to Cirey les Mareilles, three
kilos distant, where the only bath house was located.

Thoughts of the Christmas season came to the battery at Blancheville
when the first Christmas boxes from the folks back home were received
during the second week in December. The boxes continued to arrive
until the festal holiday.

Sunday, December 15th, was payday for the soldiers in Blancheville.
This particular payday was of ill omen for the battery. A number of
the boys indulged too freely at the cafes in Chantraines, with a
to-be-regretted fracas resulting. A guard of military police was put
on at Chantraines following this escapade.

Monday, December 16th, thirty-five additional horses were received by
the battery. Considerable time was spent in getting the harness in
shape, especially the saddles, after which lessons in equitation were
again started, also a number of battery mounted hikes inaugurated.

Early in December announcement was made of a proposed horse convoy to
the Belgian border. The topic was discussed for many weeks, the
proposed trip having been scheduled and cancelled several times before
a convoy finally materialized. What the one hundred volunteers for
this convoy had to contend with during the trip is a tale of its own,
which must be related in terms of hardship, rain, mud, and mules.

CHAPTER XIX.

AN ADVENTUROUS CONVOY.

What could be more pleasant or soothing to an adventurous spirit than
a trip in the saddle through the scarred and devastated battle sector
along the Lorraine border? This is what appealed to the boys of
Battery D when announcement was made at Blancheville early in December
that one hundred men were wanted to accompany a horse convoy to Longwy
on the Belgian border. One hundred volunteers were asked for, and it
was not long before the required number was enlisted from the military
ranks.

The first convoy was to have left Blancheville on December 13th, but
at the eleventh hour the trip was cancelled. Various other dates were
set. Finally, on Wednesday night, December 18th, Capt. Smith assembled
the battery in the Y. M. C. A. tent that stood near the old church,
when announcement was made that the horse trip was to start on the
morrow and the names of the one hundred men who were to make the trip,
were called off.

In high spirits the volunteers made ready for the trip. Each man
packed a set of saddle bags; made ready a driver's roll with shelter
half and blankets. All the