davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1918-10-29

and ] have not heard from you since
that night in New York. received a
long letter from X. Berry last night.
We have been on the front line for
three weeks. We were relieved last
night and we are in rest camp be.
hind the lines, but we don't get much
rest here as Fritz keeps us busy dodg-
ing shells all day, but we have been
very lucky as we have not lost any
men out of the outfit as yet.
1t is wonderful place here. am
sending you some pansies that
picked in shell hole they grow here
as plentiful as the violets do at home,
they are the last flower one would
think of finding here growing wild
and then there are daisies and poppies
also and the sunsets are very pretty
also.
We have plenty of good cold water.
Is Dad home now and how Is he feel.
ing? suppose he is harvesting his
garden by this time. Tell him ! will
bring some sauerkraut seed home for
him TO plant next spring. suppose
about all the fellows have left Mt. Yer
non by this time.
Well, you may tell my friends that
am enjoying the best of health and
am getting fat. We have plenty to eat
and most always good dug.Out to
sleep in and 1t may interest them to
know that we are located on Boche
soil, we have seen quite bit OF
France and like 1t very much and the
French people are very good to lis, In
fact would like to live here for a
while. Well 1t is about supper time
and Fritz is also waking up this time;
he does every meal time he tries to up
set our kitchen and here is one hop
ing that he misses 1t. Well, mother,
hope YOU are well and hope you re-
main so, and please don't worry about
me over here because / am getting
along all O. X.
guess I have written about all !
know of now. wish You would write
once week. as 1t will help out won
derfully and will write whenevei
possible to do 80. Well. mother, hop
ing to hear from you soon, will close
for this time.
remain your own loving son,
Bob.
The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1918-10-29
FRENCH VERY KIND
TO AMERICAN SOLDIERS
SAYS PVT. WILLIAMS

The following extracts are taken
from letter received by Mrs. Harold
Williams from her husband who is
with the Saith Division. 33s Infantry
in France:
certainly am having a great exper-
ience for ! am now In hotel in lit.
tie village in France. They keep their
cows and chickens and in Fact every
thing they have under the same roof
On Our way over to this village we
stopped at farm house and tried to
buy some figs but we couldn't under.
stand what the man said, however. he
took US out under the tree and gave
us about dozen apiece but wouldn't
take any money. We also gathered
blackberries. The people don't pay
any attention to them but they taste
good to us. The people over here are
awfully good to us and they would
give you anything that they have.
They do all stheir farming with oxen
and have little donkeys to drive when
they go away. Most of the women
and children wear wooden shoes and
you can hear them coming for mile
We were up to the blacksmith shop
where they shoe oxen and donkeys
and It sure ia some place. Tell father
that he aught to see 1t and know he
would come right over and start o
shop.
Tell mother that I will write to hel
later as paper Is scarce over here.
The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1918-10-29
DRIVING THE HUNS
BACK TO GERMANY
POPULAR PASTIME
Says Knox County Boy In A
Letter Written To His .
Mother

The following letter has been receiv.
ed by Mrs. ]. M. Hyatt from her son,
George Il. Crotinger, of the 42nd Divi.
sion:
Somewhere in France. Sept. 10.
Dear Mother:
have few spare moments. so will
drop you few lines to let you know |
am o. X, and feeling fine.
AS usual we have been busy, and
this is the first have had q chance TO
write for some time. expect you saw
where the Huns were executing o
launch to the rear and as usual wehad
q helping hand. can not give any
details Of the battle, that is anything
concerning the ground we advanced
over. but ] can say for one thing we
sure had nice lot OF prisoners COINS
The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1918-10-29
BODY TELLS HOW HE
RECEIVED HIS WOUNDS

