Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1918-04-18
Letters From Our Soldier Boys.

Mrs. I. B. Osbourn, of the vicinity OF
Shenandoah Junction, has received an
interesting letter from her son, Lieu
tenant Cleon S. Osbourn, Of the 9th
Field Artillery, now right on the firing
line in France. The letter is dated
March 10th and says:
NV Darling Mama-We are still as
busy as can be and get more so every
ddy. Since the first of the month the
Germans have been little more active,
but We have hushed them up in good
share every time so far. The French
in written orders and otherwise have
highly commended the u. S. boys, who
have been showing wonderful spirit in
every way. Clemenceau, the Premier
of France, came by the other day and
stopped at our battery. The boys put
up a snappy drill for him. At the end
of il he asked for the chief of section
and handed him a beautiful wrist watch
for a souvenir. Naturally he is very
proud of it and we are all proud of him.
am especially proud of him and his
section, because his section happens to
be in my platoon. 1t was just chance,
of course, that the visitor stopped at
his gun position rather than some
other. but it is satisfying to be so lucky
even. A bunch of generals were around,
too, and that added to the interest.
We are poking lot of hot lead and
steel over into the Germans. Last
night noticed the sound Of the shells
outside of the noise of the shots them
selves. You can hear them going over
like the rushing of mighty waters, and
in the night, when the great line of guns
goes off, the whole heavens are lighted
up. Am getting along splendidly. Must
close now, with words Of love from
your devoted boy.
Mrs. Fonrose Shipley has received
letters the past week from her two
sons, R. D. and Elkns Shipley, who are
with the American army in France.
They write cheerfully and hopefully.
R. D. sends a photograph of himself,
and he makes a splendid looking SOL
der. He says that he is stouter than
he was when he was home, and that he
is taking good care of himself so that
he will make mother happy when he
returns. 81 received letter from Dick
Spohn and it certainly did cheer me up,
and also one from Roy Myers. You
cannot imagine how we soldier boys
appreciate letter from the States.
receive a box of cigarettes and chewing
gum about once a month from my girl
in Watervliet. have not yet received
fathers and Roberts box, but hope |
will before long. Give one of my pic
lures to Boots Myers, Mr.. Kearney,
Robert, John, ST and Cleggie Swain.
Tell them all to write to me, for | love
TO read letters from the States"
Elkins and R. D. are not together any
longer, having been assigned to diff
ferent commands. Elkins in his let
ter asks after all the folks about town
and says that he surely does miss them.
"The French people don't look good
to me-" He writes that he is studying
the French language and is getting
along fine at it, "Mother, if there is
anything you can do for the Y. M. c. A.,
do it, for this is the greatest thing in
this country. They have moving pic
lures for us a couple of times week,
furnish us with baseball material, and
anything we want from them we get.
Mother, anything you do for the Y. M.
C. A. you do for me, as we'll as for
the rest of the soldier boys"
Mr.. and Mrs. H. B. Maddox have
Just received a letter from their son,
Sergeant Grover Maddox, with our
army in France, in which he states that
he is getting along nicely and is we'll
and contented. He writes that he has
just received the box sent him the Sd
of December, and the fruit cake and
other good things that it contained were
just as acceptable as if they had come
at Christmas time. He says that there
were plenty of friends more than will
ing to share that cake. Sergeant
Maddox receives the Register regular
ly, and finds it mighty good reading
way over there.
We have received a postcard from
Captain Clements w. Legge, formerly
of Shepherdstown, now with the Amer
lean Expeditionary forces in France.
All that could be conveyed in the way
of information were these two SEN
fences: 81 am quite we'll. Letter fol-
lows at first opportunity" We shall
hope to hear from Captain Legge later.