The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-02-07
WRIGHT LETTER
INDICATES men
NOT ON FIRING
FRONT AS YET.
jamestown Major in First
North Dakota Says He's
In School
OTHERS STUDYING
FAR FROM REGIMENT
Boys Hundreds of Miles"
Away, He Says-Train
Service Is Bad

A letter from Maj. Dana Wright
l64th U. s. Inf, received at James
town by r. G.. Mcfarland, indicates
that the former First North DalIots
regiment may not be in the front
trenches, as has been indicated by
casualty lists received during the
past Ave days, In which the names
Of Ave North Dal1otans figured.
Writing from an unnamed place
in France, Major Wright, who Is an
old time national guard officer and
member of the North Dakota legis-
lature, says he and other officers OF
the regiment are in school, taking
practical instruction, and that he
hopes q visit to the front line trench
es will be a part Of the schooling.
Major Wright says the North Da-
kOta soldiers are stationed hundreds
Of miles from the point where he and
other officers are in school.
The jamestown man pays his
compliments to French railroad serv-
ice and insists he would trade il for
IN. P. service" any time. His let
ter:
London 10 Dreary.
Dear Mac: There is little that !
car write you though there is much
/ would like to. We are seeing
many interesting things both here
and during the time we were in Eng
land. Spent two days in London,
which was fine, of course. Saw lot
Of the city as had a major Of the
British army showing me around.
London is a dark, dreary place;
makes me think Of south Clark
street, in Chicago. Went through
Paris a few nights ago and stayed
over night there at a hotel, but did
not see much of the city. / did not
get a favorable impression. Weather
has been horrible since we have been
over. Cold and dark most Of the
time. Snow and rain nearly every
day. Very little bright weather
Hope it brightens up sometime for
this dark weather gievs me the
''WilHes."
The ground is not frozen so do
not believe the cold weather came
very early or will last very long.
Going To School.
Our regiment is stationed hund-
reds of miles from here where / am
at school and where l will be for
several weeks. Alex and Harry H.
and Jack Nolet are here too. When
we go back others of our officers will
come to take q course in the school.
1t is all very practical Instruction
and we enjoy it as much as Is posi-
BILE with the weather conditions.
Hope they will take US up to see the
front line as part OF the course.
Boobies Don't Relish Fight.
I do not believe the Boches are
looking forward to the spring with
any great amount OF pleasure. While
they can probably lick us on account
OF long training we are going to get
into shape after awhile and eventu-
ally will wear them out. We lost
lot of baggage and probably never
will recover it. Railroads are a joke
compared with N. P. service. land
ed here with a good supply Of hand
kerchiefs and that is about all the
baggage have. Am sleeping on the
floor of a farm shack with snow that /
never meIts out Of the corners. My
bedding roll has been a week on the
road but nothing in sight yet.
The country would be very pretty |
In the summer l am sure. There are |
hills covered with dark evergreen, |
picturesque villages Of stucco and |
stone with messy tiled roofs. Stone |
arched bridges over streams and |
rood stone roads everywhere. There |
Is quite a lot of cleared land right |
around here with wheat stubble that |
looks natural All Europe lives on
war bread 1t is dark and hard like |
rye bread but I really like it better
han white bread. am thankful that .
do not use tobacco so I don't have /
% worry about a supply Of it. Those |
who use it are continually studying /
ways and means of getting tobacco
md matches. 1 should be ashamed
% confess it but ] miss the Yankee
sweets at times and wish could get
hold OF a piece OF mince pie or a
hunk Of cake.
Mail service is very slow. haven't
lad a scratch since / left Yankee
and. Some day it will catch up with
is l hope.
Yours,
Dana