The following letter has been re.
ceived by Mrs. w. r. Body Of Dan
vile from her grandson, Harry Body.
son Of G. A. Body of GAINESVILLE, for
merly of this city:
Il suppose you will have read about
the big drive, In the Argonne forest
near verdnp before this reaches you.
Well. wei sure gave the Dutch one
black eye there by driving them back
over hills and valleys and across the
river Meuse
We started on the mosning Of Sept
26; and they were still chasing them
when left. We captured over ter
miles of ground. about 1900 prison
ers,, eight 6-inch guns and scores OF
machine guns. never saw such
nerve as the boys showed In the face
Of terrible machine gun and artil
lery barrage. They surely fought
hard. My old captain of the military
police led an infantry company and
was badly wounded. ! haven't heard
from Walter Reynolds, but ! sincere
ly hope hs came through. It's a ter
rtbaa thing to see men all shot tc
pieces. 81.
! don't knew IL I will ever see an
other battle. for believe this killing
viii be- over before Christmas.
waa on q padA0 ata atiou h,,t II u,o
almost Impossible to set up the appa
ratus on account of the intensity ol
shell Gre. ! was happy once during
the fight. The general detailed abon,
IS OF US to tnrn those captured six
inch glRs around and send Jerry's
medicine back to him. Only one ol
the bunch had ever worked on one oi
them, but we surely did put those
The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1918-10-29
BATTERY E BOYS
NEAR FIRING LINE,
SAYS CORP. 0n&AN

Corporal Earl d. O'Bsyan AZ Bat
terry r writes to friend In Mt. Yer
non that the battery is now near the
front.
Extracts from his letter follow:
We left camp last Tuesday at p.
m, and hiked to q little town where
we got on boxcars for another long
ride. This was a much nicer trip
than the last one In boxcars-there
were less men In ear than before.
We left the straw IN our bed sacks
so we could lie down and get good
nights sleep.
We left that town about S:38 that
evening. got up early the next morn
ing and with my feet hanging out
took in the beautiful sights. We rode
over crooked road and went
through many long tunsels.
The towns we passed through were
very old ones and made, of stone
About noon we stopped at another
small town and upon large bill
overlooking the town was q big fort
They said that 1t was the fort that
took Ceaser forty some days to cap
ture.
Nothing much of interest the next
two days. At. Friday noon we pulled
In a little town. where we unloaded
We hiked from there to another
small town, where we are now billet
ed. We are just sleeping any place
we can find. Three Of us sleeping IN
a p,ace ~ metres square. We have
a ladder to get up in our quarters:s \
isn't a very nice place to sleep In By!
we keep warm and dry. SO should
worry
We are about as far from the fronl
as Nit, Vernon Is nom Delaware. In
the evening we can see the flashes o.
the guns on the front and as lie u
bed we hear them rumble, il sounds
like thunder quite ways off.
The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1918-10-29
WAR SOON TO END
SAYS PRIVATE KING
IN A LETTER HOME

Private Carl King has written the
following letter from France to Mr..
and Mrs. C. s. Berry at Howard:
Somewhere in France, Sept. 20.
Dear Mr.. and Mrs. Berry:
No doubt you will be surprised to
hear from me, but have not forgot
ten you and don't expect too either. !
think of yeu people every day and
night and surely would like to be with
you. and I expect I will soon from
the way things look now.
The people ara very old.fashioned
over here as they still wear wooden
shoes.
They do not do very much farming
merely enough to keep them from one
season to the next. They put about
four acres In wheat and one acre in
corn. They raise a great deal of to.
bacco and sugar beets though. They
have big grape vineyards, out of which
they make most of their profits. Ros'
es are in bloom here now, and the sec
ond crop of corn is about knee high
1t is usually nice and warm here with
rain about three or four times weel,
with fog every morning.
When ! get home ! will tell you
about what the country looks like.
Yours.
Carl +. King.
y Co. NJ, 334th Inf.
A. p. O. 9Ob A. Il. #
The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1918-10-29

shells over. We fired all afternoon.
until we ran out Of ammunition. !.
Next morning a piece Of shrapnei
broke out telephone line so my buddy
and | got the job of fixing it. The
shells had been dropping pretty reg.
ularly that morning so we wished
ourselves good luck and started down
the line. We had gone almost to the
break when we heard 1T" comingf
Both of us hit the ground and didn't
lose any time about it, The thing
Bursted about so yards from us and /
got small piece in the arm-iust
big enough to send me to the hosss
pital. surely am proud of that little
hole.
am receiving the best of treat.
ment here and am glad ! did get
wounded This is nice place, hav-
ing been summer resort before the;
war The Red Cross gives us cigar.
cites, candy. cakes and hot chocolate.
] don't know of any organization Ov-.
er here that does as much for us as
II does. =
hope everyone Is we'll back home
and hope to see you in a few months,
Am anxious to get back to Danville.
When do come back am going to-
take week off and just go around
and see the places I've thought Of
since I've been over here. 4
n HARRY BODY.
The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1918-10-29
MILLER Is WOUNDED
BY PIECE SHRAPNEL
GOING OVER THE TOP
Went In German Dugouts and
Captured Over Seventy
Five Fritzies

