The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-08-27

RucheSter, Mil h., and rom titefe Sne went to France Her letter fonows
 France, August 3. 1918.
 Dearest Mrs. Lewis: I'm so full Of thrills this a. m. I feel as though l must sit down and write you in spite of the fact that this is my third letter to you and not one from any one since We ar rived. Have been here now most two months and not one speck of mail Seems as though friends and kin have deserted us, but know there is some on the rosd somewhere. If you oold see the congester conditions here you would won der how We got here, to say the least Uf mail.
 LETTERS MEAN EVERYTHING
 But please make it a rule to write at least once every two weeks. 1t means everything for we have no amusements here and nothing but one horrible sight after another to see You people in your peaceful, comfortable homes can never picture this awful thing. I heard enough from people returning from here. but simply could not paint mental picture that would compare with it. But no one but God and these that made through will ever know.
 This is a Iscture of how we have to liNc, put l NaHl 10 say TlSnl IltIts Il the Germans think they have or can weaken the morale of the Americans they are nlistaken-and here I want to add that the bravery of the American nurses is simply wonderful. though I'll never be deo crated for snatching man off cannoiL'
 ''We are all on duty with our gas mask and helmet near. We go to sleep with it hanging to us. We have been f,py, had bl1t he failed hit us each time, but that does not mean they will not return to finish the job.
 HOSPITAL IS BOMBED
 "Severa, rights ago this is what we lived through from 1O:30 o'clock until S.3o a. n., they bombed us and as that did not satisfy their blood thirst, they flew low and peppered us with machine guns. They have no regard for the hospitals. The Red Cross" means mo- thing but an invitation to blow us up. A few days ago two Red Cross men went out to pick up one of our boys they had shot down; they saw they were going to be shot so they raised the left arm which the Red Cross is on The Huns did not do a thing but shoot 1 through the center of the cross breaking 1 his arm. Just before that they had gassed these same two men and they could hardly find their way to rescue 1 the soldier. In spite or all tnlS they brought the boy in.
 My, but I'll never get through thank | ing my God I am here, these boys need us if anyone ever did. The first day of the big drive three weeks ago we work ed 24 hours straight without food We did not have time to stop. It is worth the sacrifice, for those brutes must be taught their bloody lesson. At that time we were 5e ailometers from our present fa ct fha AD,aPi- cans are advancing. We are occupying the spot made famous by the Americans. It is here American history in France has been made and just think of it, all in two weeks time. This is the part I'm prould of and you will be too. The Alabama troops came through our hands at our other station They are the ones with the l;ainbow division. Such sol- diers America will never have again. i ALL PRAISE ALABAMA T met jor who told me that their l fighting and tiavery in this fight made 1 history. I met hundreds of Ohio, Michi- 1 gan and Missouri men and they also said no soldiers that lad been in before fought 1 the fight the Alabama men did. They are 1 all proud of them. I could not help but cry when I met a little fellow from i Ensley and asked him what he was do- 1 ing up to the front and he told me they | got what they went after. It makes it 1 ali the braver to know these boys went 1 over without barrage, nothing but rifles and bayonets, facing German ma chire guns. That was never done be- i fore and probably never will again. It l was done foi the moral effect. but what I is the use of using morale with those 1 savage things that will never again know the meaning of that word I T met several boys from Lacey Ed. |! 1 i iner, though, They could not say toe much for him. They told me he was one i of the best commanders they had ever i had. I also met captain from Bir- mingham and he said the same thing met Major Carroll from Robert Smiths home town and he asked to be remem- bered to him. Tell Dr. Smith he was pretty badly injured but nothing he wit
 not recover from.
 MET CAPTAIN JORDAN
 Also met Captain Jordan, medical os- ] fcer, from Birmingham. He is pretty badly injured.
 Major Carroll said when he left tho l battlefield the man of the hour was
 Borden Burr of Birmingham. Me is the
 attorney from there. you remember. 1 think he is major.
 Here with the unit attached to our. l temporarily is Miss Glazeners sister. Yot l remember Miss Glazener from Elizabetf l Duncan.
 "This a. rn was up to see the ruin st city and on my way back in trucl IT saw pr. Johnson from Fossil on th' side of the road. called to him as WI I passed but don't think he heard me Hewitt Johnson. the younger one.
 You should have seen us at mess yes terday. We had not been here long enough to get up mess tent befor' it began raining. Here We sat in th' pouring rain eating breakfast had hon
 est-to-goodness grits and before we go through it was soup. But such goot sports you never saw, everyone laugMnf and picking around for our bacon
 Really. can't picture myself sitting a a real table again.
 SOUVENIRS ENCLOSED
 I'm inclosing two souvenirs for you one piece of music from the ruine' music hall here and the other a piec of filthy lucre from a German prisoner Can you imagine passing dead bodies q Germans that have not been buried yet They are so bIsily fighting they haven had time to get to all of them.
 Next day-See my letter has beei written by bits. It really was pr. John son I saw. he came down to look m lup He recognized my voiSs as I calle. to him. He is captain and is locate just a short way from us. My. but
 wAs glad to sec him. and We enjoye' I.E -l~-