ere in billets that did have fire places
faced a series of crimes to get wood. The inhabitants of such billets
took it upon themselves to devise ways and means to obtain fuel. The
occupants of one billet sent details out to root up old fence posts
from adjacent farm-lands; while in another instance eighteen men
housed in a billet borrowed several French wheel-barrows and at night
made a raid on a large pile of newly cut tree trunks which was located
a kilometer from the village.

The result of this night's work provided fuel and light for several
days in the billet of the raiding party. Light was another essential
feature. With candles selling as high as a franc apiece, letter
writing home was sadly neglected in many cases. So the receipt of an
extra letter written by the light of a log-blaze, kindled with wood
secured through great difficulty, has had to act as savoring
repentance for any misconduct employed in acquiring possession of the
means of light and heat.

The battery had among its equipment dozens of new horse-blankets. With
the exception of a few stray animals, no horses had been received by
the battery in France thus far. Several were in care of the outfit at
Ville sous La Ferte, where six horses caused as much stable detail
work as a complete battery of mounts occasioned at Camp Meade. The
main feature, moreover, was the distribution of the horse-blankets
among the troops in an effort to keep warm at night.

There was no room in Ville sous La Ferte to do any maneuvering, so the
guns and caissons were parked in a field and were not used during the
stay. The time of the soldier was employed in hikes and various forms
of athletics. Soccer developed as the leading sport and great rivalry
resulted in games that were played on furrowed ground of a large wheat
field.

War was over, so official orders again gave birth to Retreat
formation, which was held with much disciplinary ado in front of the
Hotel de Ville at 4:15 o'clock each afternoon. Guard mount was also
decreed and last, but not least, regimental reviews came into their
own with great official solemnity.

On Thursday, November 21st, a wild boar hunt that had been planned by
the battery, had to be called off. A regimental review was to be held
at Clairvaux that afternoon.

The 2nd Battalion formed at 1 p. m. and hiked to Clairvaux with colors
flying for the big review. A mix-up in giving commands "flunked" the
first attempt at passing in review. Th