The Brighton Boys in the Argonne Forest
Page 26
CHAPTER XXV
FORWARD
BUGLES called Captain Lowden’s company together on the night of the 5thfor the purpose of re-forming, a practice pretty regularly followedthroughout the army when engaged in continual fighting and advancing,it being desirable to keep tabs on losses, to reorganize and to fillgaps among officers and men.
Four lieutenants in this company so far had been killed or wounded; itwas to replace the last one that Don Richards had been pressed intoimmediate service. Lowden had been hit in the shoulder, disablinghis left arm, but after a brief treatment while still on his feethe had kept on with his men, carefully directing the re-furnishingof supplies, the ambulance work, and, where possible, keeping theirefforts lined up with and not encroaching upon the work of other unitson either side.
Placed in command of a platoon, Don’s heart beat fast with the joy ofthe responsibility and the honor of it. Though a mere boy, he was inevery way a manly fellow; older than his age, to use a paradox; muchyounger than he looked to be. So full of stirring incidents had beenhis experiences in France, as spy catcher and Red Cross driver duringthe period of America’s participation in the Great War that he mightnow as well be called a seasoned veteran as anyone thrice his age.
“Now then, gentlemen, our duty lies ahead, as before,” Captain Lowdenwas saying, as the several officers together curled up on the groundfor a few hours of sleep, with two-thirds of the men about them alreadylost in slumber. Their leader continued: “We can plan no particularaction, as you know, but just take what comes. The only order now, justreceived, is to vary the general direction of attack to about threedegrees east of north, or as a sailor would box it, north, northeast bynorth, and not to exceed one-half mile per hour until further orders,unless there is evidence of a larger part of the line’s making greaterprogress. This is done to keep separate units from getting so far aheadas to become cut off from immediate support, as has occurred.
“Whitcomb, you take the right center of the advance; I shall proceedwith the left center; Jones and Morley will work off to my left andRichards to the right of Whitcomb. Every little while it will be theduty of each officer to get in touch with his nearest comrades, thusto know where we all are, and after three hours, if possible, despatcha messenger to me with a brief report. I am doing the same with thecaptains of the other companies and reporting to the colonel, who, inturn, sends back word of agreement or other orders by the returningmessenger. In this manner we aim to co-ordinate our efforts.
“Now then, fellows, go to sleep and good luck tomorrow morning!Good-night.”
Almost with the first streaks of dawn, when it was hardly light enoughto see what one was doing, the men were preparing breakfast, carryingportions to those on watch, and the portable field kitchen was soonemptied of its supplies, though soon to be replenished. Most of the menstuffed a little for lunch and a nibble between times into duffle bagor pockets, often adding a bit also in case of accident.
An hour before sun-up they were roughly formed and advancing, dependingupon the scouts ahead to apprize them of the nearest enemy positionsand after that finding these as the advance continued.
Herbert and Don had a few minutes together before the advance began.
“Pills says that Judson will come round all right in a few weeks, Don.”
“I’m glad of that; I like that fellow. How about Wilson?”
“Oh, he’ll be back with us in a few days; he’s keen to get anotherwhack at the Heinies.”
“And Gill?”
“That’s a funny thing,” Herbert declared. “He simply didn’t know howbadly he was hurt; some kind of a nerve shock and yet he kept hiswits about him. Clear case of grit, will power, though he had to beinvalided home. Didn’t want to go, either, but the captain and I madeit clear to him that he had done more than his share of reducing theHun army and that poor Jennings was more then avenged. Say, Don, if anarmy could be made up of such chaps as Gill it wouldn’t take more thanten thousand of them to lick the whole German army.”
“He didn’t seem to know what fear is and he got positive sport andsatisfaction out of killing Huns. Odd, isn’t it, considering the reallygood heart in the fellow, as shown toward his friends? I expect, Herb,there are a good many such as he in this man’s army.”
“Right, there are. I’m glad Gill didn’t get his quietus. He asked foryou; then when the ambulance had to go before you came over he insistedthat as soon as we get back from Berlin and across the pond again youand I must go see him. I guess we’ll have to accept his invitation,Don, and have a coon hunt.”
“Let us hope we may do so. It’ll be some fun to hear him relate hisexperiences; to live over what he went through back there on the hilland before. Well, Herb, is it nearly time to start out now?”
“About. I feel good and rested; don’t you? And I want to get back intothe scrap. We’re going right on and make a clean-up, Don.”
“We sure are! Got to carry out orders,” Don agreed.
First Lieutenant Whitcomb became more positive:
“The main thing now is driving the Huns out of these jungles and wesurely are on to that game. By another week we’ll have them herded intoGrand Pre and then we’ll chase them into Sedan and after that we’llcut their supplies off and break up their army. You’ll see how it’llturn out, though it means many a hard scrap yet.”
We know now how true Herbert’s words proved. That program was commonlyaccepted throughout the Army, from the C. and C. to the sutlers. Whatbefell our two young fighting officers over this bitterly contestedground and from the Argonne drive to the morning when the armisticebecame effective must be left to a further account of the part the boysfrom Brighton Academy played in the Great War.