The Natchitoches enterprise. (Natchitoches, La.) 1888-1965, 1919-01-30
Letter from Germany

A>VssAOS ~O>S'
My Dearest Mother:
Here l am, with another chance to
write, and I'll not miss it.
Your boy is still U. K, altho he has
been thru thick and thin. Oh, this
war has been too terrible tor words,
and just think, mother, after all the
good fighting and heroic bravery our
great old s9th Division displayed in their
drives, we are now chosen to occupy
the evacuated territory of Germany.
for how long, ! cannot tell.
l was on the last big drive made, and
we have the honor of having penetrated
to the furtherest point in the German
line Oh, l will have worlds to tell you
when l do return home. have known
what it meant to have shells and bull
let's whizzing around me, and what it
was to Ego over the top" advancing
thru clouds of gas and smoke, under
rains Of rife, machine gun bullets, and
scrapnel, while around you are blood
stained comrades, moaning and breath
ing their last. l have carried them off
the battlefield, with legs, arms, heads
and bodies all torn to pieces All, such
awful sights! Just a few feet from
me, two men were killed, and yet,
mother, I was saved I! I was trapped
by the Huns, one mile ahead Of our
front line. and bald Eve dayS. With Just
s,ly 40 eos4el aalu,pn as azdsfeek
and seiping &atsr from thsSht4 Nod IL
the ground to drink. / know 'you don't
know much about shells. They are
shot from huge cannons, and when the
big ones hit the ground, they explode
and make hole about fifteen wide and
eight or ten feet deep. You can hear
them coming like train, whining and
moaning = dozen different ways rs they
come along. have seen balloons and
airplanss bring down men on the battle
field, and one shell get as many g sew
enteen men, tearing them 70 pieces !
Oh, mother. % l have said. only one
who has actually gone thru It all can
truly realize the terror.
And, mother, with all this. religion
seems to have been forgotten by many.
Where this war has taught me what
religion means to q man, there are
boys around eme now who have been
lucky enough to have gone thru this
hades, yet with never a thought of
thanks to Him who saved their lives.
Thru it all there was One in whom l
placed my trust, and thatis our Blessed
Mother. She has protected your boy,
and will bring me back safe and sound
TO you and home. l will never forget
her.
Xmas Is near, and altho III spend a |
:old, drsary one, I'll think Of you. /
have received one letter from you since
left the States, which makes ut mighty
hard for soldier over here. I can only
hope you are al we'll.
/ am sending you few souvenirs. A
,elmet German cap. belt and buckle,
:ook from prisoners while on our drives. |
Also some lace and cloth and . statue |
from French home, in the war-dsvas-
:ated part Of France, in which I spent |
me night. The picture am enclosing |
9 that Of 4 great Geman castle, where
We have been billited for the last four
lays. Let me say, your Yankee SOL
|ier has had some experience on Eng
ieh. Belgium, French and German soil,
)slieve me.
How 10 everything at homo would
i've anything to be back in the States.
nut wouldn't take anything for my ex-
'eriencs.
Tell July and Jack hello for me; write
Don, neither, and take good care Of
our dear self. A world Of love.
Your devoted son,
M.mr,u., ruoo,,s /