Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 April 1918 — LETTERS FROM OUR SOLDIERS [ARTICLE]

LETTERS FROM OUR SOLDIERS

Carroll W. LtJatliennan Writes From England Corporal Carroll W. Leatherman, who was the first man drawn in Jasper county in the selective draft last July—No. 258 —arid who, after several months’ training at Camp Taylor was recently “sent across,” writes his father, D. F. Leatherman, of Rensselaer, under date of March 30, The letter does .not state whether he was in England or France, but as the envelope bore an English postmark it IB presumed he was in England at the time It was written. The letter in full follows: March 30, 1918. Dear Folks:—• Hello everybody. Well, I arrived abroad safe and sqund. I cannot tell you where, only somewhere in Europe. It is raining here now. but looks like it has been good weather lately. Well, I don’t know where to begin at to write, as there is bait very little we can write. The water was pretty rough, for a few days, and the wbves would wash the deck, but most of the time it was not so bad. I soon got used to being on the water. It didn’t bother me at all. I had a cold and for a few days did not feel very good, and did not get sea sick, as many others did. It was a great trip. After disembarking we rode for quite a distance on the train and saw some of the most beautiful country I ever saw. Everything is so well improved. There are no frame buildings here, everything is stone, cement or brick. We are now in huts made of tin on the outside and a kind of a plaster on the .inside. We will not he 'here but a ! few days, then I don’t know what we will have. Some of the boys are having fun over changing their money. They don’t know if they get enough back or not. I haven’t had any changed yet. There are several things that seem odd to us now. I suppose by this time you 'have ] got the card. You ought to, 1 . think. "' —" ”

I have not been to the Y yet but think 1 will before long. It is but a short distance from here. ' I hope' there, will 'be good Y. M. C. A. buildings werever I gp so I can attend services and any other amusements that they provide. It will a great help to break the monotony. I guess they have them wherever the trobps are. Well, I can’t think of anything more to write just now. T will quit for a while, maybe can think of something more later. Well I' have been out walking around the camp this afternoon. Everything is new and it is inter-! t esting. Another fellow was with i me and as we were coming back i we stopped in at a Y. M. C. A. and saw a picture show. It was real good? Then after the show they passed apples around. Tomorrow morning here will be communion services and also Other services, then tomoroqw afternoon there will be a lecture and singing. So I guess there will be something to go to. 1 have told about all i know that I can tell or write, so I guess I will give you the address and quit for tonight. I may write .more before I mail this. Sunday Morning. Will write a few more lines today then mail this. I did not get to go to the Y. M. C. A. this mofn-

ing because I was in charge of i quarters, and we stand muster this j p. in. as it is the last day of the month. It is rather cold here today. The wind is blowing and is cloudy. Well, this is all I can think of for this time so I guess I will have to close. I am well and O. K., so don't worry about me. I will get along here as well as I would in the U. S. 'Hope this finds you all well. I aim, as ever, you son, Corp. Carroll W. Leatherman, 2nd Camp Taylor Casual Co., A. E. W., via New York. Don Beam Writes of Trip Across the Atlantic. Don Beam, who is a member of the band on the American steamer Von Stiiben, writes an interesting letter to his wife, Mrs. Ruth Beam, while on his way back to New York from a trip to France. The letter was mailed in New York Saturday afternoon, at which port the Von Stuben arrived Saturday. The letter follows -in full, except for a few paragraphs of interest to Mrs.' Beam only: En Route, April 16, 1918.

It has been some time since I have written: I have nearly gotten out of practice, I haven’t written any letters for so long. I will start out at the beginning of our voyage and take you through. On Good Friday, March 29, at 10 a. m., we left Philadelphia without the slightest idea as to where we were going. On the'7th of April about 10 a. m., we dropped anchorin France. Our trip across was uneventful. There were two other ships with us and believe me they don’t take any chances. If they see anything at all suspicious they cut loose with 'their guns. About twenty-four hours out we were >iiret

by five torpedo boats and they have sure got the subs buffaloed. If they see one they go right for it and ram it. ' They can acquire ® speed of about 35 knots an hour,] which is about forty miles. We, however, were not bothered either going over or coming back. I was 1 pretty busy all the way over as the crew was rehearsing a minstrel show and I was detailed for the orchestra. We put the show on in France and it made a hit. We were considerably worked up when we got across because someone spread the word that there would not be any liberty; but everything came out alright after all. We coaled ship Monday. Tuesday we had clean up and Wednesday they gave us liberty from 9 a. m. to 6:30 p. m., and I certainly had an enjoyable day. We had the pleasure of running across Maurice —you perhaps have heard me speak of him. His band left Great Lakes about two weeks ahead of us. They have been in France about three weeks and have become pretty well acquainted. He took us through an/old, old castle which was built in the time of Caesar. It sure was interesting to see the various methods they employed to torture their prisoners. The thing that impressed me most was a sort of a well about 100 feet deep and at the bottom were swords and spears stuck up in such manner that when they threw a prisoner in he was cut all to pieces. It was located so that the tide would come in and wash the remains of his i body, out to sea. The dungeons were just aS you> read about —cold, dark as pitch and you never, never could get out of one of them. Maurice can speak French very fluently and we had a French guide who explained everything to us as we went along. It sure was an interesting sight. I will tell you more about it when I get to see you. I I wasn't very favorably impress'ed with France, as it rains too much. If the people in the U. S. could see all the soldiers and widows and orphans that I saw they would, realize that there is a war going on I stood on the corner and watched about 100 soldiers who were on leave going back to the trenches. They went along just like they were going to work, gun strapped on their shoulder and their lunch and a bottle of wine in their knapsack. All you see is men in uniform. There are no “slackers” in France. All men that are physically fit are in uniform. We also had the pleasure of seeing about 1 000 German prisoners. They <ro around with their heads up just like they owned the whole world. 'They are sure. well built men or Il 1» "what 1 saw are. They keen them out on working l»r• the time. There are about 1000 in prison whore we \\ere. The stores are awfully peculiar. There are no large ones at a l you don’t see any signs of our up-to-the-'minute stores. I can t to describe them and if I c< ? nl J J wouldn’t have anything to tell you about when I get horne t I am writing this, letter on -the installment plan and I-find it rather difficult as I forget what I havv already written and what I want tc

