On Friday, December 6th, fourteen sick horses arrived in Blancheville to be cared for by Battery D. The following day another consignment of horses arrived. The majority of the animals were afflicted with the mange. All had seen active service and were badly used up. Many suffered from neglect, the troops having but little time for the proper care of the animals while up in the front lines. Some were minus pieces of their ears, which had been shot off in battle. Two large, open artillery stables had been erected at Blancheville by a previous contingent of troops, so Battery D had stable facilities. The constant rain, however, soon played havoc with the ground in the vicinity of the stables and it was not long after the horses were received that the heavy traffic in the vicinity of the stables created a regular sea of mud. Hip rubber boots were issued and it was a grand battle with the mud each day. The animals had to be led through the mud three times a day to the public water troughs in the village. Besides caring for the horses the time at Blancheville was spent in hiking, at physical exercise and in the enjoyment of various forms of athletics. The manual of the pistol again came into its own and the guns were not neglected, as gun drill was finally returned to the schedule. At least once a week the battery hiked to Cirey les Mareilles, three kilos distant, where the only bath house was located. Thoughts of the Christmas season came to the battery at Blancheville when the first Christmas boxes from the folks back home were received during the second week in December. The boxes continued to arrive until the festal holiday. Sunday, December 15th, was payday for the soldiers in Blancheville. This particular payday was of ill omen for the battery. A number of the boys indulged too freely at the cafes in Chantraines, with a to-be-regretted fracas resulting. A guard of military police was put on at Chantraines following this escapade. Monday, December 16th, thirty-five additional horses were received by the battery. Considerable time was spent in getting the harness in shape, especially the saddles, after which lessons in equitation were again started, also a number of battery mounted hikes inaugurated. Early in December announcement was made of a proposed horse convoy to the Belgian border. The topic was discussed for many weeks, the proposed trip having been scheduled and cancelled several times before a convoy finally materialized. What the one hundred volunteers for this convoy had to contend with during the trip is a tale of its own, which must be related in terms of hardship, rain, mud, and mules. CHAPTER XIX. AN ADVENTUROUS CONVOY.