The Project Gutenberg EBook of A Volunteer Poilu, by Henry Sheahan

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Title: A Volunteer Poilu

Author: Henry Sheahan

Release Date: May 12, 2004 [EBook #12330]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A VOLUNTEER POILU ***

Produced by A. Langley

A VOLUNTEER POILU

by Henry Sheahan

To Professor Charles Townsend Copeland of Harvard University

Dear Copey,

At Verdun I thought of you, and the friendly hearth of Hollis 15 seemed
very far away from the deserted, snow-swept streets of the tragic city.
Then suddenly I remembered how you had encouraged me and many others to
go over and help in any way that we could; I remembered your keen
understanding of the Epic, and the deep sympathy with human beings which
you taught those whose privilege it was to be your pupils. And so you
did not seem so far away after all, but closer to the heart of the war
than any other friend I had.

I dedicate this book to you with grateful affection after many years of
friendship.

Henry

Topsfield, September, 1916

Preface

I have ventured to call this book A Volunteer Poilu principally because
we were known to the soldiers of the Bois-le-Pretre as "les Poilus
Americains." Then, too, it was my ambition to do for my comrades, the
French private soldiers, what other books have done for the soldiers of
other armies. The title chosen, however, was more than complimentary; it
was but just. In recognition of the work of the Section during the
summer, it was, in October, 1915, formally adopted into the French army;
a French officer became its administrative head, and the drivers were
given the same papers, pay, and discipline as their French comrades.

I wish to thank many of my old friends of Section II, who have aided me
in the writing of this book.

HENRY SHEAHAN

Contents

I. THE ROCHAMBEAU S'EN VA-T-EN GUERRE

I A war-time voyage--The Rochambeau--Loading ammunition and food
supplies--Personalities on board--The dyestuffs agent--The machine
lathes man--The Swede from Minnesota who was on his way to the Foreign
Legion--His subsequent history--The talk aboard--The French officer--His
phil