The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1918-11-22
LETTERS FROM THE
BOYS IN ARMY CAMPS

H. c. Gerlach has received the fol-
lowing letter from Milton NJ! Latta,
A. f. r., first Lieutenant Infantry,
u. S. A., France:
October IA, 1918. Dear Mr.. Ger
ZACH: l wrote TO Henry some months
ago. The letter wandered into my P.
o. box few days ago with all the
stamps that the postal service owns,
all ever il. Henry has evidently been
moving around. I'm going to write
this letter to you so that you can
get the dope to Henry and also send
me his address.
1t has been year since l left the
old U. s. A. I'm getting little home
sick to get back and start in on the
old line again but the bOche is going
to be walloped first. He's beginning
to find out now that he hasn't the
chance of the proverbial snow ball
and we're here to furnish all the
hell necessary to melt it.
We have had some pretty hard
scraps this summer, enough to make
loose weight, if such a thing is pos
sible, and also to start my grey hairs.
At the present time | am at an
army school for officers and expect
certainly feel lucky. This is not
only good place to spend the cold
and rainy season but will give my
nerves chance to settle down if
ever do get back.
You have probably read all about
the fighting in the news papers so I
wont go into detail. Here are some
of the engagements in which we get a
chance to strait the Hun and pick up
a few souveniers, internally as well
as externally; Chateau Thierry,
Champagne, Verdun, and ST. Mihiel.
The hunting season has lasted pretty
well.
This old town we are in now is a
picturesque old place. 1t is COM
pletely surrounded by high walls and
towers. The streets are narrow and
crooked both up and down and side
wise. The combination of chimney
pots and dormers and roofs makes
an interesting skyline in almosts
any direction The colors are also
very good, especially at this time of
the year. When you write give me
all the dope about the family, in
Guiding Nudge. Best regards to all
Milton"
Letter from Clarence Anderson of
Eagle to Mr.. and Mrs. Ira =. Rey-
nolds of that place.
Camp Grant, ILL., November g.
Dear Uncle and Aunt: How are you
folks. / hope fine, as this leaves me
pretty well at present. l have been
drilling right along. l went on duty
the ninth day after coming cut Of
the hospital. But l was pretty weak
yet, | am gaining fast. The boys
say l am getting fat. We were out
on the rifle range a week and we did
some shooting out of the trenches
lying fiat on the ground. And all
kinds of ways. / don't think it will
be a great while before we will go
across the pond Of course l don't
know just when. 1 just received a
letter from James Lyons, and he says
the influenza is pretty bad around
there. 1t is pretty well checked in
camp now. You folks want to be
careful, and not catch cold, for it is
no joke. About 1000 died here, so
you can see there were quite a num-
ber
That Westphal boy died too, poor
fellow, he was a nice boy. Well 1
got letter from Alta and Laura and
Aunt Jennie. They were pretty we'll.
Alta SAID she lad written me be-
fore, but l did not get it. l lost a
lot of mail while l was at the hos
pital, and a box of stuff that Hazel
sent me, l never got,I have two let
tiers from Marie and Ora. l hope
they get along WELL and make good
Roadway. Well those girls are good
workers. l received a letter from
Pa and one from Mrs. George Willin
and a picture of their little boy.
He is awfully cute. They drill
us pretty hard mere. "A great
many of the boys got for.
ty- eight hour pass, but l didn't
want one urless l could have pass
for week, so could get back home
l don't care to go any place else.
Some of the boys went to Rockford,
and some to Chicago. / don't know
anyone Ill those places, and one just
spends money, and we don't get
SO much that We have to throw il
away. We had payday and l re-
ceived forty four dollars for two
months after our insurance was
taken out, have $4,000 policy
running to pa. l wonder if he has
| ever got anything to show from the
government. Don't you think he had
ought to have something? Did
Westphal get any insurance? If
were you 1 would ask him, 7 would
like to find out before go across
Say maybe l will send you some OF
/ my money to put in the bank. l am
over at the Y. NJ. C. A. writing, most
always write from here. We have
quite few in camp, and can have al!
the writing paper and envelopes we
want free, and books and papers to
read. We have Bible class every
Sunday. They have one part fol
moving pictures. They give every
one Bible that wants one. brough,
one with me that Soda Dumbeck gave
me before l left. l will write more
next time SO good night to all. re-
main as ever our nephew, Clarence
F. A.
Owen Griffith writes his ,ootbo,