time the remainder of the battery, at Harricourt, had cleaned
out for their quarters German barracks and an old stone building that
had been a prison pen. Guard duty and care of the few horses left
occupied their time. So fast were the troops advancing to the northward
that communication was slight, and only the vaguest rumors of what was
happening ahead reached the men now left in the rear. Reports of an
armistice were so persistent that they were believed by some, days
before the actual event, and disbelieved by others even when confirmed.
Every night glares, bonfires and signal rockets indicated celebration at
some point on the horizon. But the men at Harricourt could not give
credence to such good news while the drivers were still gone. These men
returned to the battery November 10. Upon arriving at the gates of
Sedan, the 42nd Division, occupying the suburb of Wadelincourt, had
yielded to the French the honor of entering this historic city, one
battalion of our infantry accompanying the French general on that
occasion. At retreat November 11, Captain Waters formally announced the
signing of the armistice. But there was a sting in the good tidings in
the announcement that the 42nd Division would probably go into Germany
as a part of the Army of Occupation, which killed such glad reports as
that the Rainbow Division would sail from Bordeaux immediately upon the
cessation of hostilities, and other equally welcome though groundless
bits of rumor.

CHAPTER VIII

HIKING INTO GERMANY

On November 15, Battery E began the long hike into Germany, a total of
350 kilometres, the dismounted men covering it all on foot. During the
first few days they carried full packs, but later these were put on the
carriages, as before the order at Sommerance. The first day's journey
was only seven kilometres, through Buzancy, to Imecourt. There the
battery received forty men from the 80th Division, as replacements, to
bring the organization up to full strength. They brought with them 116
horses, to replace our old ones, which, such as could work, had been
turned over to the First Battalion.

After fitting the harness to these new horses next morning, we made
another short hike, to a wide valley near Ancreville, where we spent a
cold, windy night in pup tents. These slight shelters, however, the men
had learned to make very comfortable protection against the elements, by
banking soil about the edges and covering the open end with