The Covington leader. (Covington, Tenn.) 18??-current, 1919-01-30
Your son
ER0M I0E C- SHINAI-LT

FROM JOE c. SHINAULT
Mrs Eva w. Cothran has received
the following letter from her nephew,
Joe c. Shinault. The letter was
written in France, on December 8
Dearest Eya-I don't know wheth-
led | ever answered your letter Or
not but viii write you few
words Of life here in time Of peace,
anyhow
We are still in the identical place
1--we were when the armistice went
into effect About the only differ
ence in soldier life here now and a
month ago Is the absence Of the Ger
imam big Shells they used to throw
Hat Us SO much. True, we don't have
Ito get up in the night for all kinds
Iof ammunition details-and, believe
me, that is a great relief We are
having a pretty wet time here wait
ing our first move toward home. OF
course, the waiting is hard, and we
|are very impatient, but everyone is
very happy, for he knows that it
can't be SO veIy long before we are
on our way home at least and that
Twill make all of us happy as iarks,
for there is no place like the land Of
1.-THE Red, White and Blue The French
land English are all right, but not
lin the same class with the greatest
IreDublic ever known.
/ My life at the front has been one
lof hardships and dangers, but it has
been a wonderful experience Money
couldn't buy my trip, and monev
couldn't. entice me to 90 through it
again. | have seen some very hard
in both the big American
drives, the st. MihieI and Argonne
forests.
! We sailed from the embarkation
port Of Hoboken, NJ j., on the fourth
of June, and landed safely on the
docks of liverpool, England, about
moon Of the eleventh. We entrained
almost Immediately, and made it to
a rest camp at Ramsay, England,
about 3 am. the next day. We were
there two days, and made a 15-mile
hike to Southampton and loaded on
boat late one afternoon, to cross
the English Channel. We were
doomed for two days more there,
though, for the boiler was out of fix
and we had to unload and go back to
a rest camp in the city The people
were very nice to us in England,
but we were almost starved. The
next effort was a success and we
landed safely in France at lie Havre,
one of the big French channel ports,
and got good square meal there;
and, believe me, we felt much better.
After two days rest there, we en-
trained for Camp Coetquedan, an
artillery training camp near Guerre,
France. Rheims was the nearest
large city.
After about seven weeks there we
entrained for the front. Our first
gun positions were near MannoW-
vile, in the st. Mihiel salient. We
had been there about two weeks when
the Americans surprised the world
Iby their wonderful offensive there.
4 We were there only a few days after
putting over the big barrage, and
started on the hardest and most try
ing time Of our story on the front.
For seven days and nights we hiked
in the rain from st. Mihiel to the
Argonne forests. We hiked all night
and had to eat, cook and feed, and
attend to the horses in daytime, and
get what little sleep we got between
times. That trip killed all our horses
Ibut about Is, and we started with 40.
We went into position in the Ar
gonne one night, and the world
famous battle or drive was opened
by the Americans there the next
night or morning. We were right
back of Montfoucon at the beginning
Iof the drive. We left about the mid
die of the drive on account Of not
having horses to move our guns into
position here in defensive way. There
has never been a big drive while we
iwere here, but we were under heavy
shell fire almost continually. / have
been very fortunate and haven't re-
ceived scratch nor been sick min
ute. Have had some close calls, but
that will only be good subject mat
tier for conversation when | get back.
/ am right near Harmonyille, which
was captured in the St. Mihiel drive.
| / have stayed at and been through
at least three places, and know that
some Of them will be familiar to
you. This is only few Of the places
II have seen, but will give you an
idea of where | have spent most Of
my time on the front: Toul, Thar
court, Men-il-eatow, Dunerville, Ma
Inorville, Nouiont Montfoueon, Reel
court, Avacourt, Verdun, Souilly,
Dor LIE Due, Commercy, st, Mihiel
and Harmonville, where | am at pres
lent.
have an idea this will be inter-
esting to you if you can read it. l
have been in an awful hurry, and
can't get any ink, so have to write
with a pencil.
Give my love to all, and say that
II will be back in Mason before many
months. Lovingly yours,
FROM PAUL INCLUSION