The Wisconsin weekly blade. [volume] (Madison, Wis.) 1916-1925, 1918-11-21

During our training period in
the United States, prior to our
coming to France, the feelings
with which we viewed the war
were rather matter-of-fact; that
is, the Kaiser had offered insult
and had done injury to "Old
Glory" Our Mr.. Wilson called
and, as was our duty, we were
coming to demand reparation.
But on the transport the facts
of the nature of the brute and his
cohorts began to reveal themselves
to us. First, the Kaiser and his
secret agents spread the lie
through Europe that as we were
so democratic in spirit, We never
could bow to the stern discipline
that modern soldiers must have.
Well, Chateau Thierry proved
his statements a damned lie.
When our amazed eyes beheld the
terrible suffering of this beautiful
land, the horror and agony of the
blood lust of human monster in
his own hellish egotiSm, the Yam
kee sense of justice hared to white
heat, and we are determined that
he must and shall pay.
We are now in a valley in front
of German position which is on
the hills; for thirty-siX hours we
have fought and slept in gas
masks and under a constant she'll
ing; for three days I've sent hun
dreds of thousands of rounds of
ammunition to my gunners and
men to replace losses, and slowly,
inch by inch and foot by foot, we
are moving up the hill.
We are going to take it, and we
are going to beat the Hun, for
now, so long as has been the fight
and SO terrific, that their dead are
strewn in fragments everywhere,
polluting the air with stencil as
vile as the Kaiser S policy.
In the front here there are no
trenches, just shell holes and
pieces of dead bodies piled in front
of you, but we are not afraid and
not complaining, for had we not
to do it now i'll France, it would
have to be done later, possibly in
America.
For the prisoners say (and we
have taken hundreds) that their
officers told them that as soon as
Europe was subdued they were to
make war on the United States,
which was richer than all Europe
and had no soldiers.
But they are beginning to see
the light and surrender at the first
chance.
A prisoner taken on this front
said that as Germany has lost so
rany men and the need to repOp-
ulate is so urgent, the authorities
are doing all they can to increase
the birth rate, that since his sister,
who is married to a soldier, has
not had children she was compell-
ed to cohabit with another soldier
who was home on leave.
We hope the war will end soon,
of course but we are not fooling
ourselves that there is no more
lighting to be done, for there is.
But should it be my lot to fall
'ere peace shall come, | shall go
in the serene satisfaction that my
life has indeed been well spent and
that leave behind, not sorrowing
friends, but nation grateful that
in her hour Of need her sons were
not found wanting.
Kindly to all the old chaps give
my regards, all the p. o. men with
us are we'll, save one you all knew,
a trucker, gone = but went out
gamely Charlie is o. X. Tell
Mr.. Brack his son, Charlie, is do
ing fine.
We soon will be due for a rest
period and then for seven golden
DAYS at Nice and Monte Carlo,
days of good food, clean beds, rest
and sleep and the movies.
Girls? On, yes, but my ability
to speak French doesn't give me
much Of an edge on the others you
know, for eyes are a universal
language.
I must come to a close now. for
it is time for the reserves to go
forward, and since it has been my
job today and tonight I've been
writing while waiting, so good
bye and good luck to all, and re-
member ! don't think Fritz has
a gun that can get me.
/ shall always remember your
great kindness. and kindly believe
me to be faithfully yours,
Samuel P. Gv'vnne. Capt
370th inf. Bird NJ. G. Co.
A +. F.