The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1919-01-02
Interesting Soldier Letters

i Argonne Forest that had been shelleo
by the Huns until there wasn't {
4 whole building left standing. One car
still see that it was once a pretty
place. We were taken through the
town to the other side of the hill, re.
manning there two weeks when we
were taken to the place where we are
now located named Avbrewill. The
towns here are not like they are bacl
there, by any means. The buildings
are old timers. On November II all
the boys were in bed but myself, and
I would have been but for a severe
toothache. We heard the shooting OF
cannons, machine guns, anti-aircraft
guns, common rifles and even pistols
We first thought it was nothing but
an air battle being pulled off. We
went outside to see what was really
going on. The night was clear and
cool with a fog raising from the val
ley. We soon saw there was no air
| battle; then we thought it might be
gas anu IilS WllolC uuiiSu AiI loi tilSlI
masks. One of the ieutenants went
up a telephone station and found that
the armstice had been signed, so we
all got out and celebrated, and believe
me we celebrated right.
I have visited Verdun and it must
have been a great city before the
Germans attempted to take it, but it
is pretty badly shot to pieces now. We
say many German prisoners as well
as some of our boys who had been
brought in to the Red Cross hospital.
I went through one of these hospitals
and / wish you could see how nice
they are. Do all you can for the Red
Cross. .-..,
do not need anything; we have all
we want to wear and to eat; don't
worry about me; I am all right. Wish
ing you a Merry Christmas and
Happy New Year. Your son,
..... = Horace Jackson.
Under date of November "a, Ben
Jung wrote his father that he was
feeling fine. His letter follows:
Somewhere in France, Nov. "a, 1918.
Dear Father: 49, z 49,, =,
1 will now write and let you know
that Pm still alive and feeling fine.
Well I suppose you have heard Oh
the peace terms and there was much
excitement in the states. 1t was here
too. I was in the front lines at the
time, we were Smelling at each other
till about 10 a. m. and all of sudden
all the firing quit. 1t certainly seemed
funny not to hear a shot, about three
hours after the firing quit another
fellow and myself went over to the
German lines, and they were more
glad than we were that it was over,
some of them had been in it ever since
the war started, and don't see how
they could stand it SO long.
/ was in action three weeks and
had all l cared for and got out Of
it without a scratch.
think we are going to move to-
morrow closer to seaport and go to
training again. They say they are
going to make US the best army in
the world before we go back to the
States. l now belong to the 33rd
division, one of the most famous ones
over here. IL,
1t rained here almost every day Tor
a while, so you can see how it was in
the trenches, mud half way up to our
knees and it was quite cold too.
I suppose Frank will come home
soon.. It may be quite while before
I get back because it isn't all settled
here yet.
We are allowed to write almost
anything for Christmas letter, SO i
will tell you of our trip coming over.
We sailed on the Olympic, the 3rd
largest ship in the world. It was 7SC
#. long and held 10000 soldiers and
had over 400 in the crew, of these
there were $50 firemen. 1t burned 900
tons of coal day and had four en-
gines and SO boilers. 1t surely was
hot in the boiler room. 1t took us
just a week to make the trip. VIZ
sailed over all alone, only when we
went out of the harbor at New York
and day before we got here we were
escorted by four submarine chasers.
We arrived in England and stayed
there there nine days, then we sailed
across the English channel over to
France.
We are now living in dug outs and
I am surely getting tired of them, !
think we will move to some town next;
that will be better.
/ have only found one boy from
Sank Centre and that was Paul Will
cox; he saw Jam IS Mcdonald. He
isn't far from here, but / haven't
seen him yet. Z
Well, I suppose it will be about
Christmas time when you get this so
will wish you all Merry Christ
mas and wish could be with you
for Christmas.
/ will close my letter for this time,
with love to all. From your son,
Ben Jung.