Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1918-09-13
Friday, Aug. 16, 1918.

FT1udy, aug 10, 1910.
Dear Mother:
Well, how's everybody by this time?
Hope you are all fine and dandy. /
am coming along nicely. The weather
is wonderful now; l can see little
of it from the window
The doctor who operated upon me
was in Sunday and gave me my past
and future history. He had to take
out practically all of the joint, for
the ulna-the bone in the forearm
had the end broken off, and the hu-
merus-in the upper arm-had both
condyles the joint Surfaces splin-
tered. Besides that it had gas infec-
tion in the wound. He said it would
take six months for the arm to COM
pletely heal, and that of course I
would have a stiff elbow. He also
said I was finished for combatant
duty.
Well, on the whole, 1 think I am
pretty fortunate. Of course, one
doesn't like the idea of a stiff elbow;
but it might have been so much
worse. Then, too, if l am through as
a fighter, know that they have done
their worst to me; which also means
a whole lot. Then, by lucky turn,
which the doctor says is remarkable,
no nerves were cut and l will be able
to use my hand.
I have been having lot of pain the
last week The nerves and muscles
of my arm have been so painful.
However, the last couple of days it
has eased up and given me much
more rest, and the last two dressings
which have always been torture
have been far less troublesome.
They tell me the elbow and the knee
are the two most painful places one
can have a wound, because of the
muscle attachments and the many
nerves passing through, and am
quite ready to believe them.
Haven't got any mail yet. 1t has
been over month now since have
had any.
We had an air raid on Paris last
night. The sirens, giving the "alerte, !"
awoke me and l heard a few bombs
"boom" away off. But my arm was
peaceful last night, and so l refused
to be disturbed and went to sleep
again.
Well. I think I am about run out.
One doesn't have much to write about
when he lies abed all the time. I
will inclose a clipping of General
Mangin's statement concerning the
part of the Third Corps-to which our
! division belongs-in the Marine often
sive:
"Officers and non-commissioned Of
fcers and soldiers of the Third AM
erican Army Corps
Shoulder to shoulder with your
French comrades you threw your
selves into the counter-offensive
begun on July 18. You ran to it like
going to festivity. Your magnificent
dash upset and surprised the enemy
and your indomitable tenacity stop
ped the counter attack by his fresh
divisions. You have shown your
selves worthy sons of your great
country and you have gained the ad-
miration Of your brothers-in-arms.
'Ninety-one guns, 1900 prisoners,
immense booty and ten kilometers
of reconquered territory are your
share of the trophies of this victory
Besides this you have acquired a
feeling of your superiority over the
barbarian enemy of entire mankind
against whom the children of Lib
erty are fighting. To attack him is
to vanquish him.
J american comrades, I am CRATE
full to you for the blood you have gen
erously spilled on the soil of my coun-
try. I am proud of having command
ed you during such splendid days and
to have fought with you for the de-
liverance of the world"
Yours,
1T. L. G. ANDREWS.
Am. Red Cross
Military Hospital No. 1.