The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-01-07
Harbcr of Brest Described in Letter
Received From Charles Hoey

An impressionistic description Of
France from the harbor OF Brest fol-
lowing the march of Company B. 60th
Regiment to Pontanezen Barracks,
made famous during Napoleon's
regime and up toward the American
front Is given in recent letter from
Charles Hoey, son Of ]. W. Hoey, 5O2
North Eighteenth street.
I'VE entered the harbor of Brest at
dusk, and for the first time during the
voyage our convoy showed its lights
Our party of ships was stretched over
for some distance in a single line,
lights OF vari-colors burning on each
vessel, We had picked up an added
convoy Of destroyers while passing
through the danger zone and the long
column of gayly lighted vessels form
ed q picture none Of us will soon for
get. Finally we heard the anchor
chains rafting and the splash of the
anchor in the water and knew that we
might be able to get q peaceful nights
rest soon, not to be awakened In the
morning at o'clock with everybody
on deck with belt and life preservers."
Believe me, we were truly thankful
bunch when we put our feet not on dry
land-for Brest does not have such a
thtng-but steady land. The $50 Of
US we marched up to Pontanezen Bar
racks to be quartered there temporar-
lily.
THE barracks are surrounded by a
high stone wall, and entered through
an immense gate. They are long. low
stone buildings, story and half
high facing large square parade
ground. There are six buildings. OPP
posite them is the old guard house
which one doesn't have a very keen
desire to view from the inside. The
walls were three feet thick. and at the
bottom along the side Of each side
was slit providing for the exit Of
drainage and entrance of air. The
doors are heavily built and we'll Gov
cred by two immense hinges, and
one big lock, supplemented by very
stout iron bands. Inside the walls
there still remain marks of the place
where prisoners were formerly shot;
in another place was scaffold over
the wall where l understand prisoners
could formerly have their necks
the block on which prisoners frequent
ly lost their heads.
I'm order to keep US occupied here
our company was put on military po-
lice duty for several days. l was one
the town, and there attended vespers
in church over 500 years old
Finally orders came to move and we
in France" On through LIE Mons,
we arrived in Is-Sur-Tille, where we
<~ 10 A~e 1T ~,
helping with the war Our happy
home for the coming month was an
immense ware house. After two days
rest we marched. not willingly, espe
cially, to biggest pile of shovels I ever
saw, and one was donated to each one
Of us. after which we were introduced
to that form Of manual labor called
Candy dancing" or in more refined
and technical language-maintena
of the way. The point was that they
were not quite ready to send us on
the railroad, so such detail work as
this kept us busy until they were
ready to use us on our chosen occupa-
tons. Soon afterward I started on
the wild ride of which l have written
you, and landed here in Leffol lie
Grand. where the Mouse river has late
ly become famous to Americans on
account of their fighting there. winds
through the valley. Farther over on
the level ground is road which re-
sembles our boulevards, bordered by
trees Of practically the same size.
From the hill one can see five differ
ent towns. The church or Basilique
here is very beautifully decorated and
contains six mural paintings of three
fourth life size figures showing the