Chapter II: Preface

During the progress of the Great War, the writer has been often requested by his boy friends and others, both by letter and verbally, to write a book like “Jed” (“A Boy’s Adventures in the Army, ’61-’65”) depicting the scenes of this later war. Some of them have even suggested that he recreate some of the characters therein. To do this, of course, was a logical impossibility, since those not killed in that story would be too old for military service. Prompted, however, by that demand, he has taken a nephew of Jed as the hero of this story. Incited by his mother’s patriotism, and her recital of her brother Jed’s heroism, he enlists and serves his country on the battlefields of France.

The author’s main purpose in writing this book, as with his other books, is to stimulate a true spirit of Americanism. Patriotism thrives best where it is best nourished, and is not a plant of accidental growth. The Posts of the Grand Army of the Republic through their exercises on Memorial and other patriotic days, and their teachings of patriotism in the public schools, have been springs of liberty flowing throughout the land nourishing a love of country in our youth. That all this has borne fruit is shown by the spirit in which the boys of to-day have sprung to the defence of human liberty in the great conflict of their own time.

We have been privileged to see the last shreds of hatred left over from our Civil War burned away in a fervor of patriotism, that has sent the sons of the Gray shoulder to shoulder with the sons of the Blue to the defence of liberty on the fields of France and Belgium.

If the writer has made clear that the young manhood of America has the same spirit to-day as had their fathers, in our great conflict of the sixties, and as had the Nathan Hales of the Revolution, he will have satisfied his own aspirations.

W. L. G.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I. THE TRAMP BOY 1

II. WORKING ON THE FARM 9

III. IMPENDING WAR CLOUDS 15

IV. WITH THE COLORS 22

V. FROM CAMP TO TRANSPORT 31

VI. IN BEAUTIFUL FRANCE 43

VII. IN THE TRENCHES 53

VIII. “WHO COMES THERE?” 64

IX. A CALL RETURNED 73

X. IN REST BILLET 83

XI. A SIX WEEKS’ HIKE THROUGH FRANCE 91

XII. ON THE BATTLE LINES 99

XIII. IN THE TIDE OF BATTLE 106

XIV. THE CROIX DE GUERRE 114

XV. ON LEAVE OF ABSENCE 120

XVI. A STRANGE DESERTION 128

XVII. ANOTHER DESERTER 136

XVIII. A RAID ON THE ENEMY 143

XIX. THE GERMAN PEACE STORM 151

XX. AN ADVENTURE OF ARMS 161

XXI. IN THE HANDS OF THE ENEMY 169

XXII. HELD BY THE ENEMY 176

XXIII. A HAZARD OF FORTUNE 183

XXIV. LOOSE AMONG THE BOCHES 190

XXV. AN UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTER 198

XXVI. A HOSPITAL CASE 208

XXVII. THE MIX-UP OF BATTLE 217

XXVIII. A MYSTERY SOLVED 224

XXIX. THE SUPREME SACRIFICE 230

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JED’S BOY