The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1918-02-01
Christmas on the French Front.
Somewhere in France,
Dec. %, 1917.


Dec. %, 1917.
Today was really our Christmas since
the regimental boxes arrived this morn
ing. Every one received packages,
even those who had no relatives or
friends to send them. There were
boxes to give these men furnished by
kind hearted citizens of the u. S. A.
Many of US have more than we really
know what to do with at present, but
have stored it away for future refer
ence. The two packages from all you
at home and Chicago arrived in first
class shape and were very gratefully
received. Will say that all the articles
were very we'll selected. Besides these
there was very generous package for
each member of D Company from the
fund collected on the Milwaukee Ry.
as well as pound of candy from a
fund on the G. B. & @. Ry. which
does not have company in the .regi-
ment but about 20 men scattered IN the
six companies.
Christmas eve and day were quite
merry with US considering the circum-
stances. Some of the boys who sing,
with the help of the Y. M. G. A. men
and the chaplain, organized a minstrel
company. They gave very good show
and put it on three different times so
that as many as possible might have a
chance to see it, Some Of the men
must be on duty at all times, of course.
Besides the MINISTRIES there was wres-
Ting and boxing and some speeches by
the Col. and other officers. On Christ
mas day at noon there was served
very good Xmas dinner, although there
were neither cranberries or pie. The
turkey was excellent and there was
mashed potatoes with gravy and some
stewed figs. Not very imposing menu
but what there was was very good and
besides we're so unaccustomed to any,
thing fancy in the line eff eats that any,
thing more would probably have made
us all sick and this would never do as
the French troops up front would all
have starved while we were recover
ing. This would never do, of course,
since we're in the war to win.
Our Christmas joy has been some
what dulled by the death of two OF our
comrades One from our own Go. ID,
Jesse Main from Stillman Valley, ILL.,,
who died of pneumonia. The other
man who was buried here today was
killed in an accident on the road yes
terday. He was man by the name OF
VIM. Resseghem of Moline, ILL.,, in e
COMPANY. I attended the burial cere-
mony this morning. He was given all
military honors including the firing
SQUAD Is seems very hard to be put
ting some of our boys away in this
strange land, but, of course, it must be
expected in an organization of this size.
The general health of the regiment is
very good, however, so we don't ex-
pect to lose many due to sickness.
We had white Christmas and it has
been showing all day today. The
weather here is very much like the
winter weather of southern Wisconsin
though perhaps not quite so cold.' 1t
has been down near zero several nights
of late. We are quite we'll clothed and
have comfortable barracks so the
weather doesn't bother US at all. At
present the men who are not out on
DUTY are sitting on their cots writing
letters to the folks back home ack-
nowledging receipt of Christmas pres
ents. The business of writing always
picks up after mail day.
The little Testament you sent over
arrived O. K. and noticed the marker
was placed at the 23rd Psalms.
Some time ago | wrote that we were
receiving plenty of reading matter from
the States through the Some-Soldier-
in France system. Of late there has
been a scarcity, however. Wish you
would send q magazine direct once IN a
while if you have them. The T. ..
Dept. is doing so we'll now that we get
everything sent to us. I've enough to-
bacco and candy to last me all the time
I'm in France, | hope, so there is no
need of any Of you sending any more.
believe l wrote you that the boxes
sent by the old Edgerton friends and
Horace and Frank, also fine pair OF
wristlets from Mrs. Pease, arrived. 1t
was very kind of them.
Our work goes on as usual. We have
some fine American engines now with
gu. S. Al printed in big letters on
the tenders. These are monsters COM
pared with the little old French engines
we had at first and they greatly in
creae the efficiency of our operation.
One American engine replaces three or
four of the others.
This letter is written on the station
cry which came today with your card
enclosed. Will try to use it often for
your benefit.
Love to all,
ROB BENTLEY,