Charlevoix county herald., 1919-02-07
Letters From
Our Soldiers
From CAPT. w. c. SPRING
Reprinted from Charlevoix Sentinel.

Written to the Late Captain WILLARD
A. Smith.
The following interesting letter from
Captain.W. C. Spring was received
here Monday last. Captain Spring has
been in Europe with the American
forces continuously since the United
States entered the great war, hence,
has not heard of the passing of the late
Captain Smith, who departed this life
December oath, 1917, one year prior to
the date of Captain Springs letter.
Captain Spring was one of the officers
OF Company X, of East Jordan, later
Company | of the Michigan National
Guard, and with his Company was
transferred early to the western battle
front in Europe. Captain Spring was q
personal friend of the late Captain
Smith, and spent some time in this city,
two years ago as recruiting officer:
Dec. Is, 1918.
Captain Willard A. Smith,
Charlevoix, Mich.
My Dear Captain
AS Christmas has arrived again, our
minds naturally turn to our friends we
have left behind, and who we know
are watching our record and looking
for our return. know how anxiously
the people OF Charlevoix have been
| q oifipu pauc of tho man ,uho aol;ctad
with me last summer, and who repre-
sent the City of Charlevoix in our regi-
ment. am pleased to say that we still
have them with us, safe and well, and
hope to return them, as they have been
during our campaigns, credit to the
City of Charlevoix, as they have been
to the l25th Infantry.
I've often thought of writing you be-
fore, but it has been almost impossible,
as we have been on the front lines al
most continuously since our first bow
to the Boche, May, 18th, in Aloase
Since then, every day has been a real
4th of July, as far as noise was con-
cerned, until the armistice went into
effect.
Our division has been one OF the real
combat divisions every minute, and we
have been fortunate in being able to
see real action in some of the hardest
battles of the war.
Our first real test was in the second
battle of the Marne, at Chateau Thier-
ry, where the 32nd Division was given
trial. The result of that battle, when
the 32nd not only demonstrated their
ability to fight, but drove the Germans
into head-long flight across the Vesle
river, stamped us as combat division
of the first degree. From that time,
there was no question as to the ability
of our Division. General Mangin at
once asked that our Division be taken
to scissors, and placed in his army, as
they had been unable to gain in that
sector Our Division went into action
near Juvigny, and in four days bat
tie, not only pierced the line, but again
drove into flight the famous Prussian
Guards, taking Juvigny in probably
one of the greatest barrages of high ex-
plosive the war has ever seen.. From
there we were taken to the rear for q
ten days rest and to receive replace
ments
We were then taken to the front near
Verdun, which was considered by the
Germans, their strongest position. They
called it the "Krimhild Stellung," which
means position of great strength. This
was the line that German strategists
said could not be broken, and was the
most gruelling test we have had. The
Germans massed their artillery and
machine guns behind great bands OF
barbed wire and intrenchments in q
county that by its natural formation,
made line that they considered i'm
pregnable. Our regiment was in the
front line twenty-one days, and were
subjected to every method of destruc'
ton the Boche could advise. Artillery,
machine guns, Minneuwerfers, gas,
grenades, and air bombing, all played
their part continuously, night and day,
during that time; but our line continued
to gain ground every day until the
: Boche line finally broke, and they eva
cuated the whole section of country
west of the Meuse river, and the whole
German army in that section went into
retreat. This is the battle which will
probably be known as the "Argonne
Meuse, > and the one we are especially
proud to have participated in.
We then crossed the Meuse and were
in position for attack the morning the
armistice went into effect. Major Gaus
ser's battalion was in the front line
and ready to go over the top at 700 a
m. that morning, when the order cam,