USA > Illinois > Lee County > War history of Lee County, Illinois, 1917-1919 : a history of the part taken by the people of Lee County, Illinois, in the World War, 1917-1919 > Part 23
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Then we went clear across France to Luneville in French Lorraine in little box cars, the journey taking three days and four nights. We passed through Rennes, Versailles, Gorbeviller, and other cities, seeing the Eiffel tower of Paris in the distance. The weather was bitter cold and we sure had a long cold ride. We left Luneville sector March 22nd, marching back to Roseliers where we spent nearly a week resting, then we marched to the Baccarat sector nearby.
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We held this sector over 100 days and then entrained at Charmes, passing through Toul and Nancy, arriving at Chalons, June 25th.
We fought the second battle of the Marne (Champagne) July 14 to 19, then marched to Vitry-le-ville and entrained July 22, passing through Vitry-le-Francois, Meaux, Pahis suburbs, to Trilport behind the Chateau-Thierry front. We went into action about July 30, driving the Germans to the Vesle river as far north as Fismes. We were relieved Aug- ust 10th and marched baek through Chateau-Thierry to Trilport again, entraining and going east again through Epernay, the Champagne manufacturing city, to Romain-sur- Meuse, a considerable distance behind the front.
We rested there ten days, then we marched through Neufchateau, near Domremy, and Toul, to the St. Mihiel sector. The farthest we ever were on the battle line was Chateau-Thierry.
We ran the Germans ragged in the St. Mibiel sector and then started marching October 1 to the Verdun sector, the guns going into postion near Montfaucon in the Argonne forest where the trees are all shot off to within a few feet of the ground and the ground is pitted with shell holes.
About October 13 the guns moved west near Aprimont and Grandpre. The big attack was renewed here on Oct. 31, our troops driving the Germans to Sedan near the northern boundary of France, the 42nd division being the first to enter the city. On the night of Nov. 4th I came within an ace of being "knocked off" by airplane bombs, but escaped unharmed.
About Nov. 10th our division was relieved and marched back to Havricourt near Bouzaney. We were re-equipped to follow the German retreat, the armistice having been signed, and began marching north and east on Nov. 14th, through Imecourt, Sun- sur-Meuse, Aincerville, Breheir-ville, Thonnes-les-Pres, Montmedy, St. Leger, (Belgium), Vitron (Belgium), Arlon (Belgium), to Buschdorf, (Luxemburg), where we now are.
We went through the most dirty and unhealthy surroundings, dead men and horses, flies, maggots, etc., at Chateau Thierry. St. Mihiel was the easiest fight.
Get a large map of France and follow our movements. Do not think you will have any trouble doing it if the map is large enough to show every little village. Hope this long letter will interest you.
Much love to all, Lawrence M'Grath.
From Carl Kling, of the 149th Field Artillery, 42nd (Rainbow) Division, Residence, Dixon, Illinois.
"We sailed Oct. 18th, 1917 and reached St. Nazaire a week later. The 149th Regiment 42nd Div. in which I was telephone man in the Headquarters Company was sent to train three months in the mud at Brittany near Rennes. We were then sent to Luneville in Alsace to hold the trenches, under the direction of the 47th French Artillery, the crack regiment of the Allies. It was here that my duties were shown and their difficulty tested.
Maintained Line.
I had to see that the telephone wires between the artillery and the infantry were in- tact and continually adjusted to the advancing line. We moved so fast that this alone would make a job for a corps. We were under a continual shell fire that every day tore our carefully laid line to pieces, and the artillery was put out of connection with the in- fantry, and had to rely on runners. This gave me an idea of the job in front of me. We
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stayed in this sector for three weeks, then moved to Bacaret, in Lorraine, where we stayed for two months, meeting only with occasional raiding parties. When we made a raid our barrage was so dense that we took few prisoners, finding most of the Germans dead, having been killed by our gun fire. Thoroughly seasoned for our task we were then moved to the Suippe sector on the Champagne front, where we were under the direction of Gen. Gourand of the 4th French Army, the only American division having the honor. There we experienced some great difficulty in adjusting our wires. On the morning of July 15th, American intelligence men learned of the great German offensive set for midnight. 15 minutes before that time fire was opened with ever encreasing force.
