Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1918-12-05


ibid I have my clothes of. II va n
on and ever onward, over mountains,
across valleys. Through almost i'm
'penetrable forests, interviewer with
barb wire and intersected with tren-
ches. It was great march, one worth
living a life time to take part in.
cannot begin to tell you all the
happenings in those four days, and
the score of days following. On The
whole, things get into ones blood and
they almost wish it might go on for
ever. must confess, those days were
among the happiest of my life. Victory
was ours. We gained, with less than
5000 casualties, what the French had
sacrificed 10000 men for and had moi
obtained. They, the French, had es-
timated that it would take 10000 mer
to eliminate the salient. Our officers
had made preparationst take care
of $4,000 men, yet it was all won with
less than one-fifteenth and about one
seventh of what was estimated by the
French and Americans. Then too
there was question whether the mei
that l had been trainig for the past
ten months, would come up to expec-
tations. How would they behave under
the most severe test to which they
could be submitted. They did all that
was required Of them and more. Not
man faltered, even the most grilline
test, This was also source of sits.
faction.
4 Five days had passed and the sixth
was well along when the first blow
fell. My top Sergeant and private
were killed and another Sergeant was
wounded. It was indeed quite blow
My Sergeant was as fine fellow as
l ever met, thoroughly dependable in
all things. / cannot begin to tell you
how miss him. The private had
made himself very useful man to
the organization. He came to us with
very bad reputation and showed he
was trying to live up to it. After he
was with US few days, had q
heart-to-heart talk with him and he
was changed man after that.
4 was greatly in hopes that he
would live through the struggle and
make useful citizen. It is very
rough game and some will get hurt
occasionally.
Il Well it sounds good to hear you
speak of Association and October
meetings. May and October never pass
but that think of those meetings
Also the fall of the year always brings
to mind Association and wonder
where it will be held.
Was truly sorry to hear of the num-
Der OF deaths among old acquaintan-
ces. 1t seems as if they were going
pretty fast. It does not take a war
to kill everyone who passes out.
/, What was the trouble with Hardin
Fouts? He was quite young man to
Idle. Was also very sorry to hear Of
the death of Uncle Bill Smith. Will
never forget their kindness during the
sickness of our dear babe. She would
now be past 81 had she lived.
You wrote about Simon's brother
close together and did not know it.
being in the Goth Div. We are pretty
evacuated the wounded from the 357th
Inf. and have been working with them
ever since. I went to Camp Travis,
although never knew any of the
enlisted men of the variour infantry
regiments.
We have moved out of the front
line areas and have taken up posi-
ton several miles in the rear for q
few days rest. The battalion to which
ne belongs, moves out tonight. As
soon as they get settled, will look
him up. was along with his company
on the third day of recent drive,
1t is reported that l took charge Of
one of the companys of his battalion,
in the absence of any officers, and
well there was only one direction to
go and that was forward.
4 i have several letters to- write vet
tonight so must bring this to a close,
Best regards.
DALEY
Capt. D. D. Jones. M. R. c.
Amb. Co. No. 357.
315th San. Train.
| A. P. o. no. A. E. F.
Letter from Geo. Swanger
In France. Oct. 81, 1918
Dear Wife:
4 We'll c,,n,o,o ,,o,, L