Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1918-10-07
Former Webster City Ply
stefan Writes an Inter-
esting Letter From
Front.
SAW RUINS OF CASTLE.
Has Been in Belleau Woods
and at Chateau Their
ry Front.

this city, who has been with mobile
hospital No. in France for some
months, has written a very interesting
letter to Webster City friend under
date of Sept. 9Th. The letter follows !:
Since last writing you we have NOV
ed three times and just now, we are
closer to the front than ever before.
Our own observation balloons are pref
ty close to us and yesterday l saw four
German balloons over the hill.
What may be in store for us we don't
know, nor do we care. During most OF
the day things are very quiet and very
much unlike war, except the balloons
and aerOplanes. Night before last we
were suddenly awakened by most in
!, tense barrage, and looking we could see
II the sky illuminated with flashes from
the big guns. 1t continued about two
hours and died down as suddenly as
lit began. Guess it was only a raid.
Except for the Inconvenience of NOV
LUZ 50 Oltcll, VIC IluN UCCi NClS puss
the last few days.
We are very happy over the Franco
British successes and today learn that
Cambria has fallen to the British. (Ey
identity rumors circulate on the battle
front, also)
Know Little Of Developments.
One thing about the business over
here is the utter ignorance we have of
developments, which is, of course, for
the best. Where we are we get daily
paper only some times, and then it's
an old one We've had no mail for
three weeks, but today got a big batch
and we are all happy.
We still have great experience in con-
yersing with the French. They are so
polite and ! know they my Waugh at
us a lot ran into a chap few days
ago and. after much effort and perspir-
alton and use of my hands, made
known my wants in the best French /
could "hand out which was pretty
punk, you might call it terrible eff
fort. When got through, the rascal,
with twinkle in his eye, said in per-,
feet English, do You speak English
any better than you do French?' i
wanted to punch him. Found out he
had been in New York three years.
Saw Rainj,OW Bows.
A while back ran into some Of the
boys from the Rainbow division and
saw many of our Webster City boys.
They all looked so fine and were most
happy bunch. They have given most
wonderful account of themselves. They
have been split up at different parts OF
the line recently and when questioned
an intelligent prisoner, he said, I'VE
fear most the Rainbow and the 42nd
division boys
Went over the scene Of the Marines
engagement i'm Belleau Woods. How
they were ever able to take these woods
don't know. With fields, of wheat
varying from ten to two hundred acres,
and right on the eastern side of these
fields would be rocky precipices twenty
or thirty feet high and even more, sur
mounted by most dense forests with
underbrllsh in which the Germans had
large numbers of machine guns; yet
our boys went across these fields and
scaled the rocks.
At Chateau Thierry.
Was around Chateau Thierry and
up in the woods back of the town, en-
countered a terrific amount of German
ammunition. 1t did look that right
here alone was enough to end the war.
They were mostly gas shells, each orc
in wicker-like cOntainer, carried
much like lady's handbag. There
were yellow and white and blue marks
on them, indicating phosgen, mustard
and the so-called tear gas.
Went over the ruins of the old castle
Of the king who ruled Thierry. On
very high precipice they were situated
(.
with numerous caves and subterranean
passages. In one cave, probably seven
ty-five feet under ground, was grave
surmounted by granite cross: so old
was it that the inscription could not be
made out.
On our way back TO the hospital Il
was with little Englishman) the Ger
mans dropped big shell on one side OF
!. the road 100 yards to our rear. Yes.
we took notice of it and our pace
quickened When another one fell
little closer, the little chap said, I'VE
better run. run like ell" Somehow or
other the same thought was in my mind
and we did run like ell.
Present Location.
al Our present location is the site of an