The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-08-10

the following letter from his son.
Josiah, who is with Friends Unit No
2, 4 Rue Gabriel, with the American
Red Cross in Paris. The letter was
written during the battle of Chateau
Thierry, in which the Americans were
victors. The letter follows:
We are in the midst of the greatest
battle of the worlds history. The
tremendous offensive was begun on
the 14th and we all feel that upon
the results of this crisis depends the
future Of everything. The Americans
held so wonderfully at Chateau Thier-
ry, at terrific cost, especially to the
marines, but they established their
regulations by not retreating one step
and the result of their fire upon the
Germans was awful. This seems to
have quite upset the morale CT the
Germans and in this present drive
in the sectors opposite us they show
little Willingness to fight when they
find out that they are pitched against
our men.
l have been wondering if in the
midst of all this thee has not had a
little twinge of disappointment that
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common end but was in civilian work.
1t was rather difficult for me and l
felt it little myself so I proceeded
to get busy along with all those of
Unit No. 2 in Paris. l am really proud
OF our unit-we all volunteered for
Red Cross stretcher work in the i'm
mense relief station here. The way
the wounded have poured into the city
has just paralyzed the hospital staffs
and sanitary trains. The ambulance
men have driven until they almost
went to sleep at the wheel Another
fellow and l went to sleep on a street
car coming home this morning and
rode to the end Of the line. I've ha d
IA hours sleep in the last 70. | had
never worked before in my life; l
thought / had but l hadn't. The doc
! tors work "A hours at a stretch with
out resting at all and then it is a
mighty short time until they are back
at it again.
Celebrates BastiIe Day.
l had better start back at the be.
ginning of the week because | have
done such a multitude of things and
II | want to get them all in | will have
to recount them as they happened 1
am afraid that this letter will be
stupid because I am so sleepy but l
want to get it off and then can sleep
1t has been a week since | have
written.
On the 14th. Paris had it's great eel
ebration. | promised myself that the
cooks and I would have this dav off.
and not have any such performance
as we had on the 4th, so | ordered
the dinner for everyone at the Hotel
Odeon. 1t is a good thing that I did
for on Saturday the chef at the Hotel
Malabry called up and said that
there would be 35 of them in for that
day. | just ushered them all around
to the hotel. Every one in the house
made his own bed; three fellows
washed the breakfast dishes, so cook
and all departed at nine for the pa
rade. / arranged for three of us to
be on the Red Cross Headquarters
building overlooking the Place de la
Cocorde. 1t was wonderful loca-
ton because the troops marched down
the Rue Royal from the Madelein to
the Place and then to the Tuilleries.
There were thousands of people
watching in the Place
Real "Jazz" Music.
First they had the crowning of the
statue of Luxembourg and then the
great parade Of all the allied armies.
1t was the most attractive military
parade one could imagine for every
single soldier wore or carried flowers
and roses except the Americans. The
children and girls would run out and
present the fellows with bouquets, and
then it was quite 'laissezfaire" to be-
stow kiss. I was thrilled and thrill
ed with the bands, uniform and all.
OF course the whole thing depended
upon the location and l was where |
could see everything
well, I was interrupted last night
by the arrival at HOO p. m Of ten
men to stay all night. I had beds for
six but had to put up cots for the
other four, and by the time l had
gotten the linen and blankets out, and
seen that the fellows had towels, etc,
was ready for bed myself)
To continue about the 18th After
lunch Bob and l went up to the house
and he and Walter Wildman and I
talked and talked together about every
one we knew and what every one
was doing, and what the latest news
from home was, etc. Wildmancame
up to Paris on his way to Memaise,
and | asked him to stay here with US
while in the city. About o'clock I
went to call on Henry Thompson, the
young lieutenant from Wilmington.
He had gone to the University club
for their open house and I went down
there and didn't | have good time.
For the occasion they had a realI
American colOred jazz band from Gaby
Desley'S theatre. The most wonder
full rag music l ever heard, and real
American frozen custard lemonade or
punch, and French pastry. All the
stores that used to sell them are clos
ed now because they are not allowed
to be sold now. Whom should l meet
but Harry Ross. He is located in
Paris all the time and is working for
the Red Cross in the bureau of Chap |
laine. Every one there was an AM
erican or else spoke English and we
certainly had a good time.
| planned buffet lunch for our
men at home so it would be easier /
for the cook. We boiled a ham Ca |
great luxury potato salad, cream
cheese fruit, walnuts and tea with |,