Right on Schedule.
The great German barrage then opened on schedule time, just at midnight. Both lines were in semi-circular position and there was a giant circle of continued flame and the roar was so great that a 77 nearby was shooting all the time without our knowing it. Veterans of all drives said that that fire was the greatest that the war had seen, and it became famous as the million dollar barrage. Our detachment was camouflaged and suffered comparatively few casualities, but the wires were all cut to pieces. The Germans advanced 200 yards and then retreated. That broke their attempt at attacking, and incidentally their entire western offensive. During that offensive the New York and Alabama regiments, the 165th and 167th were merged with the French Chasseurs for tactical purposes. Where I was, German dead were piled up four and five deep, while American casualities were extremely light.
Good Friend Killed
"A good friend of mine, Lieut. Cowan of North Shore, Chicago, was killed here. He was standing with two French officers when a 77 shell exploded in front of them. Cowan was killed but the French were untouched. There an American plane destroyed four enemy balloons in one afternoon. There were other exciting air battles. At one time in a fight in midheaven, two enemy planes were brought down by our planes, while a third was downed by anti-aircraft guns, all three were falling at once. This ended the activities on the Champagne front and we were sent to Chateau Thierry sector. There the Americans advanced so fast that we had a hard time catching up with the wires. At the Oureq river we relieved the 6th Div. and went in bard fighting. We passed the river and advanced as far as Fere-en-Tardenois.
Forced to Withdraw
"The Germans withdrew from that town, but shelled it heavily when we occupied it, so we withdrew. When they entered we bombarded it until they withdrew. The same round oceurred for four days until we flanked the town and took it for good. We then advanced further and took Fismes, but here the fighting was bard because of bad roads and guerilla warfare. We worked all day, all night and the next day laying wires and when we caught up with the division we found that they bad captured 5,000 prisoners and had made 15 miles. We closed up the salient and then dug in. This made my work easier and we perfeeted the wire system. We then moved to the Argonne where the easualities were even heavier than in Thierry. In the forest fighting the infantry would go first to find the location of the machine gun nests. Having placed them by being shot to pieces, they would phone over to the artillery headquarters which would put the nest under heavy gun fire. The thick underbrush made machine gun fighting easy, es- pecially when the Germans made dug-outs of reinforced concrete for gunners. Then the infantry crawled over to the pill-boxes and tossed hand grenades into them, provided
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that the gunners did not see them first. We had worked hard and were sent into the reserve near Grandpre. There, while I was resting a high explosive shell burst near me and a fragment hit me above the left eye. I was immediately treated, but that eye is lost. I stayed in the hospitals there for months and then was sent over here. I am feeling in fine shape and am glad that I went over. I expect to see Dixon soon, but New York is all there, and the Red Cross is making it pleasant."
From Private Otto B. Blum, 264 Co., 132 M. P. Bn., A. P. O. No. 702, A. E. F. Paris, France, Jan. 18, 1919.
Dear Mother:
Will write you a few lines and let you know that I am feeling fine and hope you are the same.
Well, I have moved again and am stationed in the suburbs of Paris and expect to be doing M. P. duty in Paris in a few days. Landed here at two o'clock in the morning. When we got off the train, I got on a truck and rode through the main part of town and out to the camp. Sure is some town. Went up town last night on the sub-way, but didn't have much time to look around, as I had to be back by ten o'clock. Like the place here fine, get plenty to eat and can buy all the candy and smokes I want.
Was up to the American Red Cross headquarters last night and got a sweater, towel, one pair of socks, soap, tooth-powder, comfort kit, and a suit of pajamas. Don't you think I need the pajamas? Ha! Ha! The sweater and socks are just like the kind that you made. All I had to do was to give my name and the company I belong to. Anyone can get some if he hasn't had anything from the Red Cross. Sure was glad to get it. After I came out of there, I went to the Red Cross canteen and got a good supper, all for seventy-five centimes, which is fifteen cents. There are quite a few American Red Cross nurses here in Paris. Seems good to talk to some one that can talk English.
I heard that my old company I used to be with, left for home a few days after I was picked for this M. P. duty, but thenif they won't keep me over here too long, it will be well worth the time, as I have seen quite a bit of France since I left the company. Sure have a bunch of our boys over here. You can see some in nearly every town you go through, or most any other kind of a soldier.
