CHAPTER IX.

THE ST. MIHIEL DRIVE

                AUGUST 31, at 2.30 in the afternoon the train pulled by the Nancois-Tronville station and backed up to the ramp, where the work of detraining was begun.

                On account of the great length of this ramp, it was possible to unload both horses and rolling stock at the same time. Each man knew his job thoroughly and set about doing it in the quickest possible way, the drivers and individually mounted men unloading the horse-cars while the cannoneers detrained the carriages.

                As soon as a section was assembled on the ramp, horses were harnessed and hitched, and in about forty minutes the entire Battery was ready to move for­ ward behind the scout who had found time to deter­ mine the first part of the route and return to the train while the Battery was unloading.

                After a seven kilometer march we arrived at Tannois, a small village already occupied by the 101st Trench Mortar Battery. We pulled through the town to a valley beyond, and parked our guns and caissons in an orchard at the foot of a steep, grassy slope.

                We had orders to avoid any movement or display which might betray our presence in this sector. The horses were accordingly tied in small groups to caissons under the trees and the heavy wagons were camouflaged with bushes. Horses were watered and

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