Evening journal., 1918-12-26
SEAFORD BOY IN
war TO FINISH
Milton E. Mess;ck With
Yankees When Sedan
is Retaken
FOUGHT In ONE
OF BEST REGIMENTS
Special to The Evening journal.

Special TO The Evening Journal.
SEAFOHD. Del, Dec. 26.-Mrs. JoshuJ
MessIek, Of this town. has received an
interesting letter from her son, Milton
2. Messick, who is a member of Regi-
ment Headquarters Detachment DIST En-
gineers. Messick Is a Seaford boy. but
his home was in Wilmington previous
TO going TO war. lie was a flagman on
the Maryland Division, Pennsylvania
railroad and resided at No. 1893 Lom-
bard street. He was In some OF the
most important battles the Americans
took part in and has sent his parents
several German souvenirs which he
captured while in battle. The follow
ing is his letter:
Nov. pc, 1918.
Dear Mother: Now that the war is
over ] will write and tell you where /
am and some Of the places have been.
At present am at Conflans, living in a
large hotel which was occupied by Ger
mans two weeks ago. There are four
iof us In a room and we have IL fixed up
in real style. All we have 20 do is 20
go out and look around in some Of the
houses that were occupied by German
NAANNAo AAAA N0 Nhil Ail4 uilg iiillA Nt
want with which 20 fix up a room. We
have two nice pianos and they are go
ing all the time. On our way up here
we passed the city of Verdun where the
French put up such hard fight In 1911.
Well, IL sure is a shame, there Is what
once was a beautiful city, and now
there is not a building standing. Every
house is a mass Of ruins.
NFoN b..
glad to see the Americans come and
take charge Of the towns and cities,
which for the last four years have been
in the hands Of the Boches. When we
arrived in Conflans the people who have
been prisoners for four years would
run to the doors waving their hands
and flags. There is a scarcity OF food
among them as the Germans took away
everything they could get.
was out 10 the coal mines today;
IL is a very pretty place. The Ger
mans had built large stockade for
their prisoners and made them work in
the mines.
When / arrived in France I landed AT
st. Nazarie and went from there 10
Angers which is a beautiful city. We
stayed there only a short time and then
was sent with Co. F up on the Toul
Sector, that was the time OF the Sois-
sons and Chateau-Thierry hight; that
was the first real battle the Ameri-
cans took part in. From there we were
sent 10 SOrcy where we took part in
the st. Mihiel drive which started the
morning Of September 10. In that drive
we took 5000 prisoners. After that we
were sent to Vramcourt where we fln-
ished the war in the drive on Cedan.
We are now in Conflans following the
Boches 10 the Rhine, and then I think
we will all be coming back 10 the good
old u. S. a. 1 am expecting 10 go on
my leave soon TO Aix-Les-Bains and 70
the Southern part Of France and will
stop off in Paris on my way home. ]
guess the boys will soon be discharged
from the camps to make room for the
boys who are going back from over
here. think we VIII be lucky II we get
back by March as we are picked as one
Of the best regiments in France. l am
writing this in my cosy little room and /
my pal, a fellow from Wilmington, is |
also writing 20 his mother. l will close
for this time, hoping you are all enjoy
'ng the best OF health.
Your loving son,
MILTON.
Rest. Hq. Det. 2ist Engineers.