Major R. M. Smith, Fourth Infantry

War Department · 1918-07

Charcoal, sanguine, graphite, and crayon sketches on thick textured cream wove paper. The paper is oriented vertically and divided into three scenes - one on the bottom that occupies the width of the paper, and two, situated side by side, on top of the bottom one. The top left scene is a view of a shell-torn church and a soldier through an open doorway. The inscription at the top left of this scene reads "CHURCH AT NESLES." The top right sketch shows a stairway leading to the entry of a building. Soldiers are sitting on the stairway; a gate is at the right. The inscription at the top right of this sketch reads "4th Inf. 3 Div. TROOPS BILLETED p.t. HEURETE bise FARM July 1...[cut off]." The bottom sketch shows a man walking away from a shell torn building.