The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1919-05-30
of
Benjamin M. Roe

BENJAMIN N. Roe returned TO Phoebe
last Sunday. Returned home Its
mighty good to be back" he said. He
enlisted September Is. 1917. from Sc III
Lake and Joined the first contingent OF
Lincoln county soldiers. going with
them to Camp Lewis. where he was
sworn into the service and assigned 20
company q. 3s2d infantry. s1st division
At Camp Lewis he received ten months
OF general training on the shores OF
American lake is one of several lakes
In an expanse of level country between
Puget sound and the foothills of the
Cascade mountains, to the south of Ia
coma, wash, a region rich in historic
lore. The Hudson Bay Company main
tanned post at Fort Nisqually
through the early part of the last cen
fury and up to 1870. Captain Charles
Wilkes arrived at this fort in ls4,
with two schooners on an expedition
an act of congress in 1896. and the sci
entists with Captain Wilkes operated
with Fort Nisqually as a base.
In ls41 Captain wilkes planned a
be held at the head of Lake Sequali-
chew. near old Fort Nisqually, and II
was on this occasion that he. with 9TH
ers of the party, walked over to the
adjoining lake and named IL the Amer
lean. DR.. j. +. Richmond. mission
airy In that section, delivered tho ora
ton on the Fourth. and he with his
wife were among the party visiting
the nearby lake. Mrs. Richmond $
name was America and the captain
CALAMITY and periodically used the
for the newly christened lake The
town of Steilacoom, about FIVE miles
from American lake, is the Oldest town
on Puget sound. A mile to the east
of Fort Steilacoom, where. In their
day. Grant and Sherman served as
young officers long before the civil
war.
American lake is situated in a re-
gion of wonderful natural beauty, and
the boys from Lincoln county who
remember the grandeur of the forest
trees and the luxuriant vegetation, so
different from the desert lands. The
boys from the warmer waters of the
south VIII readily understand the SUI
perstition prevalent among the Indi-
ans that II was unlucky to battle in
the waters of the lake. Anyone who
into northern waters will quite Under
stand. One of the owners of the
Groom mine, In this county, has a
summer home on the sound near by.
Camp Lewis was one of the sixteen
gateways for the army of democracy.
Through this gateway passed Ben
Roe and others from Lincoln county
full government-intellig obedience
to orders issued by wiser men
From Camp Lewis he was ordered to
Camp Camp Merritt for overseas equipment,
ed July II. 1918. Seasick all the way
over Liverpool was found big city,
but nothing to compare with the big
southampton by train. toy train
though swiftly moving one. Then
across the channel to Havre. where in
a small village nearby they got their
After five weeks of further training
the company was ordered to the front
at st Mihiel. where they were held in
three days, September II to IA. Then
they were sent to the Meuse, where
they had part In the battle of the Ar
gonne forest. September % they went
over the top and had four days of hard
fghting. On one occasion while in
NO Mans land three of the enemy We're
encountered, one carrying sack upon
dred yards, they afforded a target and
the first shot struck the sack, which
evidently contained explosives. for only
a cloud of dust remained of the three
men,
During three days there was only
the emergency rations available-two
cans of bully beef and six bareback.
which was accomplished, but not until
1000 men of the regiment We're killed
or wounded, and out of company G
alone there r,,, We're LIS men wounded and
with the others and within eight min
utes he was shot in the face. Thought
my whole face was torn off" Changed
his rifle to the other hand and felt for
missing features while still advancing.
Keeping going, he was struck again,
this time In the shoulder by machine
gun bullet; This turned him around,
but he got Strengthened out quickly.
and as the battle had reached a stage
where he could not quit he kept right
on going and trying to get target.
through the neck and knocked cold
There was another man lying wounded
next to him and this man kicked him,
which brought him to hts senses again,
helpless shell burst, killing his
wounded companion and partially COW
ering himself with dirt. Then the hos
what a narrow escape sso It w saso to h1 be
instantly killed, Leaving the hospital,
he was on the way back to the front
and on this train he met Frank Var
ner; Then followed stay In Belgium
Until the hrst of the year. He saw
the Christmas period. Ordered back
to France, they stayed there until the
embarkation for home April 2, landing
In New York April IS after a slow and
Russell, Wyo.. May 4, he proceeded to
Salt Lake. where ne spent three weeks
with his brothers and sisters. Then to
Phoebe. where he expects to make his
home for the future.
In answer to questions he said: Eyes,
II was wonderful experience, and
while the price was high 1t was worth
any, price to prevent such occurrences
as l saw in France from happening in
our own country" And, again answer
Ing, he said: THE difference between
this country of ours and the older
words. They are hundreds Of 81 years ears
back of the times in modern conven-
fences and in the mode of living. The
poor people have not the chance thcy
nave in this country. This Is the best
country in all the world"
he has taken charge Of the Leader
clothing store In Phoebe and will run
! y IN association with Elias Kahn, who,
however. Will not remain In Phoebe.
Ben Jamin Roe has certainly earned the
right to participate in the business of
Lincoln county and the community has
MADE expressions OF pride in him.
FOR SALE.