Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 June 1918 — LETTERS FROM OUR SOLDIERS [ARTICLE]

LETTERS FROM OUR SOLDIERS

Edward Peregrine Writes From Hospital in France. Edward Peregrine of Jasper county, a member of the Rainbow Division in France, writes to Mt. and Mrs. L. M. Ritchey of Jordan township, from a hospital, where he was recovering from burns received by mustard gas of the enemy: - ' Evacuation Hospital, France. May 21, 1918. Mr. and Mrs. L. M. Ritchey, Rensselaer, Ind. Dear Friends —-Received your letter of April 19 and was- glad to hear from you folks. Your letter was on the way about one month, for I am at the hospital and it took the letter 4hree or four more days to reach me. The pictures came through O. K. and I sure appreciate them. They are fine. Tell Osa that picture looked as natural as ‘‘Lucinda,’’ that is the name of our gun, the one that fired the first shot at the dutch from Bat. E, 15Oth. Many thanks to Osa and you for the pictures. Yes, indeed, it would be fine if I was back in the states so I could eat dinner with you again, but as it is I am in France and doing my bit. Whether it is large or of small importance I cannot say. But listen to me, if I am fortunate enough to return I will come and visit you people and tell you some of my wonderful experiences. But if I don’t, and you happen to gaze upon the battlefields of France In the American sector in the movies or on a sight-seeing trip, you can say I was one of them who died for his country. We are having wonderful weather here now and I hope it continues. Just before I left the front it was very active and things were exciting too. We threw a barrage and the Germans returned it with gas shells. They fell very close to us. We put our gas masks on and continued operating the guns, but the work was very hard. They shelled us several times in one day; when we had our firing complete they started shelling us again. The shells fell in the gun pits. As luck was with us we happened to be in the dugout. Then the ones that were not assigned to the gun pit for the night were dismissed, and as I stepped out of the dugout to go to the sleeping quarters, along came a shell and fell within a few feet of me, throwing gas and dirt all over me. As it happened it was mustard gas and it burned my back 4uite badly and I was sent to the hospital a few days later, and I am still here. I was in bed seven

days before I could get up and walk around, but now I have almost recovered from the burns. Am able to work around the hospital helping to wash windows and woodwork, Which is very light work. We are treated very nice here. We get two baths a week, two suits of pajamas each week, plenty to eat and our wounds dressed dally, and the best part, we have real American nurses, which makei life in France seem more like home. The first time I got to talk to an American girl was when I entered the hospital. - I qgn’t tell you where I am but I would like too. Watch the papers close and you will know- where the 42d division, or "Rainbow Division" is. I have not seen Howard Ames for a long time, I guess it has been about a month, I would like to send you my picture, but pictures are very hard to get taken over here. Well, I will close for this time. I thank you for the pictures. Tell everybody I said "hello.” Sincerely yours, PVT. EDWARD PEREGRINE, Bat. E, 150th F. A.,' A. E. F. New , York, Ist Lt. J. M. Stanley, M. C. Harvey Phillips Writes Home From France. Harvey Phillips, son of Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Phillips of McCoysburg, writes his parents from overseas, .as follows: La’ber Wrach, France, May 26, 1918. Dear Mother and All: —Well this is Sunday and a fine day, too. The sun is shining like in August. We go in swimming about every day. The water is cold but its good to be in a place so we can keep clean. I was put in charge of the canteen last Tuesday. We have all kinds of candy, tobacco and toilet articles. Have a stock of over SII,OOO. So you see I have a responsible position. Since I have opened I have sold 2875 Francs. That is about five hundred dollars. Pretty good for a kid, eh! Do you think any store averages that much on candy and tobacco in Rensselaer? My hours are 6:00 a. m. to 7:00 p. m., 11:15 a. m. to 1:00 p. m.,-5:30 p. m. to 8:30 p. m. If that was all 1 had to do it wouldn’t be bad but I still have to get stores for the galley and keep charge of the books in both places. I have been so busy this week, but now we have all our stock on hand available and my work will be much lighter. The only thing I don’t like about it is there is not a very good chance to get any liberty. I can get off on Sunday evenings, but there is no place to go so I guess I will stay aboard and write a few letters.

