The Butler weekly times and the Bates County record. (Butler, Mo.) 1918-1950, 1918-11-07
Nit. Atkeson Writes His Father.
81 October 10, 1913 !.

II tsSTSe-4 s>IN' u
IaI got your letters Of September :
Eana 9 a day or so ago, but have been
busy that have not had time to
faYswer them. Two of our officers
have been sick ever since we came
auf Of the line this time and the Cap
tafn and have been compelled to do
more than the usual amount of work,
and neither of us were feeling the
|best in the world. | guess you long
ago got the cablegram sent. few
days ago. | was afraid that some Of
| the Missouri papers might get hold
lot the fact that this division was in a
big scrap and you might get worried
BECAUSE it has been some time since
wrote you.
We were really in tough scrap,
and hope | did the Atkeson name
credit. guess did, from what my
men seem to say-nothing Wonder
ful. We were in one of the toughest
sectors there is on the fcont today
and we went through them for day
sorsso, until we became quite disor-
eganizkd and lost our liaison with the
ARTILLERY. Fritz cost us some men.
our platoon especially, but nothing to
what seemed he should have. We
went through barrage after barrage
lot his artillery firing right over the
sights at us. The first day out we
got nine prisoners, eight little, fat,
whole Dutchmen, and one with
pedal extremity which had been ham,
3pered by bullet from the rifle of one
Nf NV .,,rranote T1,a f;,.c+ <t,roa
got were engineers and were just
having breakfast when we interrupt
ed their festive gathering. The next
three We got were playing hide and
seek behind one of their machine
gems, but after considerable nlaneuv-
,ering we managed to put one out OF
commission and get the drop on the
other three. We got the machine
gun, too, and anr keeping the lock OF
it, as a souvenir. The next bunch we
ran into while we were going to see
what was the matter with this
wounded one. but,we happened to see
them before they saw us and made
them carry the wounded one in to the
first aid station. There was nothing
to it. just good deal like hunting
rabbits, only they were little harder
to jump out of those concrete dug
outs, which they had been living
for three or four years.
He dealt us considerable grief with
his artillery, but he will not fight at
close range. There is one thing sure,
he missed the best chance he is 60
ing to have for some time to come to
get one little second lieutenant. !
Our, first sergeant was wounded in
first sergeant and company clerk
combined. because was the only one
in the outfit who could use machine
Now, you do not need to worry about
me, Because | am sure lucky, or
would not be writing this letter now
and besides if there is anything to
this peace talk, we may get home
some day. 1t sure made us feel good
last night, just after reading about
the kaiser's peace proposals, to see
a punch of IS bombing airplanes hit
ting it Off toward Germany, and this
we counted another punch of
about IS, SO you see we are still deal
ing him some grief. The French are
quite clated over the prospects for
peace, but we Americans are not put
ting much confidence in the newspa-
per reports. We are all anxious to
get home and you should hear us
talk about the wonderful places back
in the States.
BY the way, you spoke of my jok-
ing with Mr.. Dickinson's son; really
don't know whether he knew l was
any relation to you or not, because
neither OF us ever passed word on
he subject. However, he was killed
II the battle, being one of the three
officers in the battalion to be killed.
The congressman has younger son
II the battalion as a private in head
quarters.
Lovingly,
Lieut.. r. w. .Atkeson,
Iooth Machine Gun Bat