New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1918-07-03
Messages From Over Seas
TALES ARGoNAUTs WHO HAVE SAILED IN QUEST
FLEECE WE II
CALL FREEDOM. \ - =.

3
OF THE COLD
CALL Fl
Two very interesting letters received
from Frank Niemann by his parents
have kindly been loaned to the Review
in order that the boys who get the paper
elsewhere may hear from Frank. The
letters contain more than the average
soldier letter does of information about
the country and we print them in full
as they have teen passed by the censor.
Somewhere in France,
June 3, 1918.
II am still at Blois but expect to be
sent out of here soon. We are classified
here according to our trades and then
are assigned to our regiments.
"Just emily met a couple of fellows
who know about New Ulm: one is Frank
Emmerich from Mankato. He is a
cousin of Chas. and VIM. Emmerich
and is in my company. The other fellow
is brother of O'Meara who worked for
the county surveyor. It feels good to
talk things over with somebody from
home. -
CoIClOdy WCuC Cul u VIC NudCCdu
de Blois which is the castle in which
former kings and queens of France used
to live: The beauty of the interior
decorations can not be easily described.
Every room is differently decorated and
the sculpture and decoration on the out
side are very pretty. It certainly is
worth the price of rs centimes, or
cents in our money to go thru the old
building.
~ am just getting on to the hang Of
the French money. Altho things are
fairly cheap there are all kinds of OPP
portunities for spending ones money if
one wants to. I'll try to hang on to as
much of mine as l can. I have over
$14 left and that ought to last me for
some time altho once in a while a fellow
blows himself to something extra to eat
and that costs money. ... T..
Don't worry about me as it won't
help you nor me. l am well taken care
of and will come back safe and sound
in couple of months. We get enough
good food to eat, better than the natives
here, so you need not worry on that ac-
count. Will have to say goodbye. now
with best regards to all. r..
FRANK. ~.
P.S. If you don't hear from me some
times, maybe for a month or so, don't
worry for you must not forget that
France is very far from Minnesota.
> Somewhere in France, y
May 80 1918.
'Well, here I am safe and sound in
France. No doubt, that is very old
news to you by the time this letter reaches
you for I expect you have already re-
ceived the card 1 sent before leaving
We had nice trip over the pond taking
everything into consideration. I wasn't
seasick altho I felt a bit shaky the first
few days out. The boat I was on was
originally a German freighter which was
taken by the boys and turned over te
the u. S.
81 never thot there was so much water
in the world but now I believe it.
want to cross the ocean only once more
and that is to come home.
81 am now in camp at Blois which is
about 100 miles from Paris and around
400 miles from the port where we landed
This is just sort of rest camp and
distribution camp. From here we are
sent to different regiments to which we
will be assigned. ...
France is a very pretty country.
The land is intensively cultivated and
the whole country looks like garden.
1t is very interesting to see the towns
which are mostly all old and have an
interesting history. I don't think I
have seen more than two wooden build
ings and those were small. At the camp
where was first there are stone barracks
that were built and used by Napoleon.
I saw the wall where he used to have
his enemies lined up to be shot and there
must have been a good many of them
if one can judge by the number of holes
in the wall. ..-
'There are great many German and
Russian prisoners working all over the
country. They are happy and seem
content. We passed a bunch of about
500 Russians who had been wounded and
whom the French want to send back but
they refuse to 60. II
Zone can see that this country is at
war by the number of women that do
all the work. It is curious to see women
in overalls working in the factories.
Soldiers are allowed to buy wine and
beer here. AS most of us have money
the lrishmen in our company promptly
SOI ui uHh CLe llISC udy we lanQeQ mere.
There are only two in the guard house
so It wasn't so bad. What I miss most
here is mail. I suppose it will get here
sometime so please write and send papers.
Give my regards to everybody and write!
Another letter written by Frank June
Is and received Sunday is dated from
Tours. He says in this letter that he
has been assigned to the 469th Engineers
which is railroad construction regiment.
He is in the drafting office of the director
general of transportation. He expects
to be assigned to a surveying party and
thot it likely that he would travel over
most of France. He says the work is
all new to him and very interesting.
Speaking of their surroundings, be
says: 'The barracks where I am now
quartered is one. of the most pleasant
I have seen in France. We get lots to
eat and have good place to sleep and
the good bunch Of fellows am with
also goes long way toward making one
feel at home. They are mostly all
college men and one could not wish to
be with better fellows. I have even
e.. \ IN