Newspaper Page Text
THE CARROLL rREF. PRESS. CARROLLTON, CARROLL COUNTY, GEORGIA
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1918
LETTERS FROM OUR SOLDIERS IN FANCE
AND IN TRAINING CAMPS OVER HERE
I will dose, hoping to hear from yon
nil soon.
Willi love to nil,
GROVER C. FREEMAN,
Hut. 11, .121 F. A., A. E. F. Frnuce.
PRIVATE HENRY W. HOLLAND
‘' Somewhere in Franco,”
Bepteinber 11, 1!HS.
Dear Mother:
Have just written you n letter, hut
don’t gauss you will mind hen ring
from me again.
I am getting over the long trip and’
feeling fine again now, though we start
again soon for Franeo as this is only
a resting camp.
1 have plenty of money to do inn ,
and will probably send some homo
Inter as we don’t need very much now.
H. N. BROCK.
• • Somewhere in France,’’
August .11, 1918.
Dear Dad:
In answer to your letter which eamo
a couple of days ago, dated Inly ‘29th,
must say that this leaves me well and
feeling lino.
We hoys are “in it" now. Have
most anything for our convenience and
amusement. Times here are good, bus
iness rushing day and night. All goes
at top speed—no dragging at all.
Thing:
have changed! wonderfully
over here for the past three months.
We are doing the “stunt” now. We
lire expecting this job to be over be
fore always. 1 can’t tell when, nor
can any one else, but if old Fritz can
go the gate that the Vaults and our
our allies are going he will lie going
some. The spirit of the boys is fine—
Mother, I wrote tor a sweater in mv I ... ,, .
' ! never better. Everv one, to a man
though
last letter, though I don't need
now, but will later in the season, so
send it when you can.
It has been raining ever sinec we
got here.
Nmv listen, please don’t worry about
jno for I am all O. K. Have plenty to
eat and good officers and think wo will
be ready to come home in the near fit
tore, a riling to the English belief,
and don't regret mv trip so far, as it.
will moan so much to you and me when
I got back.
Ijet me know .whether you want
brother’s body brought back or not,
nnd if so, I will, if I am spared, do
the best f can to have him sent home,
f am going to try to go to his grnvo
the first chance 1 have. Oh, it is so
sad to me to know that I can’t see
him while 1 am here, but' maybe it 'h
best. Our Lord is able to protect me
nnd lot me come back to you, so trust
in him with faith and I am most sure
I’ll come back.
This is a beautiful country and lots
of wonderful scenery. I am in th«
best of heart and want you to be sat
isfied about mo.
7 will close with best of wishes to the
whole family.
Your son
DVT. HENRY W. HOLLAND,
1st Co., lith Ordnance Brigade,
i Amor. E. F. Via Now York.
SGT. IVEN D. WEBB.
“ Somewhere in France,”
September 7, 1918.
Mr. E. S. O. Webb.
My Dear Father:
1 will now answei your most kind
and welcome letter which I received
today. Was glad to hear from you.
This me.xsngo leaves me well and en
joying life. tine.
Well, father, I sure was sorry to hear
that your crop was looking so bad. Is
it the crop or the war? Say, I am a
little closer to the war than I was
when I was in the states nnd I ant not
worrying about, it.
You were speaking about slackers.
I tell you if the slackers had come in
this army like, men and come when th3
war first started I am suro it would
have been over by now. I thank God
T came in the army like a man and 1
am going to stay until death or see it
to an end. 7 would like to sec it stop
but if it costs me my life 1 have no
kick coming. You told mo to do my
best in it and I will.
Ploase do not. worry about me. I am
kurc I will get back home, some day.
Bn remember father, 7 am happy and
do not worry.
1 will close for this time.
Yonr son,
SGT. IVEN D. WEBR,
j Co. E, 54th 7nft. Regular,
Amor. E. F. France.
GROVER C. FREEMAN.
“Somewhere in Franco,”
September F2, 1918
Dear Mother and Homefolka:
W.onder how you all are getting
along? Fine I hope. 1 nin well and
having a very good time. Would be al
right if 1 could hear from you all
some times. Have not hoard a word
troni von since leaving Camp Wheeler,
and 1 tell you it looks pretty lmrd to
see others getting mail from home nnd
me getting nothing, but still I think
1 will get one tomorrow.
How are all the folks getting along
and what lire you all doing?