write. I I want to, give you a little idea of our life abpard ship. As far as i work is concerned we don’t have anv to speak of. Two concerts daily and maybe an hour rehearsal the rest of thte time we sit around and curse the kaiser. At 6:30 every night the lights go out and i are not turned on until daylight. The last three days on the way ! over we were compelled to wear a life preserver day and night ■ and sleep in our clothes. This applied also on the return trip. They do | all they can to make life just as I pleasant as they can. We have motion pictures about every other I evening. Dur grub is fair, but taking into consideration the fact that I we are at sea a good share of the I time, it is pretty good. I crave sweet stuff all the tiipe. I am glad I saved my “Hershey’s" until we were out in the middle of the ocean. I could have sold them at a i premium' but I wouldn't do it. i I can hardly wait until we get in so I will get some mail. It I seems like I have been gone for years. Believe me it is pretty darned lonesome to get out and never receive any word from those who ai*e dear to you, but I guess we 11 have to stand it. We are sure getting some experience and we are engaged in some very, very important work. It makes one feel better to know that he is doing some regular work in this war and not stalling around some training station. The disagreeable part of it is the fact that they are darned st'ngy with -their furloughs. | We have seen considerable of Herman* and havg kept him busy ‘ answering our questions. I have ' sure asked my share. He. was very good about answering them. I 'guess he will get a furlough when we hit port, and if he does I will ! send some souvenirs I got for you. I He is a mighty fine lad. You must i pardon this rotten writing as the ship rolls considerably. Not very much but just enough to make it hard to write. I Tell Paul I saw Georges Carpentier. He is in the French flying corps. Paul .can tell you all about him. He is a prize fighter. We are now in New York and we get liberty this afternoon till Monday “Stork” and I are going to try and locate Jim Brenner. We won’t be here so very long as Herman’s furlough has been cancelled. It is rumored that we are going to England on our next trip. I hope so as I want to see all I can so long as I have to stay here. Old U. S. looks pretty darned good to me. ' I am afraid I haven’t written a very interesting letter but when I come home I’ll tell’you all about it. You, know I "can talk* a great deal bettet- than I can write. I thirik I have succeeded in giving

• you a slight idea of our trip. 1 perhaps will "be able to write another letter Before we shove off. You know I’ll do my best anyway. Would give a great deal to see yon all and hope I will be able to before long. DON. •Herman Ames, son of Ed. Ames of Barkley township, who has been in the navy for a year and has never taken a furlough. “Sergeant Joe” Writes From Camp Taylor The following letter from Sergt. Joseph Thomas at Camp Taylor, 1 may be of interest to Jasper county readers: Camp Zachary Taylor. Dear Mother and All:I I am feeling pretty sleepy and tired at present but must write you our experiences concerning a Liberty bond parade whioh IJn company with 350 other boys took part in at Evansville, Indiana. | We left here on Saturday and on I our way stopped off at a couple of towns and paraded the streets. The parade in Evansville was on Sunday and we were chosen, as our captain said, according to how we could conduct ourselves as real soldiers, eight out of each company, all branches being represented, and we sure made a big hit. We marched full packs, rifles, gas masks and steel helmets, the last named sure taking the eye for they , look like the tops of mushrooms. | I don’t think I shall ever forget ' that day as long as I live and I | cannot express in words the feeling those people showed toward us, grteat big feeds, everything in fact we wanted we got. The eats were served by mothers of soldier boys. They were dressed like Red Cross nurses, and we joked .with them and had a good .time. We couldn’t eat near all they gave us, so they packed the rest in boxes for us to take back to camp with us, which we shared with the boys that were not fortunate to be chosen. I At night we stayed at different private homes, I and another boy staying at the home of a young married couple. He is agent for the Packard and Paige autos, and ! they surely treated us fine, not at I all snobbish, as they could have ]treated us, for they were very well to do. I must say, too. we all did our parts and know the engineers carried the parade, for we were sure some proud bunch of bbys. I never expect to be in sudh an experience again, and I must say the engineer boys conducted themselves fine. The fair young girls cried when we left, they hated so to see us go. They were all respectable girls, for we got introductions to them from the various homes. Well, will say good-bye, hoping you are all well and hope to see you soon. I am well and feeling good. Love to all. “SERGEANT JOE.”