Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustrations. See 46261-h.htm or 46261-h.zip: (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/46261/46261-h/46261-h.htm) or (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/46261/46261-h.zip) Transcriber's note: Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). Characters enclosed by curly brackets is superscript (examples: N{o} or 15{ème}). [Illustration: _La France Guerrière_] [Illustration] FRIENDS OF FRANCE The Field Service of the American Ambulance described by its members. Boston and New York Houghton Mifflin Company, The Riverside Press--Cambridge Copyright, 1916, by Houghton Mifflin Company All Rights Reserved [Illustration] TO M{R} & M{RS}. ROBERT BACON In appreciation of all that their effort in America has accomplished for this Service in France CONTENTS INTRODUCTION _A. Piatt Andrew_ xvii LETTER FROM SECTION LEADERS xix I. THE ORGANIZATION OF THE SERVICE _Stephen Galatti_ 1 II. AT THE BACK OF THE FRONT: DUNKIRK AND YPRES _Henry Sydnor Harrison_ 6 III. THE SECTION IN ALSACE RECONQUISE _Preston Lockwood_ 21 IV. LAST DAYS IN ALSACE _Everett Jackson_ 51 V. THE SECTION IN LORRAINE _James R. McConnell_ 61 With an introduction by Theodore Roosevelt VI. AN AMERICAN AMBULANCE IN THE VERDUN ATTACK _Frank Hoyt Gailor_ 89 VII. ONE OF THE SECTIONS AT VERDUN _Henry Sheahan_ 109 VIII. THE SECTION IN FLANDERS _Joshua G. B. Campbell_ 117 IX. THE BEGINNINGS OF A NEW SECTION _George Rockwell_ 131 X. UN BLESSÉ À MONTAUVILLE _Emery Pottle_ 136 XI. CHRISTMAS EVE, 1915 _Waldo Peirce_ 139 XII. THE INSPECTOR'S LETTER BOX 148 Our ambulances--How the cars reach Paris--_En route_ for the front--First impressions--The daily programme--Handling the wounded--The wounded--Night duty--Fitting into the life--_Paysages de guerre_--Soldier life--July 22 at Pont-à-Mousson--Incidents of a driver's life--_Three Croix de Guerre_--From day to day--From another diary--Further pages--A night trip--An attack--_Poilu_ hardships--Winter in Alsace--Weeks of quiet--Night--Morning--Stray thoughts--A gallant _blessé_--Perils of a blizzard--Poignant impressions--In the hospital--New quarters--The poetry of war. Champagne, 1914-1915 227 XIII. FOUR LETTERS FROM VERDUN 232 TRIBUTES AND CITATIONS 252