The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1919-02-07
LETTERS FROM THE
BOYS IN ARMY CAMPS
Harry Haedt received the following
letter from his cousin, Private Ewald


letter from his cousin, Private Ewald
| II. Pomerenke:
Pronsfeld, Germany, December 20,
, 1918. Dear Cousin Harry Received
your most welcome letter of October
| rs, few days ago. II sure took a
long time to get here, but think that
makes because ] was transferred to a
different company II sure feels good
to get a letter anyway FOR / haven't
heard from homo for three months.
don't know, what is the matter, they
must get lost.
Here | am at Pronsfeld and don't
know how long i win stay here, never
stay long at any place. Sure have
been doing some moving since | got
on the front. Got on the front October
Is, at the Argonne woods and have
been there ever since. Was in the
drive from November 1 to H. Went
from the woods to Stenay that is on
the Mouse river. All that while we
were sleeping in shell holes or find
us dugout. Most OF the time II
was raining ard we were in mud till
our knees. We sure were a happy
bunch when those big shells stopped
coming. that morning. We marched
into Steney, stayed there till the oath
then we started hiking across country
for Germany. Marched through Bel
GUM, Luxembourg up till here so we
sure know how to hike and we were
carrying full packs. Marched from
fourteen to twenty four miles day and
then stood six hours guard last night.
They have gone out today again, but
! didn't go along as have to stand
guard two more hours this forenoon
am glad too as it is showing and
raining. sort of slush. Haven't seen
the sur for over month, only yester-
day ii would clear little between
showers.
We stopped in Ky.burg last week,
had>a real good time there as they
had Y. NJ. C.. A, there and we
could get hot cocoa and candy. the
latter sure is a scarce thing here, but
| thinK we VIII soon be where we can,
buy all we want, as / think we will
get back sometime in February, but
that is just making a guess, we may
be here until spring.
/ sure wish / could spend Christmas
with you again, but | think | will
spend it like did THANKSGIVING.
no l think il will be little better as
we are billeted in houses now and
then we were in a hay barn. 1t sure
seems funny to be living with people
we fought against six weeks ago, but
they are glad it is over and they sure
treat us fine, but suppose they have
TO be as they would suffer If the
states would not help them as food
sure is scarce here.
i must close now hoping these lines
will find you all well as am. Your
cousin, Private Ewald H.. Pomerenk;
Private Gus. Weller Of Company l..
Goth Infantry, A. E, F. in France. in a
letter dated Jan. 1, 1919, to +. A..
Fisher of this city wrote, as follows:
Dear Friend: Will write you a
few lines TO let you know am well
and ENJOYING -gG,,sdI l. health and hone
the same for YOU We are now bill
eted in Mononville. small town
about thirty kilometers from Tou, Had
quite little experience while up at
the front and had few, cracks at the
Huns couple of days before the
armistice was signed We sure dod-
ged machine gun bullets, up to G. I.
cans all the time we were up there.
Some of the boys will sure have a lot
TO tell of their experiences when
they get back. After we pulled off of
the front we moved into German dug
outs November IL, and stayed there
several weeks. On December We
left there and marched to Manonville,
passing through Eeyen Haye and
Nancy. The town we are in now
wasn't shelled, and is all here yet as
far as we can tell The building we
are bilieted in was put up in 1853,
so il is quite an old town.
I'VE have real old fashioned fire
in our room and il sure is nice and
cosy when you get few pieces of
logs in and the fire gets going good
We have been out on several man
eauvers while we have been here and
we are going on another one. We have
had fair weather for this time of
year, as it hasn't been very cold, only
light frosts SO far, but it is cloudy al
most every day and rains whenever it
takes notion. Christmas eve we had
little snow, but it all melted off as
the ground wasn't froZe. have lost
track of AL Davis and don't know
where he is now. Give my best re-
CARDS to the boys at the house. Wish
ing you happy and prosperous New
Year, | remain yonr friend Private
Gus. Weller"