The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-12-15
GIVES A SKETCH
 OF WORK OF THE
 167TH IN FRANCE

Mrs. A. Nelson of Birmingham has
 received the following letter from her
 son, Louis Nelson, medical detachment fs7th infantry:
 France, October 30. 1918.
 My Dearest Mother: Just saw anoth-
 CT of our observation balloons on fire.
 German airplane slipped one over the
 observer, but he managed to come down
 safely in his parachute. The Boche
 brings balloon down almost ev-
 cry day, but we can easily replace
 them, if necessary double 1t. we are having pretty day and there is great aerial activity over our front It sure
 is great to see our planes come over in
 w formation to pay Germany visit.
 The Boche ometimes comes over our
 lines and they also make 1t miserable, Tor us, too mean they dropped beau-
 coupe eggs" on our area and it causes
 great panic among our troops We boys called these egg wagons a morale low erer, and l mean they lower 1t 100 per cent. Yesterday Boche plane dropped
 two big bundles of papers, stating the people Of Germany wanted peace with out further bloodshed. I tried to get
 copy of 1t, but 1t was too far off and
 also danger of being hit by shrapnel
 The boys in the front lines didn't ap- prove of 1t much, because they know IT the German people wanted peace they know the terms laid down by President
 Wilson in two words Unconditional surrender" One officer after reading the paper said to his troops Give them hell, boys; it's their only peace" | have a pretty good hunch that this war will end pretty soon, and some think that we will eat Christmas dinner in
 the states. Let's hope it, anyway.
 We have been in some hole on this front and ono of the hardest fronts we struck since the battle of the Marne. The Germans selected their best troops to hold the Americans. and I mean we have to fight and pay for every inch of ground we take. The Eighty-fourth brigade, representing the. 1s7th and lssth infantry. took Hill 2SS. one of the highest hills east of Verdun. By taking this hill we have lived un to our reputation, which we have w0ii in our recent battles. I am sending you d letter of our commanding general, Fifth army corps. praising us for our good work. It was a bloody fight; fighting and even the weather man was against us for four five days we slept in rain and mud. It Was suffering and many man came in from the front line say- ing he was all in and couldn't make 1t any longer. But the majority stuck it out like men, and it was the old men twhat was left from recent battles) who saved the day. Now that we are back in the rear, I wonder if our good war boss really IS going to give us a rest. It is pretty sood sign as we have been issued overcoats and clean underwear, etc
 We'll, how is everybody getting along in Birmingham? Are you having a good time these days? I think better times will come when the soldiers come down Third avenue with our famous band in the lead. Won't 1t be the grand and glorious feeling? I feel it's coming. because the Germans are going to throw up the white flag and say, We surrender"
 If we are relieved during the week I am going to try to secure a pass to Paris. GA slim chance.)
 Have you heard MT Burr speak? MT. 1 Burr was with us during two big bat ties and he has donsSa great deal for our boys.
 Here's the history of our division since coming to France:
 The Forty-second division assembled together near, Voucouleurs, remaining there five days. Here we started on our hike, marching through village aft CT village, and passed through where Joan De Arc was born. We stopped at St blim until after Christmas, when we made our record making hike snow and cold weather. We our destination near L.ongrs and made our training camp there for two months. Being equipped with gas masks, helmets. etc. we were put in {, box cars and shipped 70 Baccarat on i the Lorraine front. We held that sector for 110 days without the aid of the l French. When General Pershing called | on us to help the Blue Devils out on | the Champagne front we saw some of | the fiercest fighting Of the war. We fought | side by side with the Blue Devils, with i the words stand or die." mean we | didn't give an inch. We knew that the l German offensive of July IA was com- Ing on and we were strongly prepared | Tor their attack. We fought for four | days. up to July IS, when General i Foch's counter offensive started. We left Suippe that morning, thinking we | were going in for rest. but instead we hiked 30 Kilometres to Chalons. where | we were loaded on box cars again. At | hat time our communication to Chateau l rhierry was cut off and we had to go l around by the way of Paris and then to LA FeStsa We unloaded there. and