Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1918-12-19
AUDUBON SOLDIER
NOW in FRANCE
BAKER WRITES INTER
ESTING LETTER TO HIS PA
RENTS IN THIS CITY

RENTS IN THIS CITY
Escol Baker. who was among the
first of the Audubon soldier boys to
land in France, has just written his
father, J. Fl. Baker, an interesting
letter, which is called the Christmas
letter each soldier is supposed to
write TO the home folks. In his let
tiers Escol refers to souvenir" and
this, Mr.. Baker tells us, is little
French girl The letter follows:
November "a. 1918.
Dear Dad Your letter came a
couple of days ago and just about on
time. that is the two months were al
most up. Say, the souvenir that you
spoke about is quite eXpensiye-not
only the first cost. but the upkeep.
| Nevertheless | will try and bring you
something if | can hang onto dol =
lar long enough to get to town.
Since the armistice has been sign
ed there are new rulings as regards
censorship but if you want the
story of my army career | am of the
opinion that you had better wait
until | get home but l might tell you
a little of the most important events
now If you want them
| On March 81. 1917 we left Camp
Johnston for parts unknown. landing
in Camp Merritt. n. j.. on the after
noon of the 23rd. Nobody was al
lowed passes to exceed a few hours
These and only those whose pa
rents lived in or around New York
were lucky enough to get those.
On the 26th. three days later, We
We're called out of bed at four o'clock
in the morning. given cup of coffee
and a sandwich and marched to the
station and placed on board troop
train for a few minutes ride to the
| ferry which took us over to the New
York side and from there again by
rail until we reached the docks of the
White Star line sShere the Olympic
was waiting for us. However, it was
not until after three O'Clock in the
afternoon that we were given the
order right by file" and marched on
the boat. Quite fortunately | was
placed with only two other fellows in
a stateroom on the third deck which
was as good as first class compared
to some of the places | have seen
since and heard of. Nine O'Clock
that night we had supper, strange to
say, shortly Alternating the delicious
chow | decided mat | didn't want it
and gave it to the fish.
| The following afternoon. the 27th
of March We sailed past the statue OF
Liberty and headed for somewhere in
France. That somewhere proved to
be Brest on the extreme point of the
peninsula of France.
The story of my voyage would fill
a volume in itself although there was
| hot hnn ~
cause comment or even things TO
stir up excitement. AT eight O'Clock
the first morning at sea | was placed
on guard OF one of the six inch guns
| in the forward section of the ship.
| The day was a real March day, not
particularly cold hut raw and windy
and to help matters out my post for
some reason or other, failed to be
relieved at the proper time and so |
served for some fifteen hours with
out relief Needless to say ! ate a
good meal. when | finally did
! persuade one of the cooks that | lost
out on his delightful food during the
day
On the fourth day OF April we
sighted land and We're in the harbor
| that night but We're unable to land
/ OF actual sailing and nine days on
| board boat. SO far | know of no
one who has made very much better
| time than that From the docks we
! farched to barracks built of stone in
which Napolean had quartered his
| troops during the days of his con
quest and from all Appearances they
had never been touched since. This
| hn /
failed to rest. Sleeping on Stats two
inches wide and about four inches
apart isn't very restful. but il was
either that or n damp floor. Four
days later We started inland on the
famous fifth class coaches designed
especially for summer--small box
cars whose capacity was eight
horses or forty men. The horses
would be far more comfortable so far
as room is concerned than that mum
Der of men but We survived two days
and two nights of travel inland. ar
irving in the city of Neven on April
| 10th, 1917.
Here comes the story of what | did
| for my country for at this place ar
my life as soldiers really commenced.
hut again that is Il different story
and one that doubtless ! shall never
tell in full. At all events, should
anybody have gotten notion into
their heads that | really deserve the
name of a soldier of the U. 5. really
| shouldn't like to dislodge such an
idea, so for the present we will stop
there.
AS to the present place | am at |
will tell you that the name of it is
| Newell if it might mean anything at
all. Yes. it's slightly removed from
what might be called the present
front line or the line of the farthest
advance and is quite little spot
among the hills.
Il We are all quite well taken care OF
"a good hut for shelter and a small
stove to take the chill off at night SO
we are quite comfortable. Any how
a good soldier doesn't ask for what
he needs, he just gets il, and does
the talking afterwards.
Mailed you a copy of the Stars and
Stripes last week and another today
Look for me home when you see me
coming and then you won't be disap
pointed.
Love to all.
| 4