Milford chronicle., 1918-09-06

The following letter was received
from Lieut. T. A. Rudell, of Milford,
Del, who is in France. by E. H.
Bratton, of Milford, who permits the
publication:
July II, 1918.
Mr.. F. II. Bratton,
Milford, Del, U. S. A.
My Dear Mr.. Bratton:-
| have lust been discharged from
the hospital, and while there, three
days ago, received the box which you
so kindly sent me.
To merely say Thank you," would
be a very prosey form of gratitude
under the circumstances, as / should
like to tell you the ones who got them
and the disposition of the box. Our
ward was entirely out of smokes and
had been putting in some anxious
hours expecting some when my box
arrived. Starting with myself, my
old lighter was out of commission, so
! kept the lighter, the pipe, the can of
tobacco and enough cigarettes to sat
isfy me until later, which was one
pack The rest | divided equally
among my comrades.
should like to tell you about them.
Number One stopped four bullets and
Will probably never enjoy many more
cigarettes, as he is pretty near sure
to go under. Number two, in cross
ing No Mans Land, got hit in the
shoulder and in the leg. Number
three, coming out of a dug-out, got
mixed up with a shell fragment that
plowed a furrOw down his back.
Number four was told by his Heuten-
ant, who saw a Boche over in the Op-
posing trench, which was deserted or
supposed to be, to take mis- squad and
go over and get him. His squad was
busy and tired, so this Virginia boy
just stepped across No Mans Land,
jumped in the trench, looked in a dug
out, and there were seven BOches in
there. so he brought the seven back
with him, keeping step across No
Mans Land in broad daylight. (Do
you think Fritz will ever hope to beat
a nation that turns out boys like
that0 Two nights after he was hOr-
ribly gassed, and was here for re-
pairs. Number FIVE, gassed Num-
Der six, seven, eight, gassed. Num-
Der nine-During a little evening
exercise in the bayonet line on a road
got two bayonet wounds, one finger
shot off, and after losing his gun,
knocked a BOche down with his fist, |
and under penalty of knocking him
down again, marched him proudly
over to our lines at a double quick, |
and then promptly tainted when ne
got in the wire. Number ten, gassed
and one ear blown off.
These are samples of the boys who
enjoyed their smokes from the Red
Star. F." Doesn't that make you feel
a little mellow to think that you were
able to give comfort. even if only tenn
porary, to these brave boys. / could
tell you whole lot, but just wanted
to give you sample and an idea of
what a few cigarettes mean to the
boys, some of them with long, weary
weeks ahead of them. / myself was
lucky, and am now returned fit for
service. l love my work, but am like
the rest-occasionally have that long
ing for home and to see the dear ones
at home; but it would be a poor home
with half our children with their
hands cut off, our homes razed to the
ground, our pure women ravished (
and a drunken Hun for a boss; so we
are trying to register our little kick
against Kaiser Bill in a nice gentle
way-generally with a bayonet-and
when he gets done with America he'll
tell the world that he has been in
some scrap.
want to thank you again, not on