1 guess Loyd, Wilbur, David and
Thurman registered today, but I hope
it will all be over before Uncle Sam
will need them, but if they do have to
come, 1 know they will do their best.
They ought to be with me now, I
might show them how to dodge the
shells ,as I am on the front and have
already had a taste-of it, yet it is not
half so bad as one might think.
Do not be uneasy aboul me us 1 will
take care of myself the best I can and
a.in looking forward to the .lav when I
will be back at home again.
Have you all received my letters yet?
Have been writing every week nearly.
Arc you expecting a good crop of cot
ton : : ' vi.Ti
goes up against his work ned tries to
do wlmt he can.
We have good “chaw” and plenty ot
it, and that goes a long ways with an
army, especially when they work night
and day.
The spirit of the French people f i
dny is fine. They have the utmost
confidence in the Yanks. The day that
the Yanks turned the German drive
into a disastrous retreat ami defeat,
the Franch people almost went wild.
They all take off their lints to the
Yanks and treat them as if they had
eiinio to deliver them from the bondage
of slavery.
After having been over almost a
year, I have cemo to like the French-
very much. They are a peoplo,
ns a whole, who are very frank and
think you the same.
Your letter wns of very much inter
est to me, us it contained things I was
glad you had been so kind to put
in, as probably you know it is some
time the small happenings that inter
est n soldier lad most, for the bigger
things rend in the papers.
I know you want to know what we are
doing. Well, to be frank, we turn out
more lumber in one month than you
probably have ever seen—the small
amount of 42,000,000 feet per month,
ml tlmt is not enough. We are go
ing to increase our gang a hit and
speed up nil machinery am] turn out
seventy-two million feet.
Now, the Amoricnu Expeditionary
Forces is being and has been put on a
1 basis of 110 per cent efficiency. Go-
operation, I understand, is the very
thing we need to win the war. We
have it and you tuny look all the time
for bigger tilings as the days go by.
I might say here it is just marvelous
how the French and Yanks get along to
gether. Should you be out on Sundays
with us at the bench—where we go on
Sunday—you probably would think it
n family reunion. It’s true we butcli-
Frem-li language trying to talk it,
and the French butcher English just as
had or worse, hut wo only guess wc are
right and then go on with our parley
ing. It sounds somewhat like a gang
of ducks nnd guineas mixed up.
The French officers claim the. Ameri
can Engineers have done more in one
year than they would have done in
twenty.
Tn conclusion, I must say that 1 have
not had time to write, for 1 only work
fifteen hours per day, and by taps I
feel more like sleep than anything else.
You must imagino I am doing well, for
we have a very good medical stall',
they say. I never use them for I am
always on the job.
My, mv, 1 sure do miss my water
melons. I really haven’t seen one or
heard of one, until the other dny when
1 received a letter from a friend. She
told mo she had been eating them.
Must close for this time and leave
this old supply house for the rats to
i .Hive their ball game.
Your son, as ever,
H. N. BROCK.
JESSE C. CRAVEN ( picture shov.-s .here nnd they are also
"Somewhere in France,” I enjoyed very much. We do not have
September 4, 1918. good theatres, and most of us have to
Dear Aunt Susie: j s,a >" 1 >‘P- b,,t U bcats llone nt
It has been some time since 1 have | Arc you still at work in Carrollton,
written you. Have been writing to and how do you like your work? 1
Tommie and that is just the same. ; guess business is rather dull now, is it
How are all at home, and have yon i M( ,t? ,
gotten well. Sure hope von have, j Mni] m( , u 1<mK ,,. t(rr nn(1 toll all
Well, Aunt Susie, 1 am feeling fine-
have not taken n dose of. medicine |
since 1 have been in the army, and that everything
is pretty good, 1 think.
Has Tommie gone to the army yet '
Hope not, as he is needed at home so
bad and I think wo can finish what
Germans there are over here now.
Aunt Susie, 1 ran lip on one boy that
I knew since 1 have been over here,
and that was Walter .Tones. I sure was
glad to see him and he was me. When
you are in “No Man’s Land” it is
nice to meet some one you know. We
heard a lot of talk about that before 1
left home, but now I know how it is.
1 have been to Paris, France. It is
a real nice city. We have been in n
lot of nice towns, and arc on the go
most of the time.
Guess you all are having some real
good times. How are Lewis nnd Bud?
I would write to all, but don’t have
lime and paper is scarce.
