Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1919-02-06
Coblence, Germany,
Jan. 6, 1919.

Coblence, Germany,
Jan. 6, 1919.
Dear All:
Well, here | am up along the
shores of the river Rhine. At times
it looked as though | wasn't going to
get here but it finally turned out O.
X. Long ago, before ! ever dreamed
of being in the Occupation Army, my
one big ambition was to see the Rhine
before returning and then after !
was transferred into the Ord Army it
at first looked doubtful as to whether
I'd finally get here. Tn" boys that
don't get here are missing one grand
trip. 1t sure has been trip worth
while as far as personal experiences
are concerned. 'Turk" was lucky
in way to get homeward bound so
soon but should he know what he's
missing he wouldn't consider himself
so lucky.
We had two day trip via auto up
the Moselle Valley from Trier. The
towns along the river are built right
at the waters edge, usually at a turn
of the river and right at the foot of a
large mountain.
Grapes seemed to be the only in
dustry; millions of vines on each
hillside.
The towns all seemed to be little
tourist towns, just like model hotels,
etc. We spent the night enroutc at
Aft, pretty little town, one part OF
of it ON one side of the river and one
on the other. We are quartercd in a
large dormtory ON the 'campus' of
the fortress, Fort Kaiser Alexander,
1t is on large hill overlooking Cob
lence and the Moselle as it flows into
the Rhine, just like ON the hill at
Harper's Ferry looking at the Shen'
andoah flowing into the Potomac.
We have a room at one end of the
dormitory(six Of u.s. with good look
ing paper on the wall, decorated CELL
ing, spring beds with German pillows
and linen sheets, fine stoves with
plenty of little polished coal bricklets,
two large windows, a wash basin and
pitcher each. We have, in other
words, all the comforts Of a college
dormitory and it sure seems hard at
times to think Pm in the army yet.
The scenery is, of course, beautiful :,
Jan, !.
Didn't finish this last eve. The
boys were ready to 60 to town, 80 |
stopped and went along. We went
to a bum show the "I" had. Have
only seen two good ones SO far.
Tonight at the 'ln in town they re
having movies and supposed to be
extra special. We are going down,
maybe well be stung again don t
know but the walk is worth while.
We found shorter cut now and its
only a fifteen minutes walk from here
to the centre of town. We can get
papers here only IA day old, Wilson
sure is making trip ont of it ism t
he? Since coming up here and see
how we are settling down etc. 1t
looks as though won t get home as
soon as ! thought for awhile would
| won't be surprised if Pm here for
six months, three anyhow. didn t
get to go up to the cx-kaiscr 5 Castle
today as | expected to do but will
soon l. suppose. 1t is only short
distance from here up the Rhine.
What it takes to see all there is worth
seeing around here you may
rest assured, IRE got. | expect to
start in seeing the sights before long.
,If | keep writing and sticking these
little stickers on I'll have complete
album to send you. The above is
Porta Nigra Beach Gate) in Trier
built by the Romans in the early
centuries, as were the castles on the
mountain tops that are ruins now.
! walked through the gates in the
centre of Porta Ngra several times
while in Trier.
Wish you could see this ort. I've
been in it almost a week now and
haven't seen any of it yet. More than
half of it is under ground tunnels.
Caves, dugouts etc. by the hundreds
lead in out of the moat. Even some
of the tunnels don't end until they
get to Coblenz. We wander around
through them and it takes more time
finding our way back than it does to
get where we want so we never go
very far.
The stores in town are very low on
postal cards that is why haven't
sent any yet. They have no good
ones and maybe its well they don't
for | am short of funds. They have
to order from up in Germany and