The Monte Vista journal., 1919-01-11
Wheeler SchaRs Battery n Three Biggest
Battles d Tie War Chateau 1isry,
Battle Of The Marpe a,d &. MIL
Dtsecourt. France tSsar vsrdvu) }
November :s. 1913.

Dtssceurt. France (Sssr vsrdua)
November .s. 1918.
Dsar Dad:
This day 10 set aside for Dad snd
ws are all going TO write . letter
home aud label Il Dads Christmas
Lsttsr." hoping II viii reach you
about Xmas time and ands you en-
joyins . Merry xmss.
The war 10 over but we are busicr
than ever In fact ! have on my hands
the biggest Job I ever had. Being the
arst sergeant Of = battery Of artillery
10 NO snap BY . long shot. not near
- easy - when No were actually en-
Gagged on the front. There are .
thousand and one details TO attend
10 and records TO be Strengthened up
before We even think Of going home.
Needless to nay ws were all glad
the thing ended. and We were right
In the thicksst Of Il 10 the last min
ute. When Il finally did end and the
guns ceased to boom. Il seemed %
queer that We could hardly realize
the truth. and I'll bet no one ceis-
bratsd any more than the boys on the
front. All n'sht long the sky was
aaams with signal rockets. flares and
burning powder. and I guess every
one shot all his pistol ammunition
up. yelling and yappine like bunch
OF Apache Indians on the war path.
The contrast between the terrible
noise and the absolute quietness was
something that I don't think I will
ever witness again. and sure hope
never hear another high explosive
she'll burst. They're the wickedest
things I ever had to deal with. A
bolt Of lightning 10 . mere toy to the
explosion Of . 2lo H. e.
The poor Frenchmen could hardly
realise that Il was all over either.
and most Of them celebrated with
tears rather than cheers. They are
all old fellows that are left. the
flower Of the country having sacri-
hced long ago. France lost two
million and half men and half of
her land and towns are all shot to
pieces. Some Of the towns In north
ern France are 20 completely gone
that nothing IL left but sign giving
the name Of the town and all that
the eye can see 10 . heap Of crumblod
stone and brick. not . wall standing
anywhere. It IL going to be . sad
homo coming ID some Of them who
left their homes and pretty little vii
lages. and whom they return nnd
nothing left but the dust, not even .
tree loft standing.
Now that 1t IL all over and I have
. chance to look back on my various
experiences. consider myself very
lucky that can sit here and write.
have been In some mighty close
shaves and have seen war in its worst
form. have seen some sights that
never care to see again. but rather
than say anything Of item here l
will save my yarns to spin when I
get homo.
We are At present in a camp about
ten miles from Verdun and are being
re-eQuipped with new clothes and
every thing we need whether at war
or not. Just where and when VIC
leave here I don't know. We hear
all kinds of rumors. Some say that
We are to be occupation troops and
follow the Ge, mans to the Rhine;
others say we 60 to Paris and parade
before the President who is due over
here soon. We havo been recon-
mended very highly for our four
months on tho front and are consid-
cred among the best troops Of the
u. 8. Army. have quite a few
decorations shall wear homo.
We took active part in three bat
ties since our arrival on the front
July tho 7th. Our first one was at
Chateau Thicrry. the second battle
ief the Marne. We moved from there
- st. Micheal and was in that drive
which was the easiest OF all. We
then novel to the Meuse near Ver-
dun. the most fought over country
in the war, and there we got into 1t
good. 1t was in this battle that I
saw all the war care for and when
the end came Il came lust in time to