The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-01-03

1lsth Infantry,
 American Expedtionary Forces,
 France, November 30, 1918.
 Mir. Harry Cofrin, Birmingham. Ala.
 Dear Sir and Brother: I should have said Dear Sir and Comrade" recalling that we fought the good fight together in your stirring little town, when the offensive of the third Liberty Loan was on, and We reached our objectives talk ing even the third line of trenches. Well. how are you. comrade, after the cessa- ton of hostilities? Personally, I am be- ginning to regain the lost appetite and the lost 90 pounds weight dropped in our three weeks drive on the front just north of Verdun. It may be interesting to hear a brief resume Of the Twenty ninth divisions itinerary after leaving good old Alabama. We'll here goes
 On June 15 we sailed from Norfolk, Va, and the next morning two subs as- sailed us, two torpedoes just missing the Princess Motoika the ship on which the fighting 113th infantry was ssiling- We gave fight and 'tis said we sent one of the sea devils gurgling to the bottom of the Atlantic. That was the only attack We had all the way to Brest, France, Where we disembarked. We entrained and crossed France in trip of three days, when we were billeted for two or three weeks in the region of vaux-sous- Aubigny, Haute Marne. Entraining again, we arrived at Belfort, and from there hiked it to the front line, which was between Dannemarie and Mulhouse, where We remained, in and out of the trenches for two months. It had been a quiet sector, tranquil" as the French call it. but we warmed it up bit so the boche made several raids on us. and we counter raised Altogether 1t was a rather pleasant stay, and we made many friends, enjoying the French eats from time to time, and polishing up our lin guistics. The only thing that acted as a fly in the ointment was the feeling we were in a tranquil sector, while bia things were transpiring on the western front At last orders came and we hiked to Belfort, entrained for Revigny, and from there to the front line we hiked It. The hiking was all done at night, and at least two nights were cold, rainy ana dismal. Of the mud there was beau coup" and, carrying a heavy pack, sleep ing on the wet ground in this woods and that, never falling out--though some did II congratulated myself on being able to do it, taking into consideration my 39 years and the fact l had always hiked on horseback heretofore.
 Before We reached the front we were subjected to a dose of gas. and had to don our gas masks. It is no cinch tc hike adorned with a. gas mask, and foi one I was mighty glad to tear the thing off my face About noon onesbat' talon went over the top, and within ar hour or two I was helping the medicos evacuate the wounded, right at the enc of the jumping off trenchs which was a the foot of the hill the boys ascended 1T the face of a hail of machine gun bull lets and veritable Niagara of higf explosives, gas shells and one-pounders It was a sight for the gods to see oul men go over the top, warm hearted witf patriotism, and breathing threatening: and slaughter on the boche. It was witf strange mixture of emotions that 1 wit messed my comrades scaling the hill side, some of them falling never to ris' again. Right here I had what perhaps was my most thrilling experience or tn' three weeks we were on the front line I'll save it up for another time, perhap for the occasion when l lecture In BIT