History of the 305th Field Artillery/Always Through the Forest
XXI
ALWAYS THROUGH THE FOREST
The First Battalion remained at the Abri de Crochet for a week, while the Second stayed in the position at La Harazee, both supporting, after October 2nd, the famous Lost Battalion. The ring of fire with which the 305th circled Major Whittlesey's command was credited with a measurable share in his salvation. The Second Battalion, moreover, had an officer with him during those black days. Lieutenant Teichmoeller, of Battery D, had been in liaison with Major Whittlesey when the jaws had closed.
The story of the Lost Battalion has been told often enough. A word here will suffice to explain the artillery's perpetual support of the trapped men.
On October 2nd the infantry was forging ahead, scarcely able to maintain flank and rear liaison because of the broken and overgrown terrain. Suddenly the enemy appeared on both flanks and to the rear of the First Battalion and Companies E and H of the Second Battalion of the 308th Infantry. This party of, perhaps, 600 men and officers had made a quick forward thrust of half a kilometer or so. It became clear now that neighboring units had failed to keep pace. Major Whittlesey's party, therefore, was in a trap from which the Huns were evidently determined it should never escape. For six days they pounded the little command while the Americans did everything possible to relieve it. For six days it went almost entirely without food. Aeroplanes were sent over to drop rations and ammunition, but in the thick 
Lançon and Grand Ham
woods had difficulty locating the suffering group. For six days its personnel accomplished Homeric deed, endeavoring to guide the aeroplanes and to get messengers through. Its losses were great. Of those who came back after the relief few were unwounded. Lieutenant Teichmoeller, while completely exhausted and ill from lack of food, was one of the fortunate ones who had not been hit.
During this period the strain was felt almost as thoroughly by the artillery as by the supporting infantry. Our batteries fired constantly. Our agents and vers forward did what they could to locate the command and to report on the result of the fire.
On the second day—that is October 3rd—Lieutenants Burden and Klots with Private Cox, of the Headquarters Company, were forward with the infantry, trying to get some light on the situation.
They were crossing an open space when they spied an observation tower in the woods ahead.
"It's an observatory," Lieutenant Klots said, "and if there's anybody in it he'll snipe at us."
Someone was in it, and he began sniping with a 77. The party took shelter in a crater.
After a time, when the sniping had ceased, the three made a dash for some trees on the flank. They reached the shelter, but the grove itself was getting a good many shells. Lieutenant Klots pointed out a low bank.
"Looks like dead space under that bank," he said. "Why not wait there and have a smoke?”
The others agreed. But the bank did not furnish dead space for a man. A number of shells fell nearby. Then one dropped directly in front of the party, and the back lash got all three. Lieutenant Burden was badly hurt in the thigh. Private Cox got a painful and disabling wound in the leg, Lieutenant Klots was struck by a fragment on the instep.
Other shells would come. There was only one thing to do—make a run for it.
Lieutenant Burden started first and reached the thicker woods out of the line of fire. Cox tried it, but went down after a step or two, realizing for the first time that his leg had been fractured. Lieutenant Klots carried him back to such shelter as the bank afforded and remained with him until some infantrymen came along with a stretcher and took him to the first aid station. Cox did not return to the regiment. Lieutenant Burden had had 
Drawn by Corporal Schmidt, Hg, Co.
Grand-Prè
a narrow escape and was not discharged from the hospital until some time after the armistice, when he was assigned to work in Paris in connection with the peace parleys. Lieutenanl Klots' wound was slight, and he returned to duty within a few days.
On October 4th, while firing in support of the Lost Battalion, C Battery lost a man in a premature burst. A piece of the tube struck Private Edgar A. Blethen, Lieutenant Robinson was the first to reach him, but the man had been instantly killed.
