The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1919-01-03
A. this evening.

c. A. this evening
This is a bulletin given us by our
commanding general Of our division
It will give you a general idea Of a
part of our experiences i'm which we
were last engaged.
81 suppose you have heard Of the
good news which I think is official.
I'VE three boys are well at present.
I will close, hope to hear from you
soon.
LESTER"
Headquarters 18th Division,
American Il. f.,
l Nov. 49,.
General Orders, No. So.
Now that its part in the action
north of Verdun is finished, the Di-
vision Commander wishes to take
occasion to express his deep apprecia-
ton of the skill, endurance and cour-
age shown by the officers and men of
the division, including both staff and
line, in most difficult and prolonged
fight.
Everything was opposed to our
success. We had most determined
enemy in our front and one skilled
by four years Of warfare, whereas
this was the first real fight of our di-
vision. On most days the weather
was bad and the ground difficult,
added to the fact that the fighting
was largely in woods. On account of
the woods, ravines and dampness,
gassing of our troops was easily ac-
complished and full advantage of this
fact was taken by the enemy to whom
the use of gas was an old story.
Without exception the organiza-
tons of the division and their COM
manders responded heroically to
every call upon them and at the end
of the fight we. had not only gained
our detectives, but we held them and
turned them over to our successors.
We advanced some eight kilometers
through the enemy's trenches, and
captured over 2,100 prisoners, can
non, about 200 machine guns and a
large quantity Of miscellaneous mill
tary property. We had the pleasure
of seeing two hostile divisions with
drawn from our front, one Of which
was composed of some of the best
troops of the German Army. On
many occasions captured prisoners
stated that our attack was SO rapid
and our fire so effective that they
were overwhelmed and had nothing
to do but to retire or surrender.
I'm this brief summing up the re-
suits of it's first fight the Division
Commander feels that every officer
and man participating, whether in
planning or in executing, should feel
a just pride in what has been ac-
complished This is but repeating
the praise that has been bestowed
upon the division by both American
and French superior commanders.
By command of Major General
Morton:
s. A. CLOMAN,
Colonel of Infantry,
Chief Of Staff
Official
M Harry Coope, .. -..
Adjutant General, Adjutant.
The last letter received from Lieut.
Daniel E. Walsh, in France by his
parents, Mr. and Mrs Michael e
Walsh, East Main street is as fol-
lows:
"Verdun, France, Dec 18th, 1918.
Dear Father, Mother and ALL:
Received your letters off Novem-
Der 18th and 22nd, the first mail
have received for week, needless to
say. how welcome it was. I was ter
ribly distressed to hear that Mother
and Julia were sick and was rather
alarmed when heard that mother
had second attack. Tell her to
take care of herself. This influenza
is bad I understand We are living
a life Of ease now, but under rather
trying conditions. IL has been
raining for a couple of days, and
due to the Boche having shelled the
town from time to time the roofs
are not very sea worthy and as a
result instead of shedding the water,
1t leaves 1t come through. I think
we are fixed at present, more COM
fortably than we have been at any
time since our arrival in France.
Battalion headquarters il situated
on the Rue st. Louis in a building
rather lpretentious, which was pro-
badly hotel in the palmer days OF
Verdun. We have big open fire
place in our room which gives out
oceans OF heat My bed is along
side of the fireplace, it puts me to
sleep every night. The two things
not to be found In Verdun are glass,
that il for windows, and fire wood.
Guess where we are getting fire
wood? We 60 out and tear up barb
ed wire, tear off the wire and use
the stakes, we get enough wood
though. We are getting more than
enough to eat, in fact, L am getting
50 stout that my clothes will hardly
fit me any more.
eve are expecting every day to
move to Luxembourg, you cannot
know where you are going until you
get there, i'm this army.
"As to the men from home, around
the county, I am not In close touch
with them. Our regiment is in Yer
dun and the Seventy-Ninth division
is spread over an area Of twenty
five or thirty kilometers. The last
I heard from Punk Billingslea, was
that, he was in an officers training
school at Langres. L have not seen
Norman Boyle for over a month, his
battalion is up around Etroye, which
is about twenty-five kilometers from
here. Russell Schaeffer, Luther
Bankert, Dewitt Skunk and Walter
Savers are in Norman's outfit.
George Bartlett il in my regiment, Il
saw him about a month ago.
Il went out to Fort DOuamont the