Mrs. II. A. Cochran of West Burgess
street has received the following letter
from her brother, Albert r.. Miller,
who is wounded and In Base hospital
No. 30, somewhere in France:
September 23, 1918.
Dear Sister and Harry:
Well / guess you have read In the
papers what the Yanks could do with
an army of their own. Old Tritzy
didn't like the bombardment that we
gave him. He surely did see how far
back he could get in his dug outs.
We were up and over the top before
he could get out, and when he did
come out he came holding his hands
above his head and calling "Kamrad."
They surely were surprised when they
saw that we were not going to stick
them with our bayOnets. We got any.
where from 25 to rs Fritzies out OF ev.
cry dugout. We had just gotten In our
trenches when our bombardment start
ed and sure thought that hell had
broken loose. guess / said my pray
ers about a dozen times but ! also
guess that wasn't the only one who
said them.
might as well tell you before ! go
any further that was wounded in
the right cheek by piece of shrap.
mel. Old Fritz got me before l got
very far but l hope to do better the
next time. have had three or four
stitches taken in my face but 1t is
about all healed now or will be when
you get this letter. have had trouble
with my ear and It surely aches like
the dickens. It has been that way for
several days now. have been seeing
the doctor, and he has helped to ease
the pain. never knew that persons
ear could ache SO hard. Most all OF
the boys who got hit with shrapnel OF
bullets were only slightly wounded
and there weren't many of them.
ALBERT.
The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1918-10-29
MASTELLER UNLOADS
WITH E BATTERY BOYS
Tells Of Sights on Other Side; /;
Will Move Forward
Seen

Mrs. Wallace Masteller of Sidney
has received the following letter from
her husband. Corporal Wallace Mastel.
Ter, son OF Mr.. and Mrs. John Nlastel-
Ter Of this city. who is in France with
C Battery OF the 324th H. r. A.:
wonder how you are this morning.
! am fine. do not know If this will
reach you soon or not for there isn't
any regular mail service either way
in this neck Of the woods.
We have been ak days on the road,
riding in box cars. all night hiking.
and camping most any place along the
road in order to give the men and
horses little rest. trying to get into
the big drive and 1t has rained nearly
all the time. at least I have only seen
the sun peep out q few minutes at q
time. The lines have moved so fast
ahead and there is so much artillery
ahead of us trying to go forward that
we are stalled now near the line where
the drive started. However, as soon
as there Is chance to move we will
be into 1t.
I have seen so many Interesting
things so far that could not put them
in o letter II were allowed to,
would have to write hook, but | will
try to remember them and tell yon
when arrive home.
We see lots OF doughboys who have
been lost from their outfits or who
have been relieved. according to all
reports. They are giving the Dutch
hell. Nearly all of them carry some
trophy or souvenir back with, them
such as q revolver. belt, helmet, etc
Their belts have "Gott NIT Uns" OF
the buckle. I think II be is he must
be like the colored gentleman In the
cyclone going some.
You may not hear from me for sev
eral days, but do not worry, for it is
impossible to write or even mail let
ters at times. have seen the whole
battery from Mt Vernon. We were
| unloading at the same station at the
same time.
Cpl. Wallace w. Masteller,
G Battery, 324th ii. r. A.,
| American II. r., France
The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1918-10-29

