nd made
ready for the trip. The detail, in charge of Capt. Smith, and
accompanied by Lieutenants Yeager and Bennett, ploughed through the
mud to the section of the remount that housed the horses the convoy
was to escort.

Each member of the convoy selected a horse to saddle. The animals were
of various spirits. Many of the battery detail were recruits who did
not have the lessons in equitation at Camp Meade that the older
members of the battery experienced. After considerable difficulty the
horses were saddled and the convoy assembled in a large field to
receive the consignment of mules.

Many of the horses had never been ridden in the saddle before, with
the result that a regular wild-west exhibition transpired on the
field. Riders were thrown from the saddle into the mud, but all the
boys had their nerve with them and stuck to the horses, bringing them
under control.

Lieut. Yeager was induced by the remount officers to saddle a large
and fiery stallion, but after a brave attempt on the part of Lieut.
Yeager to break and ride the stallion, during which the rider was
precipitated into a large, muddy pool and covered with mud from head
to foot, change had to be made for another animal, the stallion being
left behind when the convoy started.

When all was set with the detail mounted, the remount attaches trotted
out 237 mules, tied in series of three.

The mules were divided among the mounted men, each man getting three
mules to lead, besides having to manage the horse he was riding. All
the mules were frisky, having remained unworked for a considerable
period. There was great prancing around as the convoy assembled. The
mules, in many cases, started to pull one way and the horse pulled the
opposite. Many of the mules were tied up in various speed
combinations. Ones that were always on the run were coupled with ones
that did not know how to step lively, or else the horse of the mounted
party was either too fast or too slow for the trio of mules the driver
had to lead along.

At 9:30 a. m. the convoy got started on the road. The convoy consisted
of 96 mounted men leading 237 mules, the rolling kitchen drawn by four
mules, in charge of George Musial, who had the assistance of Cook
Burns and two K. P.'s in preparing meals enroute. Five auto trucks,
carrying the forage and picket-line equipment, formed the remainder of
the train.

Slowly the convoy proceeded over the mud-covered road leading from
Lux. At noon stop