The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1919-05-17
SOLDIERS LETTER
A Sergeant of. the 30th U. S. Inf.
Writes Poem Telling of His
Life at the Front

Lie at the 'FRONT.'
The following poem written by
Captain Madden was sent by COM
rade to his mother:
March 9th, 1919,
Co. I, 3Oth U. S. Inf, A. O..
Kehing, Germany
Dear Mother:-
Am writing down a poem that was
in our Ord Division paper
The Old Sergeant's Story
81 was with the famous Thirtieth,"
Said the veteran with a grin;
Then his old memories overwhelmed
him,
AS he slowly rubbed his chin.
To his eyes there came picture,
Such as you nor can see,
And l knew that he was thinking
OF those battles DER the sea.
"Yes," he said, then quickly straight
ened,
And his shoulders grew erect,
She's the darndest fighting outfit,
That G. O, could inspect.
When she got her sailing orders,
She arrived there just in time,
And they rushed her to the front.
And by God she held the line.
Down in Belleau Woods twas sum-
mer;
All the world was fresh and green;
Looking round, Sir, there was not a
fairer scene.
Roses bloomed in golden sunshine;
Birds were singing from the trees
And the wheat fields rcd with pop
pies,
Nodded in the balmy breeze.
But those woods were deaths do
minion;
Shrieking missiles Kissed and fell
And at night the skies were likencd
To the crater of a red hell.
Belched the hot Tipped steel mouthcd
cannon -
AS their missiles curved in air,
All! the sable mantled angel
Reaped his harvest everywhere.
Just one week we fought there, Sir,
And our youngsters never finched,
And the colors of the Thirtieth
Never fell back an inch.
Then the drive at Chateau Thierry
Filled the world with fresh alarm;
So the Thirtieth was withdrawn,
And sent down on the Marine.
Came that night in mid-July, Sir,
That will live till stars wax old,
In the archives of the nations
Written there in words of gold,
When burst upon us a fury,
Like all hell had loosed her gates,
And the whole land shook and
trembled .
AS it felt her imps of hate.
1t was midnight when it started,
God-that awful roar and din!
If you spoke to one beside you.
You would have to yell at him.
Mustard gas, and deadly chlorine :
Drenehed our front from left and
right = H.
And from the skies above us
Bombs came whirring through the
night.
Just at dawn the Hun came over,
Following close his lifting fire, !
Certain he would march to Paris,
That great goal Of his desire.
But he did not know the Yankee, +
He could see in him no harm,
And by night our old Division
Had him reeling across the Marine.
Fourteen days of .murderous fighting
After, we launched our attack.
And our ranks were fast depletino;
Hundreds took the westward track.
But we saved the day and Paris;
So the cost was not in vain,
And the Thirtieth won fresh laurels,
And her record won new fame.
Down to st. Mihiel we went, Sir,
Thence to the Argonne drive.
Where we had a month of battle
And came out with few alive.
When, the war closed, well, it found
us
Still advancing long the line;
Then the Thirtieth marched with
Dickman,
Up to watch along the Rhine"
JOHN S. MADDEN,
Captain 30th Infantry.
One can never tell in words what
the outfit went through during that
battle, and l don't see how I am liv-
ing now, when out of a platoon of 60
men, eight were living, when it was
over, and was one of the eight.
With love,
CLARKE.