At last we are at the front and ev.
erything that has been said about the
rain and mud over here Ia true. We
rode In boxcars, walked from IL to Is
miles at q stretch and camped 10 the
woods, here and there, aloes the
march. until we finally reached eas
destination, the ruins OF another
French village.
French villages are not attractive
places in times of peace and of the
approximate 500 buildings here. there
is scarcely one which has net huge
shell hole through the roof. II any
one tells me of the beauties OF sun
ny" France after return to the
States ! shall feel like taking q
".swipe at his head" Some Of rs
hoped a truck lone Of the many
thousands In use on these roods) and
went W a strong hill position that
the Germans had occupied for three
or four years and had been shelled
only two or three days before we ar.
rived. We crossed with difficulty that
portion of ground which q few days
before had been No Mans I.end Over
barbed wire entanglements, huge
shell holes some the size OF house,
and across trenches until we reached
the German main trench. 1t was
wonderfully camouf1aged by vines
and branches hanging overhead. The
trenches are deep. have wooden sides
and floor and an elaborate telephone
system connects all parts of II. Huge
concrete dugouts were scattered here
and there along the sides OF the
trench and the officers had very com.
Portable rooms under the ground.
We saw many dead Germans lying
around and | am enclosing button
clipped from the uniform of o dead
officer.
have seen several air battles
burning balloons and as many as 29
airplanes in the air at one time.
Although we are in the danger zone
| have had no shells light close to ms
yet. The band may be sent to some
hospital soon. Those poor shell
shocked fellows rouse when the,
hear music when nothing else will Of
feet them. Or. II It is necessary, ,wt
will be used as messengers ana
stretcher bearers at the front.
We get very little news here. bu
the report Is that Bulgaria has uncon
! ditionally surrendered. Turkey .ant
Austria will probably follow aRd theI
Germany will cry: ALAS. all of ouI
allies have deserted us. the whole
world Is against Ms and we can nc
longer continue" In the meantime
you will want to know that ] am try
ing to contenrNmyself with the for
tunes of war and II ] am lucky ] viii
come out OF this with whole s&iz
/ cannot write oftes 50 yen n,Sts
consider that mo news h good news
and that l am happy asa nave naa.
staupch companions.
With much love,
BALDWIN. :.
The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1918-10-29
THINGS MOVE, AND
MOVE FAST OVERSEAS
Donald M. Snow Writes Inter.
esting Letter To J. A.
Kelley

Donald NJ. Snow, N Co.. 18th Engin.
eers, A. P. o. 7O8, American E. r., has
written the following interesting let
ter to James A. Kelly, South Gay
street:
Nevers, France. Sept. ls.
My Dear Mr.. Kelly:
Your very welcome letter reached
me Sunday last. Sept. Is, and ] was
pleased and surprised to hear from
you. Letters are our greatest pleasure
ovr her and incidentally about the
hardest thing to get, SO you can east.
ly appreciate how eager | was to hear
what you had to say.
am mighty glad to hear that things
are running along so smoothly at
home.
Your news of the great vOlumn of
business at home sounds fine. but II
you really want to see things move
you should come to France. It would
be wonderful trip for you to make
after the war;
: We are as eager for newspapers
over here as you are at home and the
way the Yanks have been putting
things across lately, 1t must keep
the presses hot in the newspaper Of
fees in Mt. Vernon.
/ hear from father quite frequently
and he Is most cheering In his letters
You would do we'll to follow his wal
dope as he has been all right all the
way through. W a.
My brother Is quite we'll and getting
along with his training as an Observ
err. He has been commissioned Q sec
ond lieutenant in the field artillery.
Since the new draft ages have beer
changed ] expect your son, Fred, vii
be stepping along one OF these day
to Camp Sherman. He should &c
ready in time for he can make thing
much easier for himself,
Il am well and quite satisfied will
the outlook. OF course II wouldn't TAX
me long to pack my barracks bag.
the order came to go home, but II will
come along one OF these days, II W
just have patience.
l am In on of the finest American
camps In France. It compares favol
ably with the camps ct home. Our "y
Is new. commodious and Just acros
the street from my mess han. NJ
company and regiment Is well-0tficel
(, u and it's poor day that We do Re
The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1918-10-29

