The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1918-11-07
Lots of love to you, dear dad,
MORRIS. &"

OVER THE TOP AND FIRST DAYS BATTLE
Base Hospital %, October S.
"MY DEAREST MOTHER My arm is
feeling splendid and is coming along
nicely. Yesterday l developed cold,
so it is best that | remain in bed until it
passes over. 1t is even much better
than yesterday. so | will get up tomor-
row some time.
Nov for my experiences: Wednes-
day night, September 25th, we received
orders to turn everything in. carrying
light packs only, which contained our
reserve ration three boxes crackers,
one can corn willy along with one pair
of socks. We commenced hiking about
9 O'Clock and reached our Jumping off
places at the trenches at about two the
next morning Just at that time the
American guns opened, and mama, if
there eyer was noise it was then One
became deafened and ObliviouS to all
other noises: and the sight-it was the
most wonderful | eyer behed. Great
guns flashed and roared for miles and
miles all alCnE our front and then to see
the shells burst when they hit the Hun
line. 1t was such b0mbardment that
old man Fritz could not even retaliate,
so here we were. We all got into shell
holes and trenches and tried to go to
sleep, but | am of the opinion that not
many succeeded IN the undertaking.
AT O'Clock we went over the top,
our company the first line company. and
my platoon the first platoon. However.
this day one regiment was in front of
US and we thought we would have it
pretty soft, but soon found out we were
mistaken. We had passed over and out
of our trenches into NJ Mans Land
which was just one mass of wire, full of
| shell holes and traps. Soon we reached
| the first German trenches. and | must
say they have them fixed up much bet
ter than ours, although we did not stop
long to visit here as cur mission was to
come into personal contact-and combat
with MIR. Fritz. The regiment in our
front had passed over any number of
boches and machine guns, the Germans
hiding until they passed by and then
appear and fire on US. My company
was now held up by machine guns and
1t became necessary to go around by a
flank movement, and in doing so be-
came separated from the company with
only about ten of my men. This was at
about nine o'clock. AS the way was
clear here we went on and picked up
men from other outfits who were lost,
so that soon had upwards of sixty men
with me. With these we captured Il
Germans and four machine guns. They
all fired at US until we were on top of
them when they threw up their hands
and cried 'kamerad, the dirty devils.
The boys wanted to kill them, but moth
ing doing along this line, so after max
ing a search of their clothing we sent
them back through our lines.
III ILLS SoHheStiOH IWO tnlHRS WHICH
/ always doubted proved to be entirely
true: l. A German machine gunner
wears Red Cross on his sleeve. II
God does not punish them for their dirty
} tricks, then its about time we quit. 2
One machine gunner who was killed here
proved to be woman.
1--WE pushed on and about clock al
but about ten men were gone. Now
don't think they were killed; merely lost
or probably strayed into some other our
fit. We were approaching the edge o.
: a woods when about ten machine guns
) opened upon US. We sought shelter il
shell hole where we remained about ar