The north Mississippi herald. (Water Valley, Yalobusha Co., Miss.) 1888-1929, 1919-05-30
Niedermendig, Germany

Niedermendig, Germany
April 29, 1919.
Mr.. Elmer Higginbotham,
Water Valley, Miss.
Dear unknown friend:
| received your registered letter to-
day inquiring of how your beloved
brother, Ernest, got killed. Well, FL
mer, viii tell you. In fact l hate to
mention the affair as it hurts me when
! think of it, as you likely know
Ernest and ] were personal army
pals, and mss him oh, SO much. /
will never forget him as long as
live. He and were like two broth
ers. | suppose he often wrote and
told you about Mack, as that is what
he always called me- / always called
him Hiclkim, for short. We had some
great times together. He and had
everything arranged to get together
and have couple of good times when
we got out Of this awful army. as
honest, Elmer, if they don't kill YOU
one way in this army. they viii anorh-
er. am not telling you what YOU
asked me, but / just had to ten you
how felt myself over losing my pal,
Ernest.
Well, Elmer, to be plain, Ernest
got little gassed on the front and it
always bothered him. Sometimes he
could hardly get his breath so l ad-
vlsed him to see the Doctor and he
did. The Doctor said he had the Flu.
and sent him to the Hospital. He
went on the 1st Of the week and we
left the town of Wehi on Wednesday
and came to Niedermendig where we
are now stationed and he was in the
hospital. He sent me a card telling
me that he was coming back. He
sent me the card on March 18th and
on March 17th, ST. Patty's day, the
day he was to come home to his Co.
our division, the 3rd, was in Ander-
mack, passing review in front of
Gen. Pershing. He left the hospital
that afternoon TO come back to his
company in an ambulance and on his
way home, or rather back to his out
fit, the chauffeur lost central of the
car, or rather that is what they think
he must have done for the ambulance
left the road on a short curve and
plunged head first down in a hole.
The hole belongs to a Brewery, II is
an air shaft and is 172 feet deep and
AZ feet in circumference. And where
the mystery lies that big ambulance
went down that hole and never touch
ed the sides. There were 10 in all in
the car, the chauffeur, his machanic,
and eight coming from the hospital
and everything went down the hole.
Ernest was one of them; eight were
killed instantly and two seriously
wounded. Ernest was one of the
wounded, the other wounded man
died the next morning. Ernest lived
seven days from March 17th to March
oath, and how he lived, God knows,
don't, for he was in an awful condi-
ton. He was unconscious nearly all
the time he lived. went to see him
twice but he was unconscious and i
could not speak to him. He asked
for me on Sunday night, but / was
not there and he died Monday night.
March oath at 6 :35 p. M. Our. com
pany gave him nice burial. We
had firing squad, the squad he was
corporal Of, / had charge of it. We
fired FIVE shots over his grave. Our
Bugler blew taps over his grave also.
He was buried in Mayen, the town
where he and had many good time.
! suppose he often mentioned Mayen
when he wrote to you / have q pic
ture taken Of the hole he went down
in and am sending you one. had
two but sent one home.
am expecting to start for home
most any day so If you want TO an
swer this letter, send it to my home
address below. | extend my deep
est sympathy to one and all of your
family on the death of Ernest.
am as ever friend,
Pvt ROBERT F. M'MAHON,
Darragh, Pa. West Md Co.