Aunt Susie, 1 have not heard a word
from any one back home since I left
(ho states and am real anxious to get
some news from home. Hope you are
well and will answer renl soon and let
me hear from you all. Love to all.
As ever, your boy,
JESSE C. CRAVEN,
(jo Chief Ordnaco Officer,
A. P. O. 774. Amor. Ex. F.
CLIFFORD YEAGER
A soldier boy who was kiUod in France September 13th, last, and his last letter
written to his cousin, Miss Ethel Yeager, of Clem, Ga., Route 2.
Co. D, 138th Iuft.,
A. E. F., France,'
August 23, 1918.
Miss Ethel Yeager,
Clem, Ga.
My Dear Cousin:
1 will now answer your letter of July
loth, which came to me this afternoon.
Was indeed delighted to hear from von,
and now as I answer, I must first tell
von I’m in the trenches and have been
on the firing line ten days. Would like
to tell you of a few personal experi
ences, 1ml for fear it would not puss
censorship »l will just wait and tell
you all about it when the war is over
when my little girlie and 1 come to see
you nil, hut you call feel assured that
here on the front times are just as ex
citing ns you can imagine, nnd at times
a great deal more so, especially when
the big shells begin to come and clip
off trees all around a fellow.
I feel fine now since I have gotten
my mail. Letters do a fellow an awful
lot of good here, and makes hint feel
more like going over the top. I only
need to catch up with a little loss of
sleep which will soon ho regained when
we go on reserve. I am on duty every
night 9 hours, and believe mo, sonic of
these nights scorn most endless. I have
been on duty a few nights out in “No
Man’s Lund” as a sniper and, believe
me, times get mvful close some times
nnd a fellow never realizes life is so
dear until hero a while. Wlicu not
on duty, I have a -cozy little dug-out
with a wall three feet thick built of
rocks, a roof four layers thick with big
pine logs, so it is most shell proof, and
now, while I write, you can picture me
in this little fort with a dim candle
light writing this letter, while on the
outside ciin be heard a constant roar
of shells bursting. I have recently lost
some awful good comrades, and it seems
hard to give them up, yet it is nil in
this game of life, and we don’t expect
to win without the sacrifice of a few
men. What we are doing to the Dutch,
von can read about, if the war con-
tiauqs nnftthor eighteen months the
French comrades tell ns that wc will
have all the Germans killed, and what
SGT. WILLIE L. LASSETTER
“Somewhere in France,
September 14, 1918.
Dens Homefolks:
1 have not received any letters from
you since I arrived over here and 1
would like to hear from you all. I
don’t know whether you have gotten
any of my letters or not.
1 am in the best of health nnd hope
von are the same.
Toll Thelma and Grady to write to
me for 1 would like to get a letter from
all of you.
This is a much prettier country than
1 thought it wns. There are a lot of
pretty girls over hero.
Tell all of the boys and girls hello
for me and tell them to write , to me
as 1 would like to hear from all around
home. *
1 will close, for this time hoping to
hear from you soon.
With love,
SGT. WILJ IE L. LASSETTER,
Co. I, 52nd Infantry,
American E. F France.
we don’t kill wo will have in our poa
session as prisoners and when we' ac
complish this, you see, there will be no
German army and then the war will be
over and we can return to the home
land that is so dear to us.
Ethel, I feel that I am one of the
luckiest hoys yet. A few yards along
the trenches aie dug outs built hack
from the trenches and some have been
torn up pretty badly by shells.
Well, I am glad you hear from home
and mv little girl. The thoughts of
these loved ones make a fellow’s life
over here, so much more pleasant, 1
am enclosing a photo that wifs made
about three weeks ago when huek on
reserve. Don’t believe I sent you one,
though I mailed several the other day
before coming to the trenches, but
don’t remember whether I sent you one
or not. In ease I have, though, you
will plena.’ give one of them to Aunt
Sis Camp, and please tell her to write
to me. 1 hope Uncle Morde is better.
I hope that Earnest’s wife got to come
and visit you all.
1 will he one happy boy when the
wai is over and we can return to Amer
ica, but we are going to make a clean
job of it nnd will not be ready to re
turn until we have won, and assured
that hereafter peace will prevail
throughout the world.
French comrades are good fighters
nnd 1 make the pace right along with
them.
Here whore we are located it is
mountainous and the nights, us well ns
the days, are awful cool—the nights get
awful cold now, as wo have recently
had a rain nnd to dny it is gloomy and
looks like snow. The Alps are won
derful and the scenery is exceptionally
beautiful. No one lives near here
yet through the mountains can be seen
the ruins of homes which were vacated
in 1914 and 1915.
