The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-08-20
HARD TO REALIZE VICTORY

ter than this, but I can't dol better than this, as there is no stationery available except these little folders which I carry in my dispatch case, always. As soon as I get settled, you will be written properly. Of course, you know all about the great battle we Franco-Americans have been having, and how we have given the Boches terrible beating. Even yet I can hardly realize that the much- dreaded peace drive of the Kaiser has not only been stopped, with awful slaughter, but that we have launched a counter attack in turn. All this you have seen in the papers.
 "Of course I cannot tell you of
 our part in recent operations ex-
 cept that we have done our part
 well. Our regiment displayed
 marked courage and cOOlness, and
 patiently endured the frfghtful
 bOmbardment of the Roche artfI-
 1ery unmOved. Those of our cOm-
 panies that were lucky enough to
 get n chance at the Roche liter
 ally destroyed him. The French
 say that they never saw such a
 fierce, reckless, wild charge as one
 made by our men. They tackled
 the Roche machine guns, and killed
 the gunners with their trench
 knives. Some threw away their
 rifles and went for the enemy
 with their knives and fists. They
 drove the BOches before them like
 sheep and routed them complete
 ly. A French officer told me that
 they yelled in n most wild and
 peculiar manner, while at work on
 the Boches. am sure 1t must have
 been the old rebel yell of the Con-
 federacy, suddenly and uncon-
 sciOusly revived.
 Those who had no such luck as to get into the fight for the Huns did not get far enough, endured the shell fire which, the French say, few troops on earth would have stood.
 CAN STAND THE CAFE"
 My part was rather a passive one although my duties as operations of ficer gave me plenty of work and ex- citement. I am very happy in thu knowledge that I can stand the gaff, for I was always afraid that when tn, time came I might turn yellow Nc one can ever know what he would dl until the time comes. I expect to cable you every now and then, in order tc let you know that I am still safe. Oi course my writing will be very irregu lar for a while.
 "We are all so happy over our
 victory that we can hardly sleep.
 Everybody thinks it will shorten
 the war a great deal. and we are
 sure the Kaiser cannot ever strike
 . real hard blow again.
 T have seen a great many Boche prisoners, and they are most pitiful sight. Their morale is completely gone for they realize that they cannot win the war. They were told before the drive that they would march straight through to victory, and that the war would end at once. They now know that their officers deceived them. They also fear the Americans.
 "Whenever a convoy of prisoners goes by our men run out and give then bread and corn willy and sometimes a swig of win rouge. They surely dc look happy when they are thus served That reminds me of one of our mer who, during the fight. gave his first aid basket to a wounded Boche and after the row was over, went off tc find litter to get him in with. Wher he returned he found his prisoner had been killed by a stray bullet. He fairly wept with rage and disappoint- ment, and went around the whole day seeking the infernal scoundreP tha killed his Boche. Said he was HIS prisoner, and he wanted to fetch him into headquarters single handed"