Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1919-02-06
LIEUT.. CHARLES DUTT
IS IN GERMANY NOW
Alma Boy with Army of Occu-
patton Writes Regarding
His Experiences.

Lieutenant Charles Dutt of this
city, who is with the army of occu-
patton in Germany, has written a
very interesting letter TO Glen Crisp
in which he tells of the march of
the army of occupation to the Rhine
and across the river into Germany
OF the devastated regions of France
and of some of the battles in which
he took part before the armistice
was signed. The letter follows:
5 F. A., A. +. F..
Germany, Dec. 20th, 1918
Dear Mr.. Crisp:
have been sitting here trying tc
think where | was when received
your letter, but all | can remember
is that it was miles and miIss from
here. Wherever il was | was mighty
glad to get 1t.
You would Judge from what
have said that / have travelled some
We are part of the army of occupa-
tion, and are now about where We
expect to stay, about twenty miles
east of the Rhine. hiking all the way
from between Beaumont and Sedan
So we have stopped in quite few
places. We have been on the road
ever since the 18th of November
stopping mostly for a night at a
place although a few stops were fol
more than one day.
At present-and | think we may
stay-we are what the fellows would
call Sitting on the world" We bill.
let by battalions-two batteries, con.
sisting of about 500 men and 30C
horses. The town we are in numbers
up to 35 houses and it looked rather
doubtful at first, TO get 500 men anc
300 horses inside. But we have al
our men in a factory and our horses
split between the factory and a near.
by brewery. SO that left the whole
town to the other battery. But tC
come to the sitting" part Of it prop.
erly. This factory, manufacturing
emery products, was owned by two
brothers. These brothers built THEN
residences across the street. They
resemble more castles or palaces
than ordinary residences. They wer,
Immediately requisitioned for off.
GERS quarters and battalion head.
quarters. The officers mess is also
in the dining room Of one and it is
regular banquet affair every meal
Only our bully beef" doesn't fit very
well in the bright and beautiful china
dishes. But | see we drew some fresh
meat today so that misft may be
done away with. Being a "Sous'
Lieut.. drew a third story bed but
at that | go out of sight in it.
The treatment we have received
from the German people has been
none but the best with but very few
grumbles. Why, here they are Sc
afraid one house will do more than
the other that we are going to have
to eat week at one then week at
the other. OF course, we are not
carried away by their friendliness
for thy are undoubtedly trying to
Tighten the load which they have
brought upon their shoulders.
Our trip has brought us through
some very interesting country Chief
among these is the old historic bat
tleground and city Of Verdun The
city seemed in a rather strange con-
dition in that parts Of it were COM
pletely blown up while others seemed
comparatively untouched But as 10
the battle-ground outside the city
where the actual barrages fell, when
the crown prince tried so hard and
failed so costly, you can't imagine a
more devastated country. There is
absolutely nothing left but mass of
holes The famous Hill 304 and Dead
Mans Hill reminded one Of a case
of smallpox. Places where villages
once stood, now a small board bear
ing the name marks the spot. We
passed through there on a cold, windy
day and ! don't believe | spent day
more depressing in a long while.
Then we also passed through the
Duchy of Luxemburg, which had been
a free state before the war but the
Germans grabbed it on the start. We
marched directly across the state and
hit the Moselle and our trip from
then on was down the river. The
country along the river rs beautiful
and helped TO vary the monotony Of
the march a great deal. We came
down the Moselle to the mouth and
through the city Of Coblenz and
(Continued on paSe fourl