Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1918-10-30
A Ned IVey Letter

OF fresh Americans are coming up Il
the line daily. Everywhere Fritz at
tacks he meets Buddys and as time
goes on he will think that all of Am.
! erica is over here in uniform.
German prisoners taken give us
much information. They are glad tc
get over with us as conditions are baG
with them. Seems to be a shortage
OF food and materials of war. MANY
OF them have visited or lived in the
States so feel at home with us.
Met an interesting chap a few DAYS
ago, young Russian from Odessa
He has served four years and came
to France with the Russian forces as
an officer with the Cossacks. He
speaks Russ, German, French and
good English. He is with the Russian
Legion, battalion of volunteer in
fantry serving under the French flag
Under the present Russ government
he is an exile. I asked him why he
didn't come with us as interpreter
NO., ne answered, I'VE are fighting
to show the world that a part of
RUSSIA knows and is willing to die in
the cause of justice"
| - SO0ho E4CACuLudu comes over TO
visit and talk. He is crazy to get
Engllsh magazines and is especially
interested in our railroads and COW
punchers. One of our boys is going
TO teach him to throw a lasso He is
evidently of very fine family means
ana education. He speaks fair Eng
lish.
Boys have gone to bed and Fritz is
coming and he's got heavy load.
l can tell from the purr of his en-
glne, so must douse my light. Well
ne went on over, probably will call
on us later in the evening.
Morning-Maybe he did; can't prova,
1t by me as | was too sleepy. NHes.
missed breakfast this a. m. g0stgsearly
we are now located ~as'
vision postofice so .csS near our di-
The division "Y'san an get stamps
there also SOS y and commissary is
bars, coolin A. are getting chocolate
tobaccsng Kles, JAM, cigars, cigarets
leo GG, etc.
r Expect you are wondering what
you can send me for Christmas, thai
is if Uncle Sam provides a way to senG
anything. | don't want any sox OF
clothes; Uncle Sam has a new WOO
sock that is very fine and warm.
Our new home is fine-getting il
all fixed up and have chairs, mirror
stove, clothes line, etc. There is &
spring nearby. We are dry, warn
and comfortable and away from the
odor and flies. Looking out over 6
valley we can see six villages; nc
civilians here though, just ruined vii
lagos, soldiers, horses and guns.
Blackberries are ripe and haws
Hazelnuts are very scarce; plenty Of
bushes but no nuts. The apples were
eaten long ago. The dough-boys got
them. It's about mess time so guess
I'll go get in the line. Play concert
tonight for the boys. All well.
4 Sept. IS.
Late again with my letter and same
old planation-moving around the
country, one day on train and three
on foot, but have finally ended our
travelling in tiny bit of heaven,
a real, live, active French town where
we will rest up, reorganize the ranks
where broken and gOt new equip
ment.
i l just came from physical inspec-
ton for coolies, lice, disease or sick
ness. Nothing wrong with me. al
though many of the boys have coot-
les. Grill found a nice fat one and
seems proud of it. He ought to make
good pickin's although he's not as fat
as formerly. Two or three days hik-
ing without much grub or sleep takes
the meat off ones ribs. We had three
short hikes this trip, one about Il
and the others about Is miles each
but all under favorable conditions
Pulled out about 2 p. M. and made
camp about 8 p. m. in very dark
woods. There were several boche
planes lowering overhead SO could
! have no hot supper nor light of any
: kind. The horses, mules and mer
were all mixed up and we couldn't see
our hands before us. Well we crawl.
ed around until we found the cool
wagon and got a slice of bread anC
, corn beef, unrolled our blankets anC
went to sleep. It's a mighty queer
sensation to sit in perfect darkness
!, and eat with old Fritz overhead anG
!, apt to pull his endgate and spill the
eggs any minute. He spilled 'em al
right but out of range of our bunch
Next day was Sunday and it raineG
all day. Pulled out at p. m. and hit
the road. 1t was soon pitch dark and
we hit about Is miles in driving
rain square in our faces. Every
stitch | had was soaked and my blan-
ket roll as WE'LL Couldn't see where
we stepped which makes it very hard
on ones ankles. On our rests all
would flop where we stood in the
road. Well we got into our rail
head about II and had to stand around
a couple of hours awaiting our train
The boys made what we call a fur
nace-all stand in group as close
\ as we can get. 1t generally makes
some heat and lots of smell Got
loaded and on our way at 4:30 a. m
Seemed mighty good to be in out OF
the rain regardless of the fact that
horse slept the day before where
my bunk was made. Believe me this
life takes the false pride out of a
chap Things seemingly important
in civil life become as nothing. A
human ic noifhar hotfor nov x,orec