I expect it is pretty cold at home now. The weather here isn't very cold, but we get plenty of rain.
Hope I will get some mail from home, while I am here, as I am getting pretty anxious to hear from you. Sure is some time since I heard from you. Would like to have gotten home this winter, but then if I can't, there is no use of thinking about it.
Well, that is about all I can think of, so don't worry about me, as I am getting along fine and will be home some day.
Best regards to all, Otto.
Letter from Private (later Lieutenant) Raymond C. Smith to his father, Charles T. Smith Amboy, Illinois.
Langres, France, Nov. 28, 1918.
Dear Father:
I read in the paper last night that the boys of the A. E. F. were all going to write their Fathers a "Father's Xmas letter" or a "Victory Letter" on November 24th. I did not know about it then but can write it now anyway. The letter is of course, to the whole family as well and I will also make it my "Thanksgiving Letter", to you all.
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This is Thanksgiving day and altho I am a long way from home, still I am thinking of you very much, and writing to you makes me enjoy the day more. I cannot help thinking what a difference a few years makes. A few years ago the Thanksgiving dinner was a big affair with relatives coming from all over and it was the occasion for a big family reunion. Now today there is such a difference. We children have grown up and there is no more the big flock of grandchildren playing about, but rather a group of young men and women. The older ones have passed on and the number of the group has been lessened. Now this year what few there could be at a reunion are scattered all over. I don't know of course what you are doing today, but I can imagine, and am thinking of you as having a little dinner together, just father, mother, Aunt Julia and possibly Luella. The girls probably could not get home and are making the best of it up at school. I also am away, but am probably having the happiest day of any of you as I suppose that you folks at home are sympathizing with us. I am very happy to just be able to write and think about you all and know that I am coming home to you some day. I used to be afraid to think of ever coming home as it seemed almost an imoossibility for one to go thru so many scrapes alive. The boys kept going one after another until there were only a few of our original bunch left who were not either killed or wounded and it seemed highly improbable that I would last much longer, but I did, and now I have the pleasure of thinking of coming home and seeing you all again. I have learned one lesson from the experiences that I have gone through, and that is, that a man is a man and that what he actually is, is what counts and not his social position or wealth. I don't believe that I ever coukl have learned that any other way and I know that I will be a much better man for know- ing it as one cannot be "just" "fair" and "unselfish", without knowing that one thing.
I was, of course, very inexperienced and childish when I joined the army as I never had any cares or responsibilities and really did not know a thing about this world. I can understand many things now, that I never thought of before.
Today, is Thanksgiving and whether we eat turkey or army beans, makes very little difference. It is the spirit that counts. I think we have many things to be thankful for this year. All of us are well and comfortably situated. The girls have the opport- unity of getting an education. I am very thankful that I am alive and am in good health and have a sound hody with no legs or arms missing and my lungs good and not all eaten up by mustard gas. I am also very thankful and happy to be able to look forward to seeing you all again soon.
Today, is a typical French day. It is foggy and very muddy due to the rain of last four or five days. It is not very cold but we wear our overcoats as the dampness chills you right thru. It is now about 10:00 o'clock a. m. We had griddle cakes and syrup for breakfast. I had threc large cakes and I could have had more, so you see they gave us a good Thanksgiving breakfast. We are going to have beefsteak and potatoes for dinner and that will make us a good dinner too. We have the day off and also got to sleep until 6:30 instead of 5:30 as usual. On account of this being a school they work us very long hours and we ordinarily have breakfast before daylight and supper way after dark. How- ever, I think that we will get away from here soon and then it will be much easier. I have enjoyed the work here as I have learned many things that will be of great help to me in civilian life, and many things that one should know. Most of the work has been along construction lines, such as road building, bridges, mining, etc. Under mining, we learned all about tunneling underground thru earth and also solid rock and excava- tions in general. We are studying bridges now this week. Yesterday, we worked all day in the rain building pontoon bridges and rafts, etc. The day before we worked on
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steel bridges and the day before that on wooden bridges and trestle work. Of course, we don't get the whole business, but we do get a general idea so that we could easily take a bunch of men and build the different bridges.
