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the field artillery journal - Fort Sill - U.S. Army

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BOOK REVIEWS<br />

men in <strong>the</strong> <strong>field</strong>, against 16,500 British troops defending Canada and<br />

operating in <strong>the</strong> United States. Although Jefferson declared that "mere<br />

marching" would carry <strong>the</strong> American army to Quebec, yet that year a<br />

detachment of British troops occupied and burned part of Washington<br />

City.<br />

This volume merits general circulation and careful reading.<br />

A. W. G.<br />

THE AFTERMATH OF BATTLE. With <strong>the</strong> Red Cross in France. By<br />

Edward D. Toland. Introduction by Owen Wister. Macmillan Co.,<br />

New York, 1916. Price, $1.00.<br />

This volume relates <strong>the</strong> experiences of an American volunteer who<br />

served in hospitals in <strong>the</strong> early days of <strong>the</strong> war, both in Paris and on <strong>the</strong><br />

battlefront. This business man found surprising <strong>the</strong> confusion and maladministration<br />

attendant on <strong>the</strong>se first days. He took <strong>the</strong>m too seriously<br />

not considering that <strong>the</strong> call to arms of <strong>the</strong> flower of France, and <strong>the</strong><br />

safety of <strong>the</strong> nation made countless urgent demands on <strong>the</strong> authorities.<br />

Personal elements appeal directly to mind and heart, and as <strong>the</strong> story<br />

is told with frankness it is pa<strong>the</strong>tic and painful by turns. Possibly too<br />

much stress is laid on hopelessly septic cases, brought to Paris after from<br />

three to five days of exposure where <strong>the</strong>y fell, without food or water.<br />

One is struck by <strong>the</strong> absence of despair, of discouragement or even<br />

of complaint on <strong>the</strong> part of <strong>the</strong> stricken men. Senegali and German,<br />

French and Briton offered in turn superb examples of calmness and<br />

courage. Now it was a Black Watch Scot who, with a bullet through his<br />

chest, folds up his kilts with one hand and says: "See that <strong>the</strong>y are not<br />

mussed, will you?" A German youth kisses <strong>the</strong> hand that covers with a<br />

blanket his bare, freezing legs. A delirious old French captain cries:<br />

"Come on, boys, all toge<strong>the</strong>r! Forward, forward!" Then a French priest<br />

beseeches care for neglected German wounded.<br />

With <strong>the</strong> Harjes Ambulance Corps splendid work was done in <strong>the</strong><br />

<strong>field</strong>, within zones of fire. Of 1,600 prostrate wounded in one day, 250<br />

were handled by <strong>the</strong> Harjes ambulances. Altoge<strong>the</strong>r it is a record of<br />

helpful work of which America may be proud. Corroborative stories are<br />

told of German excesses, which one trusts are most exceptional.<br />

Of <strong>artillery</strong> he says: "The <strong>artillery</strong> used to unlimber and hide<br />

under <strong>the</strong> trees during <strong>the</strong> day and do <strong>the</strong>ir marching by night, on<br />

account of <strong>the</strong> German aeroplanes. . . . The French batteries are<br />

splendidly placed. The guns are hidden by curtains of brushwood,<br />

145

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