The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1918-12-20
OTTO GARTIN
SAFE in FRANCE

ct. TIE lchltl WV NItli
tin. written ON Fathers Day" They
had only one short letter since he went
to France and did not know whether
he had been on the firing line:
November "a.
Dear Mamma, Papa and boys:-
Dad, guess this will be mostly a
letter TO you, and Christmas letter
TO you all Have hardly written you
one letter since coming to France.
am now at Base Hospital No. l,
Vichy, France. The hospital is locat-
cd in Carlton hotel building. You see
the censorship has raised so | can tell
you something of what / have been |
doing. l have not been wounded, but
got sprained hip on a hike recently |
and was sent to hospital to get in
shape again. / have been here almost |
week and expect TO leave in u few
days
Now for little history. We left !
Camp Mills, L. l.. early by train the |
morning Of September 80 for New |
York: embarked on large ferry boat
which took us down the Hudson or
East river to the docks where we
embarked on the large English ship |
t"Acquitana." the second largest ship |
afloat as well as one of the fastest. |
We set sail from New York harbor
| about 4 p m. October 2 for "over
| here" People waved good bye from
neighboring boats factory windows
and shore while we were steaming
out. And even the Goddess OF Lib
erty" which stands in the harbor with
her hand pointed heavenward seemed
| TO say Good luck and a happy re-
/ turn" At last we were out to sea-
| torpedo boat destroyers and an aero
plane or two going out few miles
| with us-and vixen darkness came
they returned. The "Acquatapia" now
steamed ahead taking zigzag course
/ for the open sea for England. The sea
got rough and heavy and the hig ship
/ would roll and rock. Our company
furnished the lifeboat detail togeth-
| er with part of the ships crew 1 was
one OF the detail. II was our duty, in
case we were torpedoed. to lower life
boats and see that everybody got of
before we were to leave ship. Lots of
the fellows got very sick, but your SOL
dier boy got just little bit sick. Abuot
a day out from England some OF Uncle
Sans torpedo boat destroyers met us
and guarded us on in. We landed at
South Hampton, England about p. m.
October 9. Stayed all night at rest
camp and next afternoon embarked
ION u. S. ship for France. Landed next
morning at LaHavre, France. Was in
rest camp there a few days. From
there we entrained and went to Nan
tes France, day or two's ride In
horse cars. There we went into bill
/ IAta 49,. l.,
where the flower garden is, the old
laristocratic lady and three daughters.
We remained there and orilled for
some time. They took replacement
bunch" out of our regiment and sent
them to front. leaving about 80 in our
company Then came an order tear
ing up our division, the 3Sth and of
course our regiment They took the
rest OF us for another replacement and
we left out of Nantes Sunday morn
ing, November 3, for the front or to
be used where they wanted to use u.s.
We stopped at LIE Mons at rest camp
a day or two. then entrained in horse
cars and rode for another day or two
to Les 1slettes where there is \ large
| American cemetery anc where the
Amricans started some OF their fight
ing, running the Germans back. The
town is shot all to pieces like q great
many of the towns where the Ger
mans have been. We stayed here a
few days and while here saw Asa
Meek, who lives about two miles back
OF Louisa. lie is the only fellow
have seen from home. On about the
10th We started on hike with heavy
packs across country to get with 77th
division, 305th regiment infantry, to
which we had been assigned - We
marched through the Argonne forest
where our boys had already run the
Germans out for two days and half
and went into camp and rested one
Gay. In the meantime we had heard
of the armistice being signed. OF
course we were all glad the thing was
over.
The 77th Division had been in the
fighting almost continuously since June
or July. We started on to hike to
them when ! sprained my hip and
couldn't hike without great pain so at
Beaumont near the Meuse river where
the marines had suffered greatly in
lcrossing right at the close of the fight
ing, / was sent hack in an ambulance
to a field hospital from that one to
another and from that by train to
where l am.
In one OF the rooms in which stay
ed all night in Beaumont when the
Americans got there they found an,
old Frenchmant stuck to the wall with
a bayonet The huns were just regu-
lars devils. Probably the Kaiser and
his click will have little time to
think it over now
expect to leave here shortly as /
am about well now and my hip is feel
ing in pretty good shape. AS the war
is over now | am anxious to get back
home. | may have to stay here few
months yet and do guard duty in Ger
many. l don't know.
! haven't heard from home for some
time, but hope you all are well. AS 1
don't know whether they will send me
to the 77th, address me Vichy, France,
Base Hospital No. 1, A. p. o. ISL.