We were, of course, a little disappointed in not getting commissions, but then don't mind as the war is over and I think I will get home quickeron account of not having one.
The war is over now and I can write you a few of the places I have been in. We went from Brest to Encourt (a small town near Abbyville near the Eng. Channel) and were in training there for a little over a month. We went from there to Gamaches alarger town and from there to Molliens au Bois, a village just west of and a little north of Amiens. This was our base of operations and we would go from there up to the trenches between Amiens and Albert. The Hop over of July 4th was at Hammel a little village east of Amiens and not far from Villers Breteneau. We were up around those towns until we left the British sector and went down to the Verdun front. Here we were in a town near Bar Le Due for two weeks during which time I drove a truck for a week as I wrote you. We then went to the trenches and were there until I came to this school. We were holding the line north of Verdun. I used to go out on a patrol nearly every night up into Regne- ville, a ruined village in no-man's land and right on the Meuse River. It was while there that we got the blackberries and made the jam, etc. We hopped over from there and took the town of Forges and Forges Woods and stopped and dug in along the river just across from Consenvoy which was still in German hands. From there I came to Langres and the school is near Fort St. Meuge, about five miles north of Langres, and now that the war is over I don't know where I will go next.
Yesterday, or last night rather, after having worked all day in the rain I came in and found a letter awaiting me, the first since I came to the school and you may imagine my delight at getting it. It was from Rachel and Ruth and was dated Nov. 11th and just took two weeks coming across. It was the letter telling of mother's visit to them and the celebration of the news of peace. I surely enjoyed the letter and was especially glad to hear that mother had been with the girls and the good times they had together, etc., going to Uncle Elmer's, etc.
Well, I must stop now I guess and get ready for my Thanksgiving dinner. I would like to sit down with you folks but will have a good time here. Pass this letter around to Aunt Julia and the girls, as it is for them, too, of course. Well, good-bye.
With love,
Raymond.
November 30, 1918.
P. S .- I had a very pleasant Thanksgiving Day and in the evening, I received five letters from you and father and the girls and you can imagine how happy I was to receive them. I spent the whole evening in reading them and thinking of them and could hardly keep from shouting with joy.
I haven't time to answer them tonight but will, soon. Today, I passed the examina- tions for appointment as 2nd Lieutenant.
Letter from Henry P. Klein, Jr., to his mother, Anna Klein, and sister Stella, at Amboy, Ill. Bourges, France, May 28, 1919
Dear Folks:
Well, I have returned back home to Bourges and will have to tell you about my trip to Paris and the battle front. We left Bourges Saturday morning at six-ten; there were about thirty-five of us, or about half of the Company.
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We arrived in Paris at noon, went at once to the Red Cross and had dinner, after dinner the Y. M. C. A. took us for a sight seeing trip around the City. We saw many of the famous buildings, such as the Invalides, Napoleon's tomb, the Louvre, Pantheon, several cathedrals, Eiffel Tower, President Wilson's Paris home, statue of George Washington given by women of America to Paris; Arch of Triumph, ete., ete. We rode around the City for about two hours in the large auto busses that hold thirty people. At three o'clock we started for Versailles, we rode on the electric line which is partly surface line, and partly sub-way; they sure make fine time in the sub-ways. When we arrived at Versailles we went at onee to the Palace of Louis XIV which is the main attraction there. I will not attempt to describe the beautiful rooms and balls in the Palace, but have sent you a book of views taken of the different rooms. The room in which the Peace Treaty is to be signed is part of the palace. We were shown into it, there are mirrors all about, as well as beauti- ful paintings, etc. We were shown the table on which the Treaty is to be signed. I was looking at it and noticed it was engraved on the top so took a piece of paper and pencil and made a rubbing. I will enclose it in this letter so you can see what it looks like.
We returned to Paris for supper and then left for Rheims at 9:30; rode all night arriving there at 6 o'clock, had breakfast and started out at once to see the ruins. It is hard to describe these ruined Cities. About all you can say is that you saw great piles of stones and a few standing walls. The main thing of interest is the cathedral at Rheims; this was considered the most beautiful one in France but now is a pile of ruins. After a stay of a few hours we left for Soissons another ruined City. All along the way we could look out of the car window and see lines of trenches, dug-outs and barbwire entanglements, as well as shell holes, shattered trees, destroyed farm houses, ete.
