The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1918-12-06
OBION SOLDIER BOY
GRAPHIC WAR STORY
Tells of Stubborn Struggle and
Courage of Americans.

ion City, Tenn.-Dear Sirs: We are
at rest and thought it would be nice
| to drop you a few lines while l have
the time to spare. l know you are
all interested in what we are doing
here. Your hearts are with us the
same as our hearts are with you. To
recount to you just a few of my ex-
periences as q soldier in the last cou-
pie of months is a pleasure and as
the facts are still fresh in my mind
an easy task.
On the fourth day of July we
moved from France into unfortunate
Belgium, where we joined the Brit
ish in the Yprcs sector. The papers
have told you how we captured the
KENNEL and adjoining cities. The
KENNEL victory was, without
doubt, the great stronghold the Ger
mans had on the northern battle sec
tor. Yet, we conquered it with very
| few losses and after very little fight
ing. Our victory there was due to
the master strategy of our generals
and the perfect execution of orders.
However, l shall not tell you much
of Belgium now, but shall carry you
south to the famous Hindenburg
line.
We left Belgium towards the mid
die part of August and for a week or
so rested in beautiful little French
village far behind the fighting line.
Then we entered what is known as
devastated France. Here a sight
struck us which it is impossible for
pen or brush to describe. For long
miles we marched along roads that
were torn by shot and shell and
which ran thru country which was
but a few weeks before occupied by
the Boche. What did we find? Moth
ing but ruin, ruin and deserted fire.
sides. The Boche had systematically
burnt and destroyed every village,
hamlet, farmhouse and city. Every
thing moveable they had taken to
their country and the rest they
burnt and what would not burn they
tore down. And this for no reason
whatsoever, except to satisfy their
love of destruction. The deed was
done maliciouGly and with intent
and not because of military reasons.
The civilian population they had
taken with them in their lairs as
slaves and now they (these civilians) |
are forced to work in shop and mine,
on the farm and in the forests. Yes, |
they are serving their captors in
trench and munition shops. All we
found was but deserted wilderness,
dotted here and there with the re-
mains of once beautiful, prosperous
and happy homes. When we left
our dear homes in Tennessee there
were many among us who did not
like to go across the seas to fight an
unknown foe-many did not believe
that we were engaged in a war for
justice and right and others thought
it was a rich mans war. But when
we saw these deyastations here and
heard from the lips of Frenchmen
the story of the invasion all that was
put aside. We had come, had seen
with our own eyes the justice Of our
cause and we understood the great
principles underlying fnis war, No
longer did we murmr. or regret. We
became enthusiastic and we grew TO
hate the Hun and our spirit of justice
began to demand revenge and repa-
ration.
For many miles we so marched on
these fertile and gently rolling plains
Of eastern Franco, passing here a de-
stroyed sucre factory, there q once
luxurious park now cut down. The
soil had remained untitled and all the
to be found was what
sprung up of it's own free will dur
ing the four years the fighting
armies had run back and forth upon
the soil. We passed camp after camp
and seon, but cfter many miles of
march we camred close to the allied
front. The allied front here was op-
posite the famous Hindenburg line.
The brave Australian troops, our
allies, had rclentlessly driven the
foe to this line during the four pre-
coding weeks. On the Hindenburg
line the enemy stopped to give bat
lie on what he considered the strong
est and most formidable line of de-
tense known in history This line
was designed by him to be the west
ern boundary of his new empire. He
had destroyed everything he could
to the west of it and that to the east
Of it he had left intact. Germany's
groaest generals and her most skill