to the rear all of the time through our
advance. Most all az them were glad
and ready to be taken. There are o
few prisoners who stih think that Ger
many will be victorious. but they are
mostly officers. Another thing can
say Is that as far. az ] can see they
are not short of as much stuff as Is
claimed, except in artillery, and they
still have more Of that than would
like for them to have. The shortage
Of man power was also noticed, but Of
eats and drinks there seemed to he a
plenty. They were all living in fine
quarters, but why shouldn't they, for
they have been there for the last four
years. The Officers quarters were as
nice az any one would wish for with
all of the modern conveniences. In.
cluding electric tights, baths. stoves
and beds.
We had q visit from French await
or, who had trouble and was forced to
stop close to where we now camp. He
was fine young fellow and could talk
a little English. and with our small
amount of French we had very en-
joyable evening.
OF course do not care for their Job
in the air, hut at that they have more
of chance than we do. Their life
behind the lines when not on duty Is
one big party.
The Boche still bothers us as we
are not great ways back. but guess
we are waiting till they get our next
show bills printed. then we will move
some place else. and put on another
show. They have us billed to the end
OF the war without any, rest. ! guess
we are getting q pretty good reputa.
ton, hut there are other things
would rather have. but when 1t is all
over 1t will be great to say you were
with such and such regiment
Our mail has not been coming very
we'll of late. but we do so much NOV
ing around, especially at night trying
to sneak up on Mr.. Boche, that our
mail can not keep up with US. Talk
about sneaking we sure did and caught
him mapping, and think we are al
least a month behind In our line oi
eats and two months. in sleep. and
expect 1t will be longer than that be
fore this Is over.
don't know when viii get to sent
this out. but will wFite 4 now, and 81
1t will be ready at the first chance
Please excuse paper as It Is oil have
and have not found an envelope as yet
do not know anything about Dali
Linson, and don't suppose ] ever will
as France is quite large place t,
try and find man when you hav,
not the least. idea of where he Ia. Tw,
Of our men were decorated with the u
8. C. in the last hattie, but I dom
know what we will have from the mex
one.
Give my best to all and tell Mr.
Bishop not to wait for me to write, fo
It is very hard to tell what will hap
pen next We have to get letter IL
whenever W can, which has not beel
very often lately.
The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1918-10-29
MT. VERNON BOY BUSY
! DODGINC SHELLS,
HE WRITES HOME

The following letter has been re.
cetved by Mr.. and Mrs. r. I. Monroe
Of Maplew0od avenue from their son,
Robert Monroe. who Ia now In France:
Somewhere In France. Sept. IS. '1S
Dearest Mother:
Well 1t has been Q loRg time since
1 have han the chance TO wTfta you
The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1918-10-29
News Of the Boys in Camps Here and Over There
Little Hints What Soldiers
Some Of Their Experiences Sights They Seeing

turn out something to help the boys
at the front.
must close ana hit the bunk. as It,
is nearly taps.
My kindest regards to all your fami-
ly and to my friends.
Fraternally.
Donald NJ. Snow
The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1918-10-29
SENDS HOME BUTTON
FROM THE UNIFORM
OF DEAD GERMANS
Dr.. Baldwin Dickinson Sends
Interesting Letter From
Somewhere In France

The following letter has just been
received by Mr.. and Mrs. A. G. Dick.
inson from their son, DR.. G. b. Dick
inson OF Columbus. formerly OF Mt.
Vernon. who is now In France with
the 924th heavy field artillery:
On Active Service
France. Oct. 2. 1913.
Dear Mother and Father:
The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1918-04-16

T. Pinner. Miss d. " Sem, Mrs. W.
C.. Brown. Mrs. ". G. Longshore.
Dr. L. A. Riser. who had charge OF
the campaign for this state. takes
this means Of thanking the editors,
ministers, school teachers and chiid-
rem. moving picture shows and tae
above mentioned men and women and
their assistants for the valuable aid
given. He also thanks those "no
sent contributions through the dol
lar letters" sent out from the Co
lumbia Office.
Pamphlets on tuberculosis for use
in the public schools will be dis
tributed throughout the state; some
public health nurses will be put on
to visit and instruct in homes where
tuberculosis exists: charts on tuoer-
culosis will be sent to all schools
which have sold as many as 500 seals
and many other plans are On foot 70
aid in the fight against the Great
White Plague"
The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1918-04-16
Preparing for the Election.

The Democratic clubs are to be re-
organized on the last Saturday IN
April The reorganization will con-
sist of the election of executive Of
icers and the election of delegates 20
the county convention. Each club is
entitled to send to the county Con-
Yention one delegate for each % votes
or majority fraction of % votes cast
in the first primary of 1915. The
county convention will elect a new
county chairman, another executive
committeeman and nine delegates 70
the state convention to be held in Co
lumbia The county convention is due
to be called to order by the chairman
of the county executive committee ami
! begins organization with the election
of temporary chairman. Then
comes the election of a permanent
J chairman and the county chairman. !"