We arrived at Soissons in time for dinner and after dinner made a trip to the trenches about two miles outside of the City. The Y. M. C. A. furnished us a truck so we didn't have to hike.
We saw about the same kind of destruction here, but more of it. There were ammuni- tion dumps all around, equipment of all kinds, a large cemetery, containing graves of French, American, Boche, English and other countries, who had fallen there in battle. After a couple of hours we returned to the City and boarded another train for Fismes. We reached this City about two o'clock that afternoon and looked at the ruins of this City. There is a large American Cemetery just outside of the City containing two thousand graves. The graves are all marked by white erosses which have the man's identification tag fastened on it. I suppose in time the name in full will be painted on the erosses as well as age, etc. On some of the erosses you can see writing put there by a brother or comrade telling of bravery or other action.
It is very hard to find places to eat in these ruined Cities where the " Y" or Red Cross are not located. I wish you could have seen another fellow and I eating supper this night. We had to look up places with the different families as there were no hotels or restaurants. We finally found a madame who consented to feed us. The house had been hit and the upper part had fallen which left only the basement, and this had several holes in the walls, but we had a good meal anyway.
We left Fismes at seven o'clock for Paris, arrived in Paris about 12 o'clock that night. Went at once to the Y. M. C. A. hotel and got rooms for the night and believe me, we "coushaded" some that night, had been riding on the train previous two nights and were "beaucoup fatigue". Ask some of the fellows who have returned home how comfort- able the French coaches are, I think they can probably describe them perfectly. You buy a first class ticket and will probably have to ride third class.
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Well, the next day we put in seeing more of Paris. The first place we visited was the "Pantheon de la Guerre." This is a famous picture of the war; it shows heroes of all nations and is so natural that you think the people are standing there in person. It was commeneed in 1914 the first year of the war and just recently finished. Took seventeen artists to do the work and is wonderful.
The next place we visited was Napoleon's Tomb and the Invalides. In the Invalides we saw many war relics of years ago, as well as some of the recent great war. One in particular was the large German Zeppelin captured by the Allies.
We ate dinner at the "Palais de Glace" (palace of glass) it is a wonderful building; the walls inside are covered by mirrors. After dinner we took a boat ride on the Seine river to St. Cloud about ten miles from Paris. Here we saw the ruins of one of Napoleon's Castles which was destroyed by the Germans many years ago in a war they waged against the French.
We returned to Paris about four o'clock and visited the Eiffel Tower, and "Big Wheel" (Ferris Wheel). The Tower is in use now as an aerial for a wireless station. It is one thousand feet high, a wonderful structure. Also, had a ride on the Ferris Wheel, this is 380 feet high and when we stopped at the top could see all over the City. The guide pointed out several places shells had bit when the german "Big Bertha" was shelling the City.
Left Paris at seven o'clock that night and returned to Bourges about eight the next morning, and had a job waiting for us. Only half of the company remained to do the work, so it sort of piled up on them.
Will try and send you some of the views of the ruins we saw while away.
Am fine as ever.
Lovingly, Jr.
From Sergeant George P. Dysart, Company A, 329th Bn., Tank Corps, A. P. O. No. 714, A. E. F., France.
Dear Dad:
France, Nov. 24, 1918. As the "Stars and Srtipes" said in the last issue, today is the day that everybody in the A. E. F. writes a letter to his first commanding officer, so here goes. The censor- ship has been partly lifted, so that we can tell where we're located at present. Much more information than that is yet against the rules, but it will not be long before we can give a more complete account of ourselves. Right now we're in camp a few kilometers south of Langres, which is, I should judge, about eighty miles from Switzerland and seventy miles from where the front used to be before it was permanently moved to the other side of the Rhine.
The last move was a big one, and I hope that I'm not included in the forces. How- ever, we're fully equipped and with a full roster once more and ready to move at any minute and moving a battalion in France doesn't require the time that we were used to in the States. We also hope that our next move will be toward the coast and aboard a boat headed west. Since the war is over, the country doesn't appeal to very many, and they want to move at any minute, the sonner the better. In fact, I have a bet that we'll be in the States by Christmas. That's presuming a good deal, but I still have a good deal of time to start the journey.
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