The Pascagoula chronicle. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1905-1920, 1919-02-01
ON DEATHBED BOY WROTE
MOTHER HE WOULD GET BOCHE
Regrets Illness Which Kept Him in
While His Company Went
Into Action.

While His Company Went
Into Action.
Mobile Register.
Il feel like white man now witt
clean pajamas and no cooties," sal
Sergeant Edward Fl. Wolcott, of Pas
cagoula, Miss, as he lay on his over
seas bed and wrote to his mother
In another part of the letter he statet
that he would soon be out of bed ant
at the Boches, but he wss destined
never to join his comrades Of thu
famous Rainbow Division. The lette
was written October 20, 1918, and ht
died of cerebo-spinal meningitis three
days later, October 23, 1918.
1t was on October 20, 1917, that VOL
colt landed in France with the othel
members of the 18th infantry. He
with the rest Of the soldiers, took par
in the battles which have made the
name of the Rainbow Division famous
the world over. He was in severa
desperate encounters, at one time un
der a 14-hour barrage and at another
he was surrounded by Germans but
fought his way out. He was a member
of machine gun company.
He was relieved in August and sent
to an officers training school, being
later sent back to his company, wher
the Germans were making desperate
efforts to open the way to Paris He
was with his company when he took
a cold which eventually resulted in
his death.
His one thought seemed to be get
are hearing a lot of peace talk" he
wrote, "but we cannot stop until we
have the Boche finished" His last
letter written to his mother, Mrs.
Henry Wolcott, of Pascagoula, Miss,
shows the undying spirit, of the men
who formed the Rainbow Division. 1t
is as follows:
"a few lines again. l am still in
the bed feeling fine. Expect to get out
soon and back to my company. sup
pose the boys are having hot time of
it and just think | am missing it all.
"This is the second time the COM
pany has gone into action and | have
been unable to go. The other time |
was at a training school,
"Just think, eleven months ago to-
day | landed over here. 1t seems no
more than about three months, have
been in some dangerous places, and
thanks to the Good Lord l am still
whole.
"The weather is quite cool, but to-
day is warm for the sun is shining.
The nurse says | can soon come out,
/ hope so for | hate to stay in bed.
81 suppose the people are talking of
peace, but we cannot stop until we
have the Boches finished. | feel like
a white man now with clean pajamas
and on cooties. 1t is great feeling
to be rid of these pests. But no
doubt l shall get them as soon as |
get back to the company"
The body Of Sergeant Wolcott was
buried in an American cemtery over
seas and the following touching letter
was received from Mrs. Wolcott in
regard to the spot in Beaune, Cote
dor, where the body rests. The
letter was from the commander in
charge of the graves registration
service and is as follows:
81 am sure that you will pardon the
use of a form letter such as we are
sending today when you try to realize
under what great stress this office is
working in order to give as prompt
service as possible concerning facts
which are of such importance to our
,orrowing friends whose brave men /
rave suffered martydom on the battle
ields within our sphere of European
operations.
at is with great sorrow that / am
writing you, and only the urgency of
our desire to know, prompts me to
,ush forward this notification when
ny note is required to be so formal
because of the great number to which
ny name has to be signed.
"You have already probably received
fficial notice concerning the death
f the one whom you gave to your
ountry and the world for the saving !
f civilization. His body lies buried in
spot which is under our care and ;
ontrol, and that there will be no /
anger of its loss or neglect.