The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-12-12
JOHN COLvIG WRITES
FROM BATTLEFIELDS
Birds Are Coming Back to tie Ile4os
Since the Great war Has
Ceased.

rbs swish and scream of shells has :,
been supnlementGd by :hc twttt"rlnS OF /:
feathered song<ters over the ha'tlet'e'"s .
|. of France, writes John colvts' IN tne :
service, TO his father Mr. Will II. Cox ,
l. viz Soldier ColviG writes interestingly
|, of conditions on the battle front het"FS
acd> after the signing of the -arniiSticf'
|. H. tolls Of the advance toward the
Rhine and other happenings Of interest
Following IS the letter 20 his father;
Dear Dad:
The l,S- zinc I wrote you there was
b;r var on over here. and l was NOT
|. far from the h;(s and valleys "rFFt
|. rho Ynrks w.r. delivering their last
|, hlow to ,hs Huns Since that letter III"
u whole world has changed. Tor no" '"'
u hills TO longer echo IN" roar % $50
i and the sky is only occupied with ''"o
To- SIM moon and stars. France - Tree
i fror, rhs pcs. which has caused more
misery than the world every. 'NieI-
|, fenced before. aud the men: wa" '"uS
|. cd il all are driven from th"Ir throne.
|, never to return. Although peace is H"'
|. signed and there - sill work TO do TOT
|. rh, hovS over here. ar" HAPPY a'"
l. proud 70 b.. with the victorious ARMIES
/ which crushed tho enemy OF ctF''E"
ton Our boys are ROW marching -
The Rhine lining u7 their guns ano
making il impossible for the "'tca.e"
.~fca TO ever lift his hand again. We
|y.,seen them on the glorious march, cototS
flyiuE. "ou 70 the Rhine. smiling Oh
y: every face. It's a chance OF Il man
y E1ifetime to BE- here on tho eattlHle!os
= OF Franco as the victory came TO ''te
cause OF right. It's hard Tor me 10 ~
IL ielizo that little Johnnie Colflg was IN
. tho fight which finished forever 'hu
!. enemy OF liberty. My part was onIy -
=. r No1 RI
L. lea has again proven that no enemy Wv
|s Great or too powerful can defeat ner
~ when the cause is Just Not. only olu
10 the boys out on the lines do thelr pa,
r. -as true Americans. but also the "note
n acountry across the sea, ~hch ntiee W.
* .3abors less difficult by their splenu,o
? suonort We all appreciate your eh-
forts and are proud as YOU just as you
10 .,rs proud Of US. Now that the cause IS
n ;,ron. 7 recall a message which you sent
~ wa when 7 enlisted at New York lou
arc on, OF al army whose flag mas nov
r. .er met dsfoat Thank God you can sAs
|n il still and with a deeper meaning '''S'''
r. before. <.,,o-.L,r
!. have feI, your prayers following
r. me every place We have been. and not
~ for one minute have I forgotten Kim
r. whose care I've been in. III not leil
10 ..ou now of the dangers I've gone
r. through, for no doubt you ALREADY req
" 9ize that every soldier. especially :"
!. the war zone, was exposed TO many u''t
Il gers He has taken care OF ine' ~
Il 5rst as YOU said Ne would. carry my
Is IirtIe Testament the same one "nic.h
|. carried through college. Haven't eesn
T. 70 rbu-ch for SIN months. but petore
|" another SIN months hope to be BACK 70
|. nv place az Sunday school ana cnutS"
Il with Brother FIELDS tclths me -
II old story. which will mean more Cha"
~ Tell him I rFcelVcN
\. III. card and send my love and pest
/. --.;rbss. .nd also include Merry Ghr1s'-
b mas. c,,,.,,,c
j. YESTERDAY T turned over my Cad's'ac
I. 70 another squadron who sees'leu ~
r need il more than ours. AS result
r. am out OF a job for the present, ou'
don't think il will last long. Tor some
/ thing will turn up. I'm quite Sae'sAise
"a res- awhile for I've been on the Jop
cyery day and sometimes nights since
the Yanks vert over the top at 81 NJ
hiel It's h.en a long. hard pull pUt
I've been willing TO stick on thc !"o ~
long as the Hun remained IN fra'''''
If dom, got Il car IN Grl"H right ava!
TN take advantage Of the time ana
do u little pleasure travelling IL olu
France Tho squadron OF course mas
stopped oIera;ions SO all the coES ci''
onioy X rest. We have no iuea or "nst"
we go next. when or why. We, are JUST
waiting paticntly for the next move
Some say We so with the armies whlcn
will occupy the Rhine. and some say we
p-on', SO no one knows a thing. one
thing sure. We ar4 very cotntortao'e
l. riebt here. three big stoves going in1o
the barracks. four blankets and nice
..hone made bed 20 sleep on SO why
worry, All is o. X.
Had a pass today and guess whcFe l
WENT Jumped on a truck and rode
foSS
that historic old city. 1t was sight
shall never forget AS we were en-
terirs the gates to that old city OK ro-
ms an American artillery unit was
passing into the city following o'o
Glory. Talk about seeing en'nsS,
That's one Wilson didn't see /. I.'.
!, YOU all about the city in my stores
+. later one
= have the letters from you. the tirst
/ dated September 70. written IN Ne"
York. I'll bet you dictated that icttes
ta one of Pop Baldwin's good iooAlnE
hank dolls. It's q fine letter. dad. an"
came, during the last big push. So you
|. Gro on1,, , private Well. dad. 10 me
you are a commanding officer with the
rank. of general. SO there. Things Will
ba rather military around 1856 until |
shake tlhe army discipline 1t Will De-
Sir Private ColriG wishes 10 carry
a deposit 10 the Ci,y bank Has ne your
p nrrriS sion. we VIII ietFC 4S'~@s
~ fun dsx!. and it's going TO take years
TO tell It all. IN
Anotha letter was written OCTOBER H.
moro rec cnt. in modern history times
4: You weri. busy with business. Liberty
loan. and few other things rs usual
Now that victory is ours. congratulate
your self on what you ACCOMPLISHED In
tbe greaI cause. Old Wheeling did
show the pep whom it camc TO show
dopn knew she would wake up. for
:, she cou1dn It sleep long after You busy
neonIe once got started right.
Am glat YOU arc having hunt o"-
casionaIly. for you have to shoot my
\, share this winter. III be on the JOB