The Morgan City daily review. (Morgan City, La.) 1916-1920, 1918-02-04
American Boy In Trenches In France Writes
To Morgan City Boy In Training Camp

.
weeks ago. Ii is scarcely necessary
for ne 10 write how pleased Vas,
because il seemed as If ] were chat
ting with you as il the days Of OLD.
Good old days they were and happy
are the memories Many times IN
nv IDLE moments, my thoughts revert
to the nights spen. in the Erie Turn
yereir and the few pleasant ones Il
the Flks. All, Boy. when We return,
rest assured We viii make Up Tor lost
tune and cause the stay-at-homes 70
take the back seats During our abb
sence they can shine but We sincerely
hope il will be shortliyed
Since nay last letter to you many
things have happend. On December
9TH. orders arrived for our field
ambulance 10 move, since which
time have travelled over much ter
rirory arc been exposed to Constant
shell tire nave barely escaped BE-
ing hit on few occasions. But ToG
know a miss is as good as mile or
50 we should worry. Have become
considerably hardened and entertain
no fear for Fritz shells. In fact
the are music TO my ears as they
whiz thru the air and explode. IN
most instances without doing any
NOR damage than large hoe IL
the grorrd. 1t also means ore
] carer to exhaustion Of his ammu-
milton For every one he fires we
return ten in good measure Yru
viii notice ! am now living in the
trenrhes. On December % orders
an red transferring me from tn
field ambulance to the position OF
medical officer of regiment This
change is responsible for my pres
ence here. and / con sincerely say
there are no regrets. The life Is
full of all kinds of exciteemnt. Be
sides the medical officer is little
God with his men, with no one to
Interfere in the execution of ones
duties. Here we see the sick and
wounded first hand, while on the
contrary in the ambulance company
we were only means Of transfer.
The one drawback is our lack Of ia
cilities for treatment and following
ID our cases
One outstanding feature is the
opportunity to see how the men in
the trenches are forced to live. One
has no idea Of the attending hard
hips If anyone had told me Of the
existing conditions, surely would
Estate to accept their statement.
,,w, however, am thoroughly con-
yinced, and astonished t. realize
tat the human anatomy can toler-
-. svcl extreme abuse. Some of
men in the extreme forward
lsts do not taste warm food for
s'1ys None of them have any pro-
: -tion or shelter from the weather
IS long as they are in the front
Ines, and sleep in inches dug in the
eide Of the trench. During this
biting cold winter with its snow
and wind, a few days of
s.. h exposure is the limit Rum in
t~o-ounce quantities is served once
daily to give them warmth and keep
-up their spirit. They look forward
=, it eagerly. One great ailment is
~ .blains and trench feet. We en-
..:..~cr to avoid this by giving them
~cod shoes, clean dry socks daily
-~i an hour thorough massage with
-h,le oil. In the last few days
in-ny beginning cases have report
cd to me. Have instructed them to
observe the above points. None have
returned as yet
Ny deepest sympathy goes out to
those fellows especially those who
voluntarily. enlisted. These fellows
at home who are enjoying the COM
forts thereto attached, can easily
shut that the war must continue
cs.H the Kaiser and German Mill.
tasism are crushed. If they on the
other hand were forced to come
here and undergo the. sufferings Of
the privates. Am positively certain
they would raise the loudest howl
FOR peace. Most all Of the officers
and men are "fed up. To add in
sult to injury, the men in command
IRE not the most efficient, but hold
!. tAeir appointments through political
Influence. Some Of the efficient
but hold their appointments through
political influence. Some of the in.
Influence. Some Of the inferior Of.
1lcers would prove more ca
Fable leaders. An are waiting
for America to begin action. ;.
Censor interviewed. :. Feel very
confident that when Uncle Sam
makes m attack and he will moi
start until fully prepared there will