Just finished my week’s mending this morning. Had two pair of socks to dam. Two pair of trousers to patch and had to sew my dress blues so I think I am about as busy as anyone. I washed some clothing yesterday and have a bucket full for tomorrow, I would rather wash my own clothes than pay the French people for doing it. It takes them almost a week to wash, iron and get the clothes back. While we wash them in the morning and by noon they are dry and wear them in the evening. Another thing it’s cheaper to wash clothing. Well I guess they are going to make soldiers out of us. At least we are going to wear the uniform. I am not sure if we seamen have to wear “them” or not. I hope not as I have enough clothes as it is without getting any more. I think if that’s true I will try and get a transfer to some transport. Well I guess I will quit as it’s almost noon and I have three more letters to write. I am sending you a copy of our Bill-of-Fare for last week. The B B and G is bread, butter and coffee. L made this out- myself as I have that to do now. It was accepted and we are alive now to try another one this week. Give my best regards to everyone. I suppose you have about three hundred little chickens by this time. We have apple pie for dinner. It only takes 58 pies for a meal, also it takes about 700 biscuits, so you see the bakers are busy. I have received all the papers up to the last of April and the others are coming. Don’t let my subscription run out. Pay out my Liberty Bond with the allotment money. I am paying for one myself. That will make about S2OO I am giving Uncle Sam. But I guess everyone else is doing all they can to make it easy for us over here. I suppose Sam is putting in a lot of corn for the soldiers. If you have to use so much corn meal why don’t you make corn bread. We have it twice a week and believe me it sure is fine.

Has Wash Cook put up another store yet? Too bad it had to burn but accidents -will always happen. Well I started to quit sometime ago so I will do it now. You said something about fried chicken in your last letter. I think I will save mine until 1920. It will taste better after we whip the Kaiser. Give my best to everyone and tell them I said hello. Just imagine me out in a sail boat or swimming this summer when it’s too hot to. rain. Salt water is sure - fine to swim in. Love to all, Your ton, HARV gy f The following is the menu referred to above. I MONDAY.

Breakfast —Fried eggs, bacon, oat meal with milk and spgar, B. B. and Dinner —Soup, roast pork, apple sauce, baked potatoes, gravy, peas, B. B. and C. Supper-—Curried meat, boiled rice, fruit, B. B. and C. TUESDAY. Breakfast —Creamed shippe beef, on toast, boiled spuds, B. B. and C. Dinner —Soup, roast beef, brown gravy, boiled potatoes, string beans, B. B. and C. Supper—Beef croqyietts, tomato, sauce, fried potatoes, tapioca pudding, B. B. and C. WEDNESDAY. Breakfast—Baked pork, beans, catsup, corn bread, B. B. and C. Dinner — Fried beef stake, fried onions, mashed potatoes, stewed corn, gravy, soup, B. B. and, C., peach pie. , Supper—Fried beef stew, hot biscuit, pickled beets, B. B. and C. THURSDAY. Breakfast —Fried eggs,fried potatoes, prunes, B. B. and C. Dinner —Soup, roast pork, dressing, creamed carrots, mashed potatoes, B. B. and C. and gravy. Supper—Hamburger stake, boiled potatoes, gravy, rice pudding, bread, butter and coffee. FIRDAY. Breakfast —Corn beaf hash cakes, catsup, toast, fruit, B. B. and C. Dinner- —Bean soup, boiled ham, boiled potatoes, sauerkraut, frankfurters, B." B. and C. Supper—Sardines, fried potatoes, cornstarch pudding, B. B. and T. . SATURDAY. Breakfast—Fried pork sausage, hot cakes and syrup, boiled potatoes, gravy, B. B. and C. Dinner —Soup, roast veal, dressing, green peas, washed potatoes, gravy, bread, butter and coffee, cake. Supper—Fried liver, fried bacon, fried potatoes, gravy, B. B. and C. SUNDAY. Breakfast—Baked pork and beans, catsup, corn bread, B. B. and C. Dinner —Soup, chicken fricessee, asparagus, mashed potatoes, B. B. and C, apple pie. Supper—Cold beans, cold meat, potato salad, mayoniase dressing, B. B. and cocoa.