly ticked on, to be lost to their enjoyment.
The "get-away" was successfully effected the next morning, Sunday, December 23rd, when the same contingent marched to Disney, reaching the railroad yard at 7:30 o"clock, where they were doomed to wait until 9:15 a. m. until the train left for Baltimore.
More favorable train connections fell to the lot of the New Year"s sojourners to the land of "home."
CHAPTER VII.
WELL GROOMED BY DETAIL.
"This is some job."
And the opinion was unanimous when stable detail at Camp Meade was in question, especially during the winter of 1917-18, which the Baltimore weather bureau recorded as the coldest in 101 years. Stable detail at first consisted of five "buck" privates, whose duty it was to take care of "Kaiser," "Hay-Belly," and all the other battery horses for a period of three days.
When on stable detail you arose at 5:45 a. m.; quietly dressed, without lights, went to the stables and breakfasted the animals. If you were a speed artist you might get back in time for your own breakfast.
After breakfast you immediately reported to the stable-sergeant, who was Anthony Fritzen, of Scranton, Penna. The horses were then led to the corral and the real stable duties of the day commenced. In leading the horses through the stable to the corral, the length of your life was dependant upon your ability to duck the hoofs of the ones remaining in the stables.
When it came to cleaning the stables, many a "buck" private made a resolve that in the next war he was going to enlist as a "mule-skinner." Driving the battery wagon bore the earmarks of being a job of more dignity than loading the wagon.
Besides cleaning the stables and "graining-up" for the horses, the day of the stable police was spent in miscellaneous jobs, which Sergeant Fritzen never ran out of.
The stable detail underwent changes as time wore on. A permanent stable man was a.s.signed for every stable and the detail was reduced to three privates.
Stable police was of double import on Sat.u.r.day mornings, preparatory to the weekly inspection. Every branch and department of military life has a variety of inspections to undergo at periodical times. The inspections keep the boys in khaki on the alert; cleanliness becoming second nature. Nowhere can a vast body of men live bachelor-like as soldiers do and maintain the degree of tidiness and general sanitary healthfulness, as the thorough arm of camp inspection and discipline maintains in the army.
A daily inspection of barracks was in order at Camp Meade.
Before the boys answered the first drill formation each morning they did the housework. Everything had to be left spick and span. There was a specific place for everything and everything had to be kept in its place.
With mops and brooms and plenty of water the barracks were given a good scrubbing on Friday afternoons and things put in shape for the Sat.u.r.day morning inspection. Besides the cleanup features a display of toilet articles and wearing apparel had to be made. When the inspectors made their tour each bunk had to show a clean towel, tooth brush, soap, comb, pair of socks, and suit of underwear. The articles had to be displayed on the bunk in a specific manner.
"Show-Down" inspections were a big feature of the routine. This inspection required the soldier to produce all his wares and equipment for inventory. The supply officer and supply sergeant of the battery made many rounds taking account of equipment that was short, but several more "show-downs" usually transpired before the lacking equipment was supplied.
There was also a field inspection every Sat.u.r.day morning, where the general appearance of the soldier could be thoroughly scrutinized.
Clean-shaven, neatly polished shoes, clean uniform with b.u.t.tons all present and utilized, formed the determining percentage features. When the inspection was mounted, horses and harness had to shine, the same as the men.
January 1920 ushered in a period of changes in the staff of officers for Battery D, some of the changes being temporary, others permanent.
Trials of sickness and quarantine were also in store for the battery.
Early in January Capt. A. L. Smith was called away from his military duties on account of the death of his father, Edward B. Smith, of Philadelphia, Penna.; a bereavement which brought forth many expressions of sympathy from the men of his command.
Captain Smith returned to camp the latter part of the month. Some time later he was ordered to Fort Sill, Oklahoma, to attend the artillery school of fire. Lieut. Hugh M. Clarke also left the battery to attend the school of fire. First-Lieut. Arthur H. McGill was detached from the battery about this time and a.s.signed as an instructor at the Officers" Training School that was opened at Camp Meade. Lieut. Robert S. Campbell was transferred from Battery D at this time.
First-Lieut. Robert Lowndes, of Elkridge. Md., was a.s.signed to temporary command of the battery. First-Lieut. J. S. Waterfield, of Portsmouth, Va., served as an attached officer with D Battery for some time.
First Sergeant William C. Thompson and Supply Sergeant Merle Liebensberger were successful applicants to the officers" training school at Meade. James J. Farrell, of Parsons, Penna., was appointed acting first-sergeant and Thomas S. Pengelly, of Hazleton, Penna., was appointed acting supply sergeant, both appointments later being made permanent.
CHAPTER VIII.
BATTERY PROGRESS.
"Retreat," the checking-in or accounting for all soldiers at the close of a day"s routine, was made a formal affair for the 311th Field Artillery on January 13th, 1918. The erection of a new flag pole in front of regimental headquarters furnished occasion for the formal formation when the Stars and Stripes are lowered to the strain of "The Star Spangled Banner" or the "Call to the Colors."
When the formal retreat was established Battery D was in the throes of a health quarantine. A case of measles developed in the battery and an eighteen-day quarantine went into effect on January 19th. About a score of battery members, who were attending speciality schools and on special detail work, were quartered with Battery E of the regiment while the quarantine lasted.
On March 24th scarlet fever broke out and a second quarantine was put into effect. This quarantine kept Battery D from sharing in the Easter furloughs to visit home.