n army
veterinarian section and had stable accommodations. The stable
facilities lightened the work of the convoy and it was 5 o'clock when
the men went to the town to seek quarters for the night. The large
auditorium of the American Y. M. C. A. had been scheduled as the place
of abode for the night. When the outfit applied for admission a
conflict of dates was brought to light. It took great persuasive
force, bordering close unto mob rule, before the officious officer in
charge of the Y. M. C. A. was induced to allow the tired and muddy
party to break in upon the quietude of the few sections of troops
occupying part of the Y. M. C. A. for the night.

Before the convoy resumed the journey on Tuesday morning, December
24th, army veterinarians examined all animals in the convoy party.
Many loose shoes had to be fixed by the blacksmiths, while twenty-two
of the horses showed symptoms of lameness else had developed sores
that barred them from continuing the journey. The veterinarian section
also took over a number of the sound horses and mules.

The first sections got started from Bourbonne at 9 a. m. Twenty-six of
the men, under Capt. Smith, were detailed to take the lame horses to a
nearby remount and exchange them for sound animals. It was 11:30
when the detail of twenty-six left Bourbonne with the thought of
overtaking the remainder of the convoy.

The main convoy rode hard all day. It was the day before Christmas and
it was raining. Stop was made for the night at Clefmont, where stable
accommodations were secured for the horses, while the mules had to be
picketed.

The detail of twenty-six that was following had difficulty in finding
the road the convoy had taken. It was dark when Clefmont was reached.
The main detail had sent out a guard with a lantern to locate Capt.
Smith and his detail, but the guard got on the wrong road; leaving the
detail with Capt. Smith passing out Clefmont in the blackness of the
night. By a stroke of luck, however, inquiries from French peasants
finally steered the lost detail on the road where the advance guard
with the lantern was located.

After caring for the horses the convoy spent Christmas eve in an old,
dirty, combination barn and dwelling. Reclining on bunches of live
straw that was found in the building, the soldiers dreamt of Christmas
eve back home, wishing they were there, instead of where they were.

Christmas morning, Wednesday, December 25th, dawned clear and cold.
Cl