The Y. M. C. A. nnd the Red Cro
arc continually doing a wondert it work
and may God’s blessings be bestowed
upon you all, who are so faithful to
help us win by also sacrificing.
Write me soon and often.
Your loving cousin,
CLIFFORD YEAGER.
BILL HORTON
“Somewhere in France,
Dear Mother: •
I am attached to the Royal Air Fore
of England at present and have v.
station at London. 1 don’t think
will be here long, however. I wanted ! 1V0,,1<1 want tn « ive tl,om n P mlch -
OUR FALLEN HERO.
(In Memory of James C. Holland.)
about what you lire doing and how
progressing.
Yours truly,
DVT. ALBERT E. NIXON,
Battery A, Third Anti Air Craft,
Batallion C. A.
Aiucr. Ex. Forces, France.
PVT. J. PAUL HUDSON.
M. F. E. Courier Service,-
September Hi, 1918.
Dear Dad:
For the first time I will write you
a letter although when I write home it
is meant for the whole family, but per
il ups you’d like tn get a letter meant
especially for you I ean find many
subjects to write on but think they
would not interest you and wc are lim
ited on certain subjects that would in
terest you a grant deal. 1 am sure you
would like to know when the war will
end, as for that I cannot say, hut
the Huns arc on the run nnd that vic
tory is coining sometime in the near
future
I have had no clinnce to chase Fritz,
ns wo sometimes call him, but instead
nm dispatching mail. May be doing my
part us I try to do my duty wherever
I may be, but until 1 get out nnd give
Heinio a chase 1 will feel like I have
not done very much. If you could see
the cruelty they have imposed on the
helpless women and children nnd seo
the homes they have ruined and wreck
ed, you too, like any other American,
to go to the front, but two of us wcr.
sent over here on somo special work.
1 can’t tell you what, but 1 am work
ing pretty hard. 1 drove a ship from
hero across the channel to France a
few’ days ago. It is very exciting to
lie way up above everything and see
two countries at once. These English
ships are pretty good, especially the
ones using the Liberty motor.
I (lew in a ship a few days ago with
eighteen other men. Beliove me, it was
some, big one. It wns a Ilandley-Page.
This hotel is very fine. It is now
and everything in first class condition.
The dining room is mannged by Y. M.
C. A. Indies. The meals are fine mid
cost about, four shillings n day. That
about eighty-four cents in U. S.
money. I have English money in one
pocket and French money in the other,
is I go over and back every few days.
My living is taken care of by the
R. A. F. nnd I draw my pay from the
U. S. government.
I like the English much better than
Hie French. They have n higher brand
of morals.
1 was in Paris a few days ago nnd
had quito a time.
I hnven’t got n letter from homo in
a long time now. Is it because you
don’t write or because the mail does
not get here regularly?
London is certainly one more big
town. It looks big when you are in
it and also when you arc above it. It
lias no high buildings however.
Well, goodbye for this time.
With love,
BILL HORTON.
1 have received but one letter from
home, ami mother statod that Hulett
would be in the army soon. I trust
that he will go in with good spirit,
which I am sure he will, for if lie will
start now to lie a soldier it will be
much belter for him. The marines is
a good branch of service and if T had
mine to go over 1 would surely be a
marine. As for the marine officers I
can say they are the best I have met
yet.
Hroro in Paris can tie found plenty
places for amusement. Sunday I
visited one of the parks, accompanied
by two nice Mnndemoiscllcs. They
were sisters, nnd speak three different
languages—English, French and Ital
ian, They are model girls and 1 count
myself lucky to lie in their company
ns they can tell me all about the dif
ferent things, ns I have not learned to
speak very much French.
Well, dad, I linvo told you more
about myself than T started out to, so
I had better quit before you get somo
inside dope. Hope you are well and
everything is going nicely at home.
1 am feeling good ami in the best of
health.
Love to all.
Your son,
PVT. J. PAUL HUDSON.
A dirge for Carroll’s fallen bravo,
Who from his homo has gone;
His form is laid in glory’s grave,
His memory lives on.
As I think of one whose eye,
Flashed hack the merriest light;
Whose heart was proud nnd true and
high,
Whose mein rejoiced the sight.
In gloomy Fra nee, so far uivav,
la glorious manhood he lias fallen;
In the mild month of May—stiU away,
Brave James C. Holland.
