Jackson County journal. (Sylva, N.C.) 19??-19??, 1919-01-24
.nrre Matthew Adams Sc. vice

six men to each car. The windows in |
the cars were all smashed, and every |
thinz about the cars was dirty.
Finally the train stopped at a town
named Alt-Damm, and there was a
mob of women and children around,
as usual, ready for us with bricks and
spit. They stoned us through the car
windows, and laughed and jeered at
us, but by this time we were so used
| to it that we did not mind much. Only,
| every now and then some fellow
| would get all he could stand, and
| either talk back or make a pass at
somebody. Then he would get his
either bayonet through the arm or
! leg, or a crash on the head with q gun
butt.
After an eighteen hour ride, with
out food or drink. we arrived at Neu-
strelitz. 1t was raining as we pulled
in. AS we went up the grade to the
town we could see lights about mile
away, and we figured that that was
the camp. The rain stopped and we
remained in the cars for some time.
Then, after while, we knew our new
|
could see them, we could hear the
racket they made. Somehow a Ger
man cannot do anything shipshape
and neatly, but always has to have
lot of noise, and running around, and
general confusion. FOur-fOoted swine
are more orderly in their habits than
( the Huns.
When they came up, we were roust-
ed from the cars and drilled up the
road to the camp. When we got near
the German barracks we were halted
: and counted again. and made to stand
: there for at least an hour after they
!. had finished counting us, shivering
like leaves. At last they placed us in
barracks, and those who could went
to sleep.
There were about forty barracks in
:, the Limey group at Neustrelitz and
:, two large Zeppelin sheds. The bar
= racks were just about like those at
Swinemunde-at least, they We're no
! better. Along the sides Of the rooms
y were long shelves or benches, and
. every three feet were boards set in
grooves. The shelves were what we
had to sleep on, and the boards in the
y grooves divided them up so that only
: certain number of men could use
a. :, each bench.
- The following morning we nearly
dropped dead when the Huns pulled
II in large wagon full of clothing. We
A thought we never would have any
- thing to wear but our underclothes
~ They issued to each man a pair OF
trousers, thin model, a thin Goa
!, about like the seersucker coats some
"a people wear in the summer, an over
coat about as warm as if it had beer
81 made Of cigarette papers, a skull cal
and pair of shoes, which were {
. days labor to carry around. Not on
20 Of us received socks, shirts or under
-, wear.
Il The toe was cut from the right sho
IA of the pair / received, and as m
m wounds were in the right thigh an
nd my leg had Stiffened up considerable
w. and got very sore. | got pretty an1
~ ious, because there was nothing blu
sluS1l underfoot, and I was afraid
might lose my leg. So thought tina
If | went to the commander and mad
kick I might get a good shoe. hes
tated about it at first, but finally mad
"a up my mind and went to see him.
he told him that it was slushy outside
1s and that the water ran through tn
od hole in my shoe and made it bad fC
ho my whole leg, which was wounde.
r 1" He examined the shoe, and looked
tho
lie thought he was going to put up a
MS argument. but would give in finally.
inf Then he asked me what I wanted.
,ot thought that was plain enough to Sc
en- but | said just as easily as I coul
les that 1 wanted shoe without q no
sod in the toe.
to so the water runs into it, does it
q he said. "Well, my advice to you is
get get knife, cut hole in the heel ar
the let the water out" All the 9th
the swine in the room laughed very 10,
at this, and I guess this Fritz thoup
egi- he was a great comedian. But som
ate how or other, it did not strike me
and funny that just had to laugh, and
Ter was able, after quite a struggle.
> keep from even snickering. It was
raj, .iaiuer struggle imam that to Ike
eat from doing something else, though !
ook Our meals wc-e just about the sar
me as at Swinemunde-the bread w
,nly just as muddy, the barley coffee ju
,uld as rank, and he soup just as ca
al bageless. The second morning aft
bar we had had barley coffee, one
the sentries came to our barracl
ock "enoli was nuinoer b. ana gave ca
and - 70 a. enFeiope anu sneet OF WI
The 4ns p"pel' linen lie toid us to wr
ONE ~ any nouy we wanted TO- after Wn1
hem he chalked on the door in big letter
lose hhlEGSGEF ANGENENLAGER