The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1919-04-25
LETTER TO PARENTS
OF TONY A. YOUNG

The following letter was written by
Kentucky boy to the parents of Tony
! Young, of this county, but the writer
having lost their address gave the
letter to David Mayo Young, another
Lawrence county boy, who sent it to
his sister, Miss Lizzie Young, of Cher
okee, to be forwarded to Tonys par
ents, A copy was sent TO the NEWS
office for publications.; d.
Bascharage, Luxembourg, Mar. 25
My unknown friends
This letter in some respect is not at
all pleasant one for me to write, but
to make good my promise to a real
American brother soldier and a request
! from your son and brother, ! am writ
I ing Nhis letter. r
In regard to the death of Tony
Young, on the night OF November 4,
! 1915 as we were marching into the
battlefield and Just before we crossed
the Mouse river and he being in the
squad OF which was in charge and
he and being special good friends, he
| told me he felt uneasy and did not
think he would live thru the battle,
and Of course ! felt the same way
about myself. But, nevertheless, ]
said all could to cheer him up, but II
seemed as tho all in vain for he made
| the remark to me: ELAN If get killed
| tonight and you don't, write and tell
my folks am dead, but that ! died
| like man on the battlefield; and
should you die and don't, will, do the
same for you It
We reached tberiver about 10 O'Clock
that night and VIC crossed in same
| boat, and only marched up the road
| for sh%ft ways and were commanded
! to prepare for the battle that would
| begin b. morning. When we got our
| positions there wcrc only few men
between Tony ard me and I could hear
| him tail 1g. and about II o'clock that
night tto GeruG1 spies or sharp
shooters were located near us and
Tony going for one with his gun and
| fixed bayonet, the other shot him and
| he called me by name and said he was
| killed and then we were busily en-
gagged with the Germans. | am glad
to say the men that killed Tony Young
were soon dead r. -. ..
Father, mother and sisters, you
should all be proud of Tony. There
| never was drawer American soldier
| faced the enemy than he, and he GER
| tainIy died n hero .." .
| did not know Tony AZ Camp Tay-
| lor, but after being sent TO Chicka
manga Park Ga we were in the same
company and there we made the best
|gf friends and were great pals at the
tine of his death He was liked by
alfthe boys who knew him.
should have done his request soon
err but sorry to say could not remem-
Der his address. But Mayo Young
cousin of his, who is in this company
and a friend of mine, wrote to his sis
1ter for Tony's home address and fail
| ing to get the letter and being in my
| room tonight and knowing | was with
Tony at the time of his death, said
/ should write the letter and he would
send It to his sister and thru her you
would receive same,
The family of Tony Young has my
greatest heartfelt sympathy due to his
death They have lost a brave and
brilliant boy. He will be remembered
in days TO come by all the boys who
knew him and especially by myself
for | never had a better friend.
| with greatest regret in the world
for losing him twill close.
| Sincerely yours,
O. NJ. ELAN.
Co A, 9Th U. S. Inf.
| A. Il. F., A, p. o. 745,