Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-09-23
OTTAWA OFFICER
SAYS 129TH IS ON
NEW FIGHTING FRONT
LIEUT. MllliGAN, IN LETTERS
HOME, TELLS OF ILLINOIS DlVi-
SION BEING MOVED TO NEW
SECTOR IN FRANCE.

James Milligan of the 10th Infantry
have been received from over there
by his father, James Milligan. In
them Lieut.. Milligan speaks in high
est terms of The Australian soldier
and mentions the division being
moved from its old location to a new
front presumably to some sector of
the ST. Mhiel zone.
He says.
Aug. %, 1918.
Dear Father:
Yesterday | received large guam
tity of papers and magazines from you
and Aunt Hattie. They came through
together Today received a letter
stating you were greatly surprised be.
cause | had not received all this mail
IL takes tiihe for second class mail
to come through DO not cable. as /,
is not necessary. When in the
trenches | send YOU British sealed
post cards, as time for writing is
shor. If | have not heard from you
for about week generally leave the
printed statement on the card, Il have
received no letter from you for Ions
| time
In the future if | leave that state
ment you can figure it has been about
week since heari from you, Since
starting this letter the mail corpora
brought zen packages from you con
| tanning papers now have plenty n
| company-about a dozen officers
around to read them. ! thank yOl
! very much. We shall take them OF
| the train with us, as | am going It
move again. | used to think there
was no army like the British, bu
have since changed ms mind The!
are ne prepared to take care Of II
| like others The Australians are the
wonders They never are driven bacl
after ,hey once get in, and are rea
soldiers, No discipline, nothing bu
a mob is what the theory soldiers say
Yet they always do the job laid on
, for them, and always have the dirt,
private is as independent as an o
tlcer Blu when they start for tn
Hun he always goes back. All yolur
teers and all speak English Thei
equals have never been seen as so
! iiers.
We have just returned from tW
weeks duty in the front line. haV
had some narrow escapes. but pulle
through o X. My platoon is also /
good shape have been through hel
all right, but am getting used to
now Shell fire does not bother m,
but am always on The lookout t
duck one when necessary. Last wee
, | heard that our trunks are o. X. an
that we can get them later on Oh
division is up in arms tonight. A
official from Washington addressed L
today. He said official WashngtC
Is with us and we know thaC Pres
dent Wilson and Lloyd George wi
not permit cheap politicians to sig
rrerosterous peace terms
> We though. that perhaps the Unite
States might be in bad shape at hon
and something was In the air tn
y we did not know about, Give us a
:, other year and we will do the 10
Re-elect W son President and Il
: army will be competent.
Have been out for two days and fe
much better
|. Write me again soon, as we all Ill
!. to receive mail.
n Aftectionately, JIM.
d Chicken for Dinner.
Y, Aug. 26
II Dear Father:
n We have moved and arrived at Il
N little village yesterday, and are co
~ fortab,y situated | am to have
'e chicken dinner, and eggs for bret
fast. What change from bully b,
s. and hard tack. which we have be
lg eating for some time bought t
a csicken from one OF the villagers n
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