Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1918-12-18
]. J. !. /. i. !. i j. j. j. i. i. j.
j. LETTER FROM FRANCE j.
!. j. !. !. i. !. !. !. i. !. ]. j. !. IL

Your letter received some time
ago. Was so glad to hear from you.
| also received one from Pearl, May,
Pink, Otis and Perry. You can't
| imagine how good it makes me
feel to get good, long letters from
you all at home. feel that you
are trying"to do your Bit" Really
! believe every one in the States Is
trying to help win this war.
You don't know how proud felt
when | captured my first German.
! got an automatic pistol from him.
| am going to keep the belt for
souvenir. I'd like to keep both, but
my pack would be too heavy. The
belt holds ten rounds. (The pistol
vas q .32 calibre.) The belt is
wide leather one with a large buckle
in front. Engraved on it in German
are the wards "Gott nit uns,"
meaning God is with us.
You would be surprised to see the
German dugouts In the Hindenburg
lines. They are 40 and 80 feet deep,
with cement walls. Lots of the
Germans would run and leave their
equipment, and wo enjoyed search
ing to see what we could find.
found a lady's apron and a new pair,
OF white gloves. wonder what lie
was going to do with thcm--take
them to his lady, guess. Every
timo we would stop on the front
would dig Il hole and get in it. This
country is different from the United
States-the living ones are in the
holes out here and the dead ones on
top; back home the dead ones ere in
the holes, the live ones on top. 1t
seems strange to see any one weep
over the dead. The first I've seen in
long time was an old lady weeping
over her daughter. Her daughter
was killed by a shell. But these
dead on field have no loved ones to
mourn their passing.
am back from the front for
rest. have been 'over the top"
five times. always pray for God
to guide me safely over before |
start.
| had to unit off all at once. Have
been off on Il rarade---walked about
four miles and then back. They
took a picture Of us while in parade
for the movies.
suppose you have ali been read
ing what the 30th Division has been
doing. You may know | was right
there, too. Lots OF our boys were
wounded. not many killed. | wasn't
even touched, though two shells
came within three feet of me.
1t knocked mo out for few
minutes, but the fragments didn't
touch me. The man by my side was
nit. | don't know whether any of
tho Walhalla boys were killed or
not George Mauldin was wounded
'en Shelton, from near Cid Pickens,
died Of appendicitis. Ralph Pike is
missing (Pink knows him. is from
SalemO don't know how the rest
came outline hope. My corporal
was killed. | sure did hate to part
with him. | had been in his squad
all last winter. I'm sure thankful
that am still living hope to live
to get home to see Margaret and the
boy. feel that the prayers have
been answered. I'm so pleased with
the prayers. l need the prayers of
those love.
Mother, we advanced so fast one
day that we caught Germans on by
cycles. They were surprised; they
didn't know we were so near. We
captured several Of their bicycles to
ride on. The major said to the cap
tain who was leading our company
CO., Hold your men up; they are
ahead of the rest" The captain re-
piled, "How can hold them up
when the whole German army can't?"
Our nickname Is "The Wild Cat Di-
vision" Well, don't know whether
have killed any Germans or not,
but sure have taken some prisoners.
During our last drive we went two
days and two nights without food or
water.
AS it. is nearing night III have to
close and hunt something out Of
which to make a bed. haven't a
blanket and it is cold. think can
find some hay. maybe. where the
horses have left it. We are in
house now and that is much better
than having to sleep on the ground.