With the relief of the Lost Battalion the infantry resumed its advance, and it became clear that the artillery would be better off in new positions. Regimental Headquarters had left La Harazèe on September 27th for Ferme aux Charmes. On October 9th it went forward two kilometers to the Dèpôt de Machines. The First Battalion moved considerably further into the Bois de la Naza, but remained here only a few hours. After taking position it found that the infantry had gone so far ahead it would not be profitable to fire. It continued, then, to a point a kilometer west of Chatel-Cheherry where it remained for one day, firing semi-steel shells on German works near Grand Prè.
The Second Battalion on October 8th left La Harazèe for the Stolzenfels dugout system in the rear of Binarville, 200 meters to the left of the Binarville-Château Vienne road. The battalion did not fire from these tions. It left them on October 9th for positions further forward, about half a kilometer to the right of the village of Lançon,
The entire regiment on October 10th moved forward through the Bois de Lançon to the vicinity of Grand Ham. Regimental Headquarters was established at Malassise Farm on the Aisne. The First Battalion took up positions to the east of Grand Ham, while the Second went a trifle further to the north to Hill 208. In these positions the regiment remained, by shifting its ranges, always within reach of its targets until the 77th Division was relieved on October 17th.
The regiment had a real mystery on October 10th, and it was not a pleasant one. Sergeant Orville C. Cooper, of Battery B was the victim. He had served as First Sergeant of the battery since the early days in Upton, and had been much appreciated by Captain Ravenel. On the night of the 10th, according to the report made by the battery clerk, Sergeant Cooper was called from his quarters at the battery echelon near La Chalade by a soldier unknown to anyone in the battery. The soldier said that the sergeant was wanted by Captain McKenna at the Supply dump, about 500 meters away. Sergeant Cooper took a short cut. About half an hour later he was brought back to the echelon by an infantry guard detachment. He had been badly slashed in the throat and about the body, evidently by barbed wire in falling from a narrow foot bridge after his assailants had beaten him on the head with a club. He was in a semi-conscious condition, and was evacuated by Major Miller. Captain McKenna had not sent for the Sergeant, and a searching examination of property, and a careful questioning of the personnel in the vicinity of the echelon failed to yield the slightest clue to the assault. Sergeant Cooper was so badly hurt that lie was invalided to America.On the next day Battery D had an unusual casualty. Private Rodney J. Lecours, who had been guarding ammunition, lay down in hay on the side of a road near Binarville and fell asleep. His head was towards the road. Other men were asleep nearby. A motor truck, not seeing these men in the dark, drew up at the side of the road. One of the wheels passed over Private Lecours, killing him instantly.
It was during this last stage of the operations that had commenced on September 26th that the regiment suffered a depressing loss. First Lieutenant Sheldon E. Hoadley was killed on Sunday, October 13th. He had left his battery position and was riding along a road to the rear when a shell burst near him. A fragment struck him. He received immediate attention, but there was no chance. He died a few minutes after he was hit, while on his way to a dressing station in an ambulance.
Drawn by Private Enroth, Battery D
The dugout near which Lieutenant Hoadley was killed
Forging forward
Rumors of a relief became persistent. Horses and men were worn out. Since entering the war in Lorraine the regiment had left the front only to change position. In other words it had had no rest at all. The supply of ammunition was uncertain. The materièl needed attention. Grand Prè and St. Juvin, divisional objectives had been taken.
Rumors crystallized into fact. The 78th Division relieved the 77th on October 17th and 18th. Regimental Headquarters moved back to La Chalade, resting for a few hours at Lançon. The batteries followed out. Baths, delousing, and rest waited at La Chalade.
There was, it developed, to be more than simple rest. The regiment was allowed a number of passes for three days, exclusive of travel. The fortunate departed gaily for the vicinity of Paris or the Riviera. In many cases, it will be sadly remembered, they were met as they descended from the trains at their destinations by military policemen who presented them with telegrams. These missives recalled them at once to the regiment. The reason was obvious. The division was returning at once to its place in the line. There would be a new and vigorous offensive.