Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-11-27
OUR Us
OUR COUNTRY'S SERVICE

A Belfast boy wrote the following
interesting and enthusiastic letter
home recently and 1t shows the splen-
did spirit of our boys over there.
The letter is to Corp. Percy Il.
Smart, Co. +. Third Maine, Belfast.
On Active Service with American
Elk. Forces.
Sept. goth.
Dear Brother:
l will now undertake to let YOU
know that I still remain about the
same. of course sister Ethel must
have told you of me so won't make
any more statements until some
thing new sets in, and if you know
about the time that l leave this place.
I will let you know about the matter.
Well, Percy. l suppose that you are
thinking about coming across to take
the French call them and they ought
to know them by this time. And no
doubt that they know what the
American soldiers are made up of, for
they don't feed their army for MOTH
ing They have got the snap in
everything they do SO a man ought
to be proud to sign his name to their
roll, and answer their call.
Q, how happy l am that l walked
into that recruiting Office and no one
chased me out when l felt that my
/; country needed me. The man was not
big enough 10 stop me at that time,
You people may think it is hard to
face those bursting shells and bullets
but that is very wrong. Just bear in
mind that it is as hard for the en-
envy as 1t is for you and | have al
ways tried to see how hard l can
make it tor THEM. don't care how
good man is or how big he is, if Il
bullet hits him it hurts him just the
same, you can't catch them and
throw them back like n small rock.
They are small but oh, my. They
just dance and buzz around your
head like bees in q piece of clover.
shall never forget the first piece of
shrapnel that flew from a big shell.
was standing guard in a trench by
| a railroad bridge. 1t was riddled to
bits and that shrapnel sounded like a
hornet. l expected to get it along
side my head, thinking it was q
hornet. Ii it had landed on my head
would not be here. The blamed
thing was as big as hens egg and
struck in the mud right behind me.
Well, that wasn't much. Good God.
Take a she) that is five feet tall and
let it land within ten feet from YOU
and / am a fool if it don't wake up a
mans IDEAS, unless he is SO deaf that
L. L: .,,J- III
guess he would hear after that any
way.
Well, Percy, what is the news
from home? That is to be the main
part of your letter. Tell me all the
news you know and some that some
one else knows. If YOU see any nice
little girl that would like letter from
France give her my address and tell
her to write and put her picture in it
too for that is the main part of the
correspondence.
Well, the boys that ! know are all
happy except brother Willis. ard I
do not know where he is. The last
time l Jaw him he was in the lines
and they logged me out Of that place
on a stretcher. IL you know of his
whereabouts please send me his ad-
dress. Well, / guess | will close for
now. Hoping that this will find you
in the best of health and tell Edith
and the baby that send them lots of
love.
-FOUR loving brother.
Eugene Elbridge Smart,
A. T. O. 713, Post ON.
| Young Smart is Il First Glass
Private and enlisted in June 1917. He
received his first training at Camp
| Keyes, Augusta. in the old Second
Maine, now the 103d. His brother
Willis, now a top sergeant, was also
in the same regiment and ordered
across at the same time but on a
i different transport. One landed in
England aOl one in France but later
| finished their training in France.
Eugene was gassed at Chemin des
Danes, while carrying wounded to
the rear, recovered and was again
wounded at Chateau Thierry where
he last saw Willis. The latter in his
last letter had not received a scratch
but had been in every battle in which
his company had taken part.
! Eugenes injuries are of such a ma
| ture that he will not he fit for active
service and is at present connected
!, o