Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-01-22
NEWS OF STEE.LTON
KILLED DURING
LAST FIGHTING
Charles E. Wagner Reported
Killed Nov. 8, During Last
of Offensive

Charles f. Wagner. son of Mrs.
Rebecca Wagner. 10 North Front
street., Steelton. was killed in action
November s. according to word re-
ceived by his mother from the lieu
tenant in command of his battery.
He was n member of Battery T.,
Nineteenth Field Artillery.
Wagner was killed by fragments
of German shells which burst over
the dugout in. which he was stationed
during the preparations for an Ameri-
can advance which was to have be-
gun IL the armistice had not been
signed. He died few hours later in
a hospital. ,
He enlisted May, 1917, and was at
the front three months. He served
during the St. Mihiel advance, and
letter received from him was No
cember 4.
The letter notifying his parents of
the death. follows:
Il am writing to tell you of your
son Charles death. / have not been
able to write before this due to the
censorship regulations but L suppose
you have heard of his death through
the War Department. He died at 10
clock on the night of November s.
1919
"As you may now know the Ameri-
can. Second Army was preparing a
big attack just before the armistice
went into effect. We were to take
part In 1t and were to follow up the
infantry. l had gone forward with
about half the battery to prepare a
Forward position and was returning
about o'clock IN the afternoon to
When was about a quarter of a mile
from the small village of Vilcey two
German shells landed right in the viii
lage. When | got there Red Cross
man came out of his dugoNt and told
me that several men had been hit and
that one of my men was lying wound
ed In the First Aid station. When
got there L saw your son. Charles
lying on a stretcher. His left arm
was practically shot off at the elbow
and he had Il hole in the lower part
or his back. where a fragment OF
shell had entered. He was fully cons
clous however. and recognized me at
once. l have never seen a man with
so much pluck and never as he had. |
sat beside him and held his head in
my lap as they dressed him and he
never even groaned and every now
and then his grip would tighten on
my hand and l knew what he was
passing through. We finally got him
dressed up as best we could and then
ne was loaded in an ambulance and
rushed TO a Held hospital. 1 would
'N@S shAhb " nave gone III
with him myself but il was impos-
slble as | had to put the battery in
position that night I don't believe
the poor boy realized how near death
was. lie kept telling me how sorry
ne was to leave the battery. He died
that night at the field hospital and
was buried the next day. Just a few
members of the battery were present,
put It was touching ceremony and
the pest We could do under the cir
cumstanees. His grave is right out
SIDE the little village of Mafney.
know that nothing L might say
can console you but l want You to
know how loved your son. He was
one or the very finest men in the bat
terry and his loss has been keenly felt
Dy every one of us. He died as an
American should, lighting to the end
and the whole American nation owe
70 you and him a debt of gratitude
that 1t will never be able to>pay.
In closing let me assure you OF
my deep sympathy for you, my only
regret is that l cannot in some way
tighten our burden of sorrow, but
Know that you will bear itNas a true
american mother should, realizing
that your loss is the Nations gaiT
ana that though his body is dead. his
memory and soul will live forever.
II. w. w. GRAHAM.
list 1t, 10 +. A. Commanding Bat. F.