Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-11-01
Chaplain FoHows
Men Through Dnue
Former williamsburg Pastor Be-
comes Fighting Parson With
american Forces Ouerscas.

y real "hShtinG parSon" is Licutcn-
ant j. r. 1aughton, former pastor of
Williamsburg church. now Il chaplain
with the American army in France. who
recently experienced the thrill Of
charging through German shrapncl for
eleven kilometcrS with his men i'm one
OF the most notable drives OF history
You can't imagine it," he writes his
brother. Frank w. ,Laughton, i'm lot
ter describing his experience. 1T was
hell in capital letters and UNDERSIGNED.
Shrapncl played Il tattoo on my helmet.
II was "a nerve test all right One baby
thought for sure had my name and
number. The explosion almost deafcn-
cd me-"
In this memorable charge the chap
lain passed over ground covered with
dead and dying Americans and Ger
mans. He miniStcred to both alike. His
letter is entcrta iningly descriptive
throughout. Here i, is:
Here j am. sitting outdoors in a cold
wind. on top Of some ammunition boxes,
around me. This is the first oppor-
tunity for week or more that I've
had to write. Have had plenty OF
time; for once in my life, time is hang
ing heavily. But ii is hard to get pa
per. and the mail is irregular.
was in the forefront of Que of the
was the first TO go over the top. 1
went right with them, across no mans
land, and some eleven kilomcterS be-
yond. 1t was an experience to be re-
membered. Machine-gun bullets whizzed
about us SO that we had TO dodge and
fall fiat on the ground to avoid them
Shell holes and behind old trenches to
escape big shells. We pushed on and
occupied the German dugouts. saw
dead and wounded Germans and Amcri-
cans scattered over the field. God. it
was fearful. ministered TO both the
best could.
For two hours or more one afternoon
l was in wood that was being fierccly
shcllcd. In the face of shell fire had
to climb the hill whore there were no
woods. and afterwards descend and
under, aerial observation. ] surely
thought my time had come. You can't
imagine it. II was HELIc-in capitals
and undersigned. Several times the
shells burst dangerously near me-.
had TO fall down and make myself AS
small as possible. Shrapnel played Il
tattoo on my helmet. It was nerve
for sure had my name and number. The
explosion almost deafened me.
We arc living in German dugouts. I
off for over a week. Haven't had an
1 all over bath for three weeks. Have
washed my face and hands and shaved
only once in nearly ten days. Most Of
pericncc. One day we mixed from S
\. NJ. until . r. NJ. then went into an
other line OF trenches and duEouts. ]
sleep OH the floor with SO many others
that we can hardly turn over. Some
times | sleep out in the open. Have
slept several times in the damp and
mud. My only pillow is frequently my
steel helmet Yet am free Of cold and
keep wonderfully we'll. II ! could only
get some mail from home ! should be
glad. Haven't heard from any OF amy
loved ones for over TWO weeks. Guess
I'll get big bunch when it comes.
oh, the sights sec and the sounds
I hear! You cant imagine how this
once beautiful country now looks. The
worst looking pictures in the papers
over there don't tell half the story. We
see entire towns and villages without
inhabitants and not roof in the whole
place. Hardly u wall remains intact.
! II looks like the end OF all things.
| While ] write bombardmcnt is going
on. Several times a day and during
the nigh, shells burst around and abov c
us. Last night they looSened the earth
( in our dusout several times as they
exploded nearby, was slecpinG with
man was brought in badly wounded
by shrapncl that burst close to him.
ono of our chaplains is in hospital
from she'll shock.
SO YOU see I am in the thick Of Il. I
care not how soon it is over. provided
il ends right Our men fight like
Ne aee the Stern no is saer
flee. hardship and death every day. Such
is the price that must be paid for lib
! crtE. me othef day ! crossed one oil
the most famous hills of this war. ],
is literally honeycombed with shell
holes. Some OF these holes are twelve
or fifteen feet deep. The other day
| saw man blown fifty feet into the
air BY a shell explosion. II we hadn't
/ taken a trail over IL hill instead OF the
main road, might have been the vic.
J tim.
! am glad ! went over the top. but AR
/ not anxious to go again. I'm glad Tn
here. All things considered, wouldn',
| be elsewhere. But I shall rejoice wher
/ the end comes and the world can hi
at peace. II l see this thing through
/ ] shall have something TO tell when
! return to the. good old u. S. A.
Lieutenant Carlton Arrives.