Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1918-12-24
annapolis Soldier Enters
German DngOnf to FIVd 1t
FILLED WIfb Home 7osOn Boys

Private James H. Armiges has
written an interesting letter TO his
father in thise city which is herewith
reproduced Later letters from him
state that he has received an eight
day furlough for good conduct and
that he is enjoying it greatly at AK
les Balm, in southern France The let
ter to his father follows:
Sivry, France, Nov. "a, 1918.
Dear Dad-Today having been set
aside as a Fathers Christmas Letter
Day. when every son was asked to
write his dad, now start and will
try to tell about what we have done
since landing in France.
ITO start, might say that l am
among those living, and feel like a
two-year-old this fine morning. Hope
this will find you and the family en-
joying the best of health.
Leaving Hoboken, N. j., on July
9th, at about p. m, we sailed out into
the middle of the stream where we
anchored until about Z p. m. After
getting started again we saw nothing
but water for nine days and nights.
might also mention that the trip was
very calm one and / did not do what
| thought ! would-feed the fishes,
The first land we saw brought forth
cheers from all the boys and 1t wasn't
long before the ship had anchored in
the stream. The next evening, some
of the company landed. ! was de-
tailed with some others to look after
our baggage and stayed on the ship
until the next day. The boat was a
French steamships. S. France.
After we landed on the docks we
were marched to some buildings
where we stayed for two days look
ing after our baggage and other equip
ment.
Brest to Vaux. This lasted for three
days and we were some glad to get on
and walk The train did not move
very fast, and at times we would stop
for hours at time Those French
engines and box cars are very small
compared TO ours.
From Vaux, our next move was to
Rivera les Posses, where we spent six
weeks at hard. training. This is the
place where we had so many hikes
and maneuvers. Drilling and target
practice with the Browning guns also
kept us pretty busy. Before leaving
this little village we were equipped
with steel helmets and gas masks. Al
first the helmet gave me headache
but soon got used to it. The gas mask
was worn at times in order that we
would get use to 1t. To wear this for
few hours would be punishment
enough for any crime.
1.-THE gun we used was Browning
water cooled, and / guess they are
about the best used in this war. This
little bit of steel can shoot about
$50 rounds minute. 1t is very sim
pie gun and can be taken apart and
put together in few minutes. We
were taught to take it down blind
folded.
ITO get back at this French village
which had been stripped of all its male
inhabitants because of the war.
might say l learned to like it there
There were only three stores and a
couple of wine shops in the whole
place, but we were all contented with
it. At this place we learned to speak
few French words. The first word
learned was 'compree,' and in French
1t means understand Instead OF
saying yes the French say we
The weather over here was miser-
able then, and we waded through mud
ankle deep for days at time. II
seems we were in rainy spell. Since
the guns ceased firing the weather
has been ideal. Heavy firing causes
the rain so am told. know it rain
ed too often for me.
From this place we were hiked'to
some other camp and it was only few
days until we had our first chance OF
being in the lines. This was at YER
dun, and it was quiet sector until
an airplane attacked us at night. We
had chance to use our gas masks up
there for the first time in real gas
Five days up there and we came back
for rest of few days.
Our next chance was the big
Argonne Forest drive. This was on
the night of September 18th, at
O'Clock, when the big guns started to