Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1917-12-20
Ernest J. Phelps, With the
United States Ambulance
Service, Writes Interest
ing Letter.
Tells of Thrilling Expert
ence of Americans During
Great French Offensive
Twelve Thousand German
Prisoners Taken.

Former Governor Hawley has re-
ceived the following from Edward j.
Phelps jr. Boise boy now in France:
S. S. U. No. 49, Comois Autos, Par
B. c. M, Paris France, Z. S. Army
Ambulance Service with French Army,
Nov. IA, 1917. Hon. James H. Hawley.
Overland Bldg, Boise Idaho. Dear Mr..
Hawley. While my intentions have
been good, have been extremely neg
ligent in not writing to you sooner
any news from the front which might
be Of interest. | will ask you to ex-
cuse my carelessness and endeavor to
make amends at the present time.
My experiences have been many
since arriving in France, almost five
months ago, and most of them will
never be forgotten. dare say they will
be recalled to mind like old acquaint-
ances many times through life and be
refreshed, not only by thought, but by
! pictures, records, diary and any
number of souvenirs / have already OBJ
| tanned. Perhaps some incidents con-
nected with a recent attack our sec
ton was in, might be recited. Things
! occurred so thick and fast that after
like a dream, though in reality it was
| strik ingly true.
l can feel at liberty to tell you of
my sensations and observations, as
both the French and American presses
have permitted the particulars of the
successful attack by the French in the
Aisne sector, and what took place is
| past history Of the taxing war that is
being fought.
l understand the attack had been
planned for some time, but / have
learned to never believe a rumor or
suspicion until it Is a positive proof,
The artillery preparation. the use of
tanks, the cooperation of the aviation
with the artillery making the positions
taken secure from counter attacks;
bringing up supplies advancing the big
| guns, and the endless number of
things that are done preparatory to
and during the attack. all worked out
beautifully and we enjoyed the oppor-
tunity of taking part and seeing how
everything was done.
OVER THE TOP.
| At Sis in the morning the men of
the Thirty eighth division, which we
We're serving at that time, went over
the top, with other divisions, after
the artillery had bombarded their OBJ
jectives for six days, and had poured
| a barrage over the German lines the
preceding hour. As much happened
that one day of the % of October as
had passed during the previous seven
weeks of poste de sevours duty.
We were awakened at daylight and in
a very short time were bound for
posts. Three kilometers traversed we
saw a large prison pen constructed
from the kind of barbed wire used In
the entanglements on No VANS
Land" There Is a story connected
thereto. 1t seems that Boche avia-
ator spotted the hospital that once
existed there and dropped a note OF
warning that bombs might be sent
earthward. The French came back by
evacuating the hospital and building
Boche prison pen, which by moor
the day OF the attack was filled with
Huns.
Near the Aisne an old castle is hid
den under the tall trees about 1t ant
near the gateway to the grounds &
large number of slightly wounded
were waiting, at that early hour, to b'
carried to the hospital In camious tina
are used to carry assis (sitting cases,
when large number of wounded ar,
being carried.
OVER THE AISNE.
We crossed the Aisne on a pontooI
bridge and entered Vailly where ou
, base poste was located. Every few
meters we passed an ambulance o
some blOsses, not seriously wounded
perhaps one assisting a less fortunate
comrade. Presently we saw small
group of prisoners. and then another
5 under a guard of gendarmes tpolice
mem and cavalry. Batteries wer
shooting to the right and left of us
and for a space of two hundred met