May 25 - Coy marched to Metz with full pack when coming within a mile of the town the Coy broke into small parties and continued for the balance of the journey in that order, each party being about 100 yards apart. This was done in case Fritz observed us and opened fire. We all arrived safely about noon and after dinner all got busy. And we soon had a good camp. The first night we got rather a surprise to be awakened about midnight by an artillery duel between the German light guns and our own. This was the first we knew that our light artillery was located in the town ruins. We had not realized that we had advance[d] so close to the front. The second in command wanted to pull the Coy back that night but the O.C. did not see it that way. Anyway we soon got used to all the noise at night and slept through most of it.