Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 May 1918 — LETTERS FROM OUR SOLDIERS [ARTICLE]

LETTERS FROM OUR SOLDIERS

Edward Peregrine Writes from Battle Front in France. Somewhere in France,At the Front, April 23, 1918. Editor Democrat: I will try and write a few lines to you and friends of long ago, at least that is the way it seems. 1 at one time was a member of Co. M of Rensselaer, but was transferred to the Ist Ind. F. A., which now is on the firing line in France. It was a wonderful trip to a camp in New York. We rode in Pullman cars that made the trio very comfortable, but our journey across the blue pond was almost indescribable.

Well, the first two days out things went well; then for two or three days you can imagine-I—sea-sickness with about 0,000 troops, and the ship’s crew of about 700, including 200 or 300 negrops. During that time of seasickness if “President Lincoln’' would have gone to the bottom no one would have objected. Bunt after that all went well, with exception of the lack of space. We were well fed on the ship. We were on board ship seventeen days. Our transportation “over here" was in horse cars with thirty-t”o soldiers to each car. We went to camp and completed our training with the heavy six-inch guns, and we sure got our work-out. The gun squadron would go to the. range two days out of the week and fire. The drivers would go to the stables, feed and groom horses, assisted by the cannoneers when not firing. We were rushed to the front in horse cars to a certain station in France, unloaded our equipment, marched to the town where we were billeted. After a few days’ rest we received orders to take mip our position on the front. Infantry marched company after company to their positions in the front line trenches. Artillery, battery after battery, regiment after regiment, marched to their positions back of the third .line trenches. Though the streams of infantry, artillery, truck and motorcycles were not able to raise dust, for the roads were kept wet with rain. France has good roads and the rain does not hurt them to a very great extent, Biuit believe me, when we get off of the road 0 we have plenty of mud to wade. One of our guns slid off the grade one evening and it took six teams c thirty-tw'P cannoneers to get it out of the ditch.

Believe me, the fellow that named France “Sunny France’’ sure was full of cognac and arrived here when the sun was shining and left shortly after his arrival. For every day the sun shines, it rains four days in return. It is rainin* here tonight and ! am in my "pup tent’’ writing this letter. I was relieved from the front last Saturday, I mean from the gun positions, though we are not out of range of the enemy’s large guns, but we are fn a hidden place. T have been under shell fire and now I am telling you that it is no pleasant place to be. If you could only imaging the sound those dreadful shells make. At first the report of the gun, then the faint whistle of the shell which grows louder and louder and seems to say. “I’ll get you—l’ll get yoi,” and for a while I thought they would. But I guess this out-door life is alright, for most of the boys over here are well and seem to enjoy it, regardless of the hardships we have. I get The Democrat quite often and it keeps me in touch with the folks of Jasper county and near-by

towns, also, at times, it makes me homesick. I am as well as can be, and feeling fine. Guess I will close for this time. PVT. EDWARD PEREGRINE, Bat. E, 150th F. A., A. B. F. via New York.