them the
division would go down the Rhine and sail from Rotterdam early in March.
The Rotterdam plan was not realized, however, and the expectations of
early departure proved vain.

Instead of that happy plan materializing the reverse occurred. The
horses of the 150th F. A. were turned over to the regiment when the
Indiana artillery was motorized. The result was more grooming, and the
horses seemed to be a greater and greater bugbear, as the number of men
decreased with the departure of some to the hospital and others on
leave.

But the spirits of the men did not down. The "Order of the Monk"
developed, its degrees depending on one's success at a new solitaire,
and its popularity on the chant that echoed through Ringen. "Apes" were
many; "Monks" fairly numerous, but "Zimmermeisters," "Keepers of the
Keys," etc., were few. Then the "raspberry" came into a vogue that
threatened to pass all bounds. The query, "Have you been down the
Rhine?" was not wholly for the purpose of ascertaining the extent of
one's travel. "Slewfoot Kelly's Shoe and Belt Polish" was an article
much advertised but not sold at the "Price: One Week."

The schedule was about the following: 6:10, reveille. Feed and water
horses. Mess. 8:00 to 10:00, horse exercise. 10:00 to 11:30, stables.
11:30 to 12:00, feed and water. Mess. 1:30 to 2:30, athletics. 2:30 to
4:00, stables. Feed and water. 6:00, mess.

March 16 reports of going home were substantiated by the review of the
entire division by General Pershing at Remagen. Wearing overcoats,
helmets, side-arms and empty packs and fortified against hunger by two
sandwiches apiece, the men were carried by motor trucks in the morning
to the outskirts of Remagen. There the regiment assembled and marched to
the music of the band through the city to a large field bordering the
Rhine river just beyond the bridge. After the division had waited in
formation over two hours, General Pershing appeared at 2 p. m., the
149th band, posted in front as the divisional band, playing the
welcoming music. After riding around the division on horseback, General
Pershing inspected each organization on foot, and, fast as the general
walked, it was past 5 o'clock when he completed his tour. Then followed
the decorating of the colors and the award of medals to over forty men
of the division. Most spectacular of all was the sight when the entire
division, at one command, "Squads, right," marched past the reviewing
stand in a colu