shell cases was mislaid. The dark eye of suspicion rested
on possible souvenir hunters. Those in any way responsible were frowned upon as unique criminals, because that
was in the days before the Regular Army got over its ritual
attitude towards ammunition. Only when the case had
been found did the atmosphere clear.
We had trained for more than three months before firing the precious twenty-nine, and we were to wait more than three months before firing another; but for one must focus--they taught us what a rifle would do if rationally trcated. Each gun squad had had a chance. Incredulity as to sights and scales and instruments of precision had been demolished by the men's own labor. To that measure they had already become artillerymen.
It was of even greater advantage that those nineteen rounds had let us measure the results of our training. We could judge ourselves and each other; could see that, on the whole, we were good. The various details had had practical experience. Operators had actually transmitted over lines laid by their own hands words of the highest importance.
Twenty-nine rounds at twenty-five dollars a round! They did more to make our regiment find itself than millions of dollars spent in other ways.
