The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1918-12-13

Co. NJ. 126th, Infantry to hrs
parents DIR. and Mrs. l.. L. COnkey
of Hartford. The letter was writ
ten from Base hospital in France,
ON October 10th, and is . VIVID
d.,,Iiption of his waterloo rs
he calls il at the battle of Fismes,
July 3Ist. The letter is taken from
, The Hartford Day Spring of last
week.
Dear Father and Mother: l am en-
closing to you brief description of
my vivid recollections of the day on
which | met my "Waterloo" while on
the way to Fismes, July 31st.
1t was long trip that we took in
the box cars marked 40 Horses or
40 Men," Two days and nights we
rode; we did not know nor care where
we were going. At last the old train
came to stand still, and we found
ourselves at new location on the big
front.
Here we piled into trucks and rode
all day over the trench land where we
could see dead soldiers strewn over
the battlefield, which was covered
with discarded and wrecked imple-
ments of war left by the fighting men
"a sight long to be remembered.
That night found us in a large piece
of woods, tired, wet and hungry. The
rain came down all night, but too
tired to be noticed by us. Yes, we
L Sc 20 ~ hot ba
big guns of the allies were thunder
ing, but few miles in advance of us
and were driving the boche back.
The next afternoon, about four
o'clock, we were on the same move
again. 1t had stopped raining so that
hiking was not bad. After about
a twenty mile hike we found our
selves in Smelling distance from the
Huns. Now and then we would drop
to the ground while shell went
swishing by as they were going over
to Fritzy for supper-thanking God
that they were going to Fritz instead
of coming our way.
At one o'clock the next morning, we
halted in another woods, too sleepy
and tired to notice the noise of the
allies guns or the bursting of Ger
man shells which were landing not
far from us. Yes, we slept all the
rest of the night The next afternoon
found US nearer the front and headed
straight for it; night found US in the
protecting shelter of another woods.
Here we passed sleepless night, for
the airpanes were thick overhead
and it was a fine night for their
operations.
Our breakfast consisted of hard
tack and Coffee the coffee was made
from muddy water taken from a shell
hole. At ten o'clock, with little rest
to our credit, we were informed that
we were to go "over the top" at
twelve o'clock noon. so | got busy
cleaning up my rifle and As Colts and
my trench knife. My bayonet was as
sharp as razor as | expected to get
a chance to use it before long.
We were all glad to know that we
were "going over" Our boys had the
Huns on the run, and it looked like
mere sport to us. At twelve o'clock
the company fell in and marched out
on the open field falling in with other
companies and starting up a long slop
ing hill which fronted us. The shells
were bursting all about us; to the
right, to the left and in front of us.
There we're our large calibre guns
and were dealing death to the Ger
man soldiers. Arriving at the top
of the HILL we found it cut into fields
Of different sorts of grain. Now and
then Hun plane would swoop down
and spit few bullets and be off.
After being over the top for about
five hours-fghting here and there,
in valleys, on hills, behind trees and
banks | was in a wheat field when
| saw Hun plane at quite an alti-
tude. Suddenly he shut off his engine
and made a quick dive toward US.
When over our heads he gave us a
few shots. Just as | was about to
take a shot at him with my rifle, a
lead hit me in the left forearm, knock
ing my rifle to the ground. It did not
hurt me much, so | put on a first aid
dressing and moved on down the hill
that enters the town Of Fismes. We
did not go very fast, but stopped to
hit the ground at the bursting of more
boche shells. One of them pot nv
pal in the rank next to me. He was
dead and nothing to do but go on and
leave him. | was just beginning to
wonder when | was going to get
mine, and by this time we had left
many behind. didn't have to wonder
long, for the next two were for me.
] think Fritz must have made and
meant that shell for me, because it
sounded like ten. | hit the ground
with the shell; the roar seemed to
tear me apart, helped by the concuss-
ion on the dirt. Ny tin hat was the
first to leave me and went rolling.
could see the feet Of the soldiers as
they passed me, but it was all mist.