American troops who during the early days of the European War were landed in France received a more careful and prolonged training than could possibly be given the most of the regiments hurriedly raised during the Civil War. The story goes that a raw battalion of rough backwoodsmen, who had "volunteered," once joined General Grant. He admired their fine physique, but distrusted the capacity of their uncouth commander to handle troops promptly and efficiently in the field, so he said:
Colonel, I want to see your men at work; call them to attention, and order them to march with shouldered arms in close column to the left flank.
Without a moment's hesitation the colonel yelled to his fellow-ruffians:
Boys, look wild thar! Make ready to thicken and go left endways! Tote yer guns! Git!
The manoeuvre proved a brilliant success and the self-elected colonel was forthwith officially commissioned.