Green be the grass above thee,
Friend of nil my days;
None knew thee hut to love thee,
Or named thee but to praise.
Affeetion fondly hemls over him,
And on his honored grave,
Tears of love fall softly,
Ami the ilcwv flowers' wave.,
Brave James C. Holland in France!
la the flush of early youth;
A mother’s love has followed.
With signet sealed with tuith.-
But now her gallant soldiei boy
Is from nil sorrow free;
His little blood-stained Bible
Is sent for her to see.
j For he fell as s Christian soldier
j And his memory will remain,
When the liberty has come to us
Which so many died to gain.
For his joys on earth arc ended,
And lie fell in freedom’s cause;
Offering ineensc to his country,
And obedience to her laws.
We’ve met his kindly genial smile,
In the days gone by;
And now it saddens ns to think,
That such as lie musj die.
The meed of glory cover him,
The nation’s love is given;
Let us look in gratitude,
I That James O. is in heaven.
My dirge is sung, my rhymes are
wrought,
But every one can tell,
The ground is holy where he fought,
| And holier where he fell.
, —By A. M. T.
PRIVATE ALBERT E. NIXON
“Somewhere in France,”
September 7, 1918.
Dear Old Pal:
Don’t lie offended as I have waited
longer than I intended to answer your
letter, but we have been doing so
much moving since I last wrote to you
that I have not had very much time
to do anything at all
We have, had a splendid time so far
Wml saw a lot of things of interest,
but I think most every one was ready
for a rest when when wo arrived hero.
A lot (>f the boys were sea sick in the
trip over, but I was not. I guess it
j was because T had been sea sick be-
, tore. We did not have any trouble at
all and had good weather all the way
I over, and that was a grant help. We
I have had to travel a lot by rail and
also several hard hikos since we land-
i od,'hut most every one stood the trip
I line and wo were just ns jolly when
we stopped here as wc were when we
i left Fort Morgan, and if you will bc-
I liove me, we are a jolly lot of boys.
We can get passes and go to the towns
that are oloso by, but they are all
short and wc don’t have long to stay,
hut it is a real treat to get out of camp
even if for just a few hours.
Bay, we had a show by a New York
| troupe last night ami we sure enjoyed
it for it was tile first I had seen since
1 left the states. Such as that cheers
ns up a lot and makes ns feel that we
are not so far away from home. It is
only one of the many things the Y. M.
A. does for us nnd j for one appro
(•into it very much, for sohlieiiiig is
sure dull without the Y. M. (\ A., as I
found nut on .Dauphin Island, and I
hope I will never lie Ncnt again where
there- is no Y. M. C. A. We also have
LEE EDGEWORTH.
American Ex. F., France.
Charleston, S. C., Oct. 11, 1018.
My Dear Father:
How are you all today? All well, I
hope. I am well and doing fine. They
have changed things around since l
eamo hack. We nro drilling a good
deal now. They are more strict on us
than they used to be, but it is still easy
to make good. We are under a strict
quarantine now. There is a circus com
ing here and I think that is why they
put us under quarantine, so they could
prevent the spread of the influenza ns
much ns possible. 1 believe shrdl hrdl
much ns possible.
I believe 1 will volunteer for sea Ser
vice the first chance 1 got. Will have
to wait untill a draft comes in. Wo
hear that a brand new transport is com
ing to this yard some time this month,
ami if it does T guess every one of us
Carrollton lio.vs will try to get on board.
All of us want to to stay together, and
t think that would bo a good chance for
IIS.
Are you done pulling fodder yot? I
guess you are by his time.
I guess you think it takes me a long
into to write, but I have been busy al
most all the time since I eamo back,
but I have caught up now so 1 will have
more time to write.
How is the sick lmy? 1 hope he is
well and as sassy as ever.
Papa, I didn’t have time to seo Mr.
Meeks about the paper. Would you
mind mentioning it to him somo time.
I would like to get it. And if you
don’t mind it you ean send mo some
smoking tobacco or cigarettes. I
haven’t got a thing to smoke now and
no chance in the world to get anything.
The store hero is closed and you can’t
g ( any there, and can’t I to town
by anybody. Bo I will just have to do
without, 1 guess, until you send me
some, and don’t wait ton long.
1 want you 4o write mo. Will close
for this time, with much love.
Your soil,
LEE EDGEWORTH.
Did Ezra get into the navy?