Putnam patriot., 1918-09-27

that after all you were the only one
to whom I might write the truth Of a
little experience / underwent lately,
and have it told to my folks in a con
selling way. / have written Margaret
of it all, but feared being too outright
lest she would suspect something Sc
rious.
First Of all, want to say that l
am in a Red Cross hospital with a
bullet wound in my right shoulder.
Though serious at first, it IS now much
better, and if nothing happens ought
to be out soon and back with my regi-
ment ready for more
Il was in. an attack few days ago
and it would have done your heart
GOOD to see the way we handled those
Dutchmen. and the way the boys went
at everything, no fear. and all the
sand in the world Fighting with
bloody faces, bandaged arms and
lees and sticking to their positions Is
though they could last against hell
The battle was on about FIVE minutes
when a sniper got me, but you can
bet your life he won't get any more
| took my first aid box, tore things
apart, bandaged my wound and then
felt good enough to follow the boys
But before | did I got permission to
90 get the fellow who got me, and /
started out with a friend who volun-
teered to see things done safely. We
erawled out in the bushes and were
about to 90 across a field to another
elump of shrubs when the enemy sent
up a rocket right over our heads and
the field was as bright as day and we
were the only two, plain in view. He
saw US and the rat-a-tat of his gun
was followed by the hum of the bull
lets that fell around us. When the
lights dimmed We crawled to the
bushes and as luck would have it an
other light was sent up and saw him
as plain as day He was up in big
elm tree, way up to the second fork
with a machine gun. Well, | missed
him the first shot, but the second
brought down the beast, machine gun
and all Ny company had gotten
good ways Off, 50 ! reported to the
medical officer and helped bandage a
arge number Of the wounded and still
1nder she'll fire and shower of ma
,hine gun bullets made four trips
With the stretcher bearers over a
nile, carrying wounded. | was finally
ired out and returned for dressing
1t the cave, after which | had to lie
Town until night came and we were
neaked away under cover of the
darkness.
"The second trip with the stretcher
vas met by German aeroplane. and
yhen about one hundred feet above
Is opened fire with his machine CUR
nd swept the ground all around. luck
ly not hitting anyone though he made
Is run about five hundred feet with a
,oor fellow on the stretcher moaning
rom the pains of broken leg and a
Juliet wound in his other leg and his
eft arm. But Frank. don't think II
frightened US any It only increase
he hate we already have for them,
md some day if land safely back to
axe my hat off to the old Statue of
liberty, I'll have a story to tell with
nut exaggerating any of it all. | eN-
,ect to be transferred to the base hos
,ital from here for treatment and will
write you again from there.
Tell Margaret | wrote you and let
lef know of my whereabouts the best
way you en- without upsettiug her. I
I'm perfectly O. X. in every way and
here is absolutely no danger Of my
1eing disabled in any way
p. 81 was lust informed Of my
being made LIST class private The
attack may have had something to dc
With it The day | passed in the cave
With the dead and wounded 1 will re
member as long as | live. am anx
ously waiting for a chance to tell you
myself some day of it all. =