“I will ever cherish the words of the Commander in Chief, the compliment he paid, in all sincerity to this brigade, when he watched it pass in review.  I wish the brigade to understand that those words of appreciation were evoked only because each man had worked conscientiously and unflaggingly to make the organization a success.  The men went into the line in a manner to win the praise of all.”

The history of the brigade from the time it left Camp Meade until the end of the war may be summarized as follows: 

June 27—­Disembarked from ship at Brest, France.

July 2—­Started for the training area, reaching there July 4.

July 5—­Began a period of six weeks training at Lathus in the
Montmorillion section.

August 20—­Went to La Courtine and remained until September 16th, practicing at target range.  Its gun squads excelled in target work and the brigade, especially the 351st regiment, won distinction there.

October 4—­Finished training at La Courtine and moved into a sector directly in front of Metz, where about three weeks were spent in obtaining the tractors and motor vehicles necessary for a completely motorized artillery outfit.

October 25—­Preparing for action.  The enemy had noted the great movement of troops in the vicinity and German planes constantly hovered over the unit dropping missiles of death upon it.

The brigade supported the infantry of the division in its attacks on Eply, Cheminot, Bouxieres, Bois Frehaut, Bois La Cote, Champey, Vandieres, Pagny and Moulin Farm.  Attacks of more than mediocre importance were:  Pagny, November 4 and 5; Cheminot, November 6, Epley, November 7; Bois Frehaut, November 10; Bois La Cote and Champey, November 11.

In addition to those attacks certain machine gun nests of the enemy were destroyed and strategic points were bombarded.  During the entire advance the batteries of the brigade were in front positions and very active.  The attack on Bois La Cote and Champey began at 4:30 in the morning and ended just fifteen minutes before the beginning of the armistice.  During the engagement the batteries kept up such a constant fire that the guns were almost white with heat.

Private Carl E. Southall of 2538 Elba street, Pittsburgh, Pa., claims to have fired the brigade’s last shot.  He was a member of Battery D, 351st regiment.  When the watch showed the last minute of the war, he jumped forward, got to the gun ahead of his comrades and fired.

Had the war continued the artillery brigade would have taken part in the offensive which was to have begun after November 11 with twenty French and six American divisions investing Metz and pushing east through Lorraine.

The history of one regiment in the artillery outfit is practically the same as another, with the exception that the 351st seems to have had the most conspicuous service.  This unit of the brigade was commanded by Colonel Wade H. Carpenter, a West Pointer.