The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-01-19

I1TlHE following interesting letter has
 been sent to Mrs. S. Belden, Jr., from her son. pr. Allen Belden. first lieutenant of the medical corps now in France and the second of a series on the St Mihiel drive:
 September 90, 1918, Tn France. Dear Mother: The morning of the 14th we started very early. No one knew Of any road, so, fortified by map, started off. We found road which would have been a good one but it was impossibly marred by trenches and entanglements. We passed along this road over a most impressive valley. The road led along the mountainside and in ante-bellum days had beautiful residences along same. They overlooked the beautiful valley of the Moselle river and now were pieces of lace-work, due to shells. We continued our search and found a path which led to X, above this was the aid station where our patients were. At last ws found our town and it was a reve- lation. It showed what German system could do. It was scrupulously clean and had every convenience for the soldiers There were two soldiers clubs; one for officers, the other for men. There were many delicatessen shops, bookshops and a splendid library. There was splen- didly appointed saloon, Every bit or available ground was planted in vege- tables and beautiful flowers We located our station one mile up the hill above the town, and runner was sent, ordering the ambulances around the other road.
 Cases had to be filtered two and one half miles, but we began our difficult task So far no shells had fallen and we were doing finely, then, To and be- hold, a few shells fell, but we continued our good work, ambulances came bear ing more litter bearers, but the German observation balloon used them as targets, and began a steady shell fire; meanwhile my litter bearers were coming down the hill with more patients. The ambu- lances had been fired upon, so Lieuten- ant Logsden ordered them out He got in one car and 1t begged in shell hole They left in another car. leaving me only two ambulances to haul B patients. Each ambulance holds four litter cases. To cap the climax, the driver and order ly refused to run the patients in. As luck would have it. one of my sergeants could run a car and he succeeded In getting our patients in. Just at this juno ture the engines blew up one of the road barriers. The boche had it filled with shrapnel and five men were wounded. l sent three men to dress the patients, who
  they sent for a litter and I sent two boys with one. They had no sooner reached the house than more shells began to fly. The house next door was com pletely demolished. continued dressing my patients and then the boches sent over gas.
 We finished dressing patients, and then filtered them down the road. NO ambuIances were sent out from 3 until s:30 D. m Git was impossible); here l vas with eight men under constant shell ire I knew we were on the edge or he grave, so I dismissed all Of my litter bearers. All went but Corporal Boye. He said: "As long as you remain am ,oing to stay with you" We'll, we moved ,ur patients Il times as the shells Kept setting nearer and nearer, and it was Providence that guided our move, for rom every point where we moved shells truck The town was so badly gasseo hat it seemed clouded by veil of smoke had no tidings of my dressers sent snto town. I was almost frantic as the shells kept getting closer, bursting all .round us. Most of my patients were shrapnel cases and I will remember 10 ny dying day, their imploring me to do ,omething for them All could do was 70 trust in Gods mercy and hope and ,ray for ambulances. A water cart came long and one man shot through the znee was sent in on it; another boy anne with push cart and took another nan in The shells kept coming put sfter three hours and 20 minutes, two ,mbulances came. sent Corporal Boye nto town to locate my five men but yhen he reached there, the Boche sent juch barrage in'that they had to take efuge in a dugout- We had to leave 4 without any idings of my men. You ;annot imagine my anguish, having to cave six men, including Corporal Boye, md such wonderful men at that, in a own full of gas and under heiiish snen ire. just could not control myself. $ the pleading of my patients had worse effect on me than shell fire and eaving without six of my brave men .lnost got the best of me, but God in lis infinite mercy helped me through 1t