Matagorda County's Participation in WWI
October - December 1918

Courtesy of Shirley L. Brown
 

A LETTER FROM CALVIN RAINEY

Somewhere in France, Sept. 6, 1918

Bay City Tribune:

      I have been in France for sometime and it is very hard to get letters over here and the home folks when they write don’t tell much about the county news, so I have decided I want one of your papers. If you will send me one every week I sure will appreciate it. Give my friends my regards and tell them we like France, but will be glad to get back to dear old U.S.A.―and we will be back  home before long.

      We have the Boche on the run and we expect to keep him that way until we get to Berlin and get the kaiser.

      I must stop for this time and go get dinner for the bunch. Love to all.

         Calvin Rainey, Base Section No. 4, S.O.S., A. E. F.

The Matagorda County Tribune, October 11, 1918
 

JASON HUMBER PROMOTED

      There is food for thought amongst our boys and young men in the record made by Jason Humber since he joined the army. A notice of his graduation from the field artillery central officer’s training camp at Camp Zachary Taylor, Ky., reached here yesterday via State papers, and proved a source of much gratification on the part of those who have watched Jason’s career, since the day he came to work his way through the public schools of Bay City.

      Jason had no means and no way of getting them, but he wanted an education and accordingly sought out the quickest means toward that end. He worked his way through the Bay City schools and secured a home with Dr. S. A. Foote, doing the necessary work about the home for his board and lodging.

      Graduation day came and Jason won a scholarship to the State University. When the war broke out he was ready in the same old way to work himself up. How well he has done his work is evidenced by yesterday’s report from Camp Zachary Taylor, and it’s now Lieut. Jason Humber, on his own merits, if you please.      

The Matagorda County Tribune, October 11, 1918
 

LOCALS AND PERSONALS

From Friday’s Daily.

      Lieutenant Pierce Gaines arrived in the city last night for a visit to his folks. He has just been returned to this country from the trenches in France, where he has seen active service, and will no doubt have some interesting stories to tell.

From Tuesday’s Daily.

      Quite an interesting meeting was enjoyed by the Masons last night at the hall, where they gathered to honor Lieut. Pierce Gaines. Several interesting talks were made and Lieut. Gaines told of some of the experiences the American soldiers are going through on the battle front in France. At the conclusion of the meeting light refreshments were served, and the members bid God’s speed to Lieut. Gaines who will probably return to the front.

      Archie Franz showed us a sofa pillow top which his brother, Dooley, has sent from Paris Island. Dooley writes that he made the top by himself after a German prisoner had showed him how it was done. It was made of silk thread and was in the shape of a weave.

From Wednesday’s Daily.

      The boys in France can well be proud of the record made by Matagorda County, and especially Bay City in the Fourth Liberty Loan. Bay City has something over $51,000 to her credit above the quota set for her. This is the spirit of the citizenship.

The Matagorda County Tribune, October 25, 1918
 

DIED IN ENGLAND

      A cablegram was received here yesterday announcing the death of Johnnie May Williams, who died in England. The message came from his brother, who was with him at the time of his death.

      Johnnie May was a son of Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Williams of Matagorda and enlisted in the radio service some time in early spring.

      The news of his death has caused much grief in Bay City where he has many relatives and friends.                            

The Matagorda County Tribune, November 1, 1918
 

DONALD MOORE WOUNDED

      Mr. and Mrs. J. D. Moore have received a letter from their son, Donald, who is Somewhere-in-France, in which he tells them that he has been wounded. The seriousness of the wound is not stated.                                                      

The Matagorda County Tribune, November 1, 1918
 

OUR BOYS

The Daily Tribune, November 5, 1918
 

OFFICER TO BE AWARDED SERVICE CROSS SATURDAY

Will Be First Service Cross Presentation Made in San Antonio

San Antonio Express.

      Lieut. John P. Gaines of the 35th Infantry will be awarded the Distinguished Service Cross at a special review of the 36th Infantry Brigade of the 18th Division Saturday morning at 9 o’clock at Camp Travis.

      Gen. George H. Estes, commandant of the division, will make the presentation. “He stayed with his command and led it to its final objective near Soissons, France, July 20, 1918, after being wounded; directed the consolidation of his position, and yielded his post only at the command of a superior officer,” the official war statement reads.

      Lieutenant Gaines is from Bay City, Texas. He has been in France eleven months, all of which time he has been stationed within a hundred miles of the front line and the majority of the time about fifty miles from the firing line.

      Immediately after his arrival in France Lieutenant Gaines was sent to a school conducted by the English. He went to the line in October, but during the winter was detailed for instruction “somewhere in France.”

      Eventually he was assigned to Company C, 26th Infantry, First Division of the American army. He said that the division was first sent to Grandecourt.

Trenches are Different

      “The trenches are very different from those seen in training camps,” Lieutenant Gaines said. “In the training camps they are dug according to the plans of an engineer. They are generally perfect from an engineer’s standpoint. It is not so in France. The trenches are dug by the men to provide shelter and protection. Sometimes they are merely improvised shell holes. They are from two to three feet wide―wide enough for two men to pass or a stretcher to be carried through.

      “Where the sector has been inhabited by troops for some time the trenches are more elaborate. They are joined with communication trenches at regular intervals. Through these dispatches and food are carried.”

      Distributing food to the soldiers is one of the most difficult feats in an active sector, Lieutenant Gaines said. The kitchens must remain some distance in the rear. The smoke from the chimneys must be carefully concealed. The food is wheeled in two-wheeled carts as near the front line trench as possible. Retails are then sent back through communication trenches to bring the food to the men.

      “Distributing food in the trenches is generally done at night. The passing of a detail through the trenches would be observed by the enemy. Fire probably would be opened upon them. Therefore, the work must be done under cover of darkness.”

      The lines of communication which have been established by the Americans are not less an honor to their ingenuity than their success on the battlefield is an honor to their valor, Lieutenant Gaines said. The success of the fighting army is largely due to the excellent railroads, telephones, telegraphs and motor transport systems that have been rapidly evolved and connect all parts of France.

Battle Is Described

      In describing the battle in which he was wounded Lieutenant Gaines said: “We went to the front line trenches on July 18. That morning we went over the top and into the trenches of the Hun. They retreated to strongholds and protected themselves in shell holes. After that it was practically an open warfare.

      “There was little hand-to-hand fighting except when we drove them out of their trenches. This was but a brief interval. The fighting continued for three days. I was struck by a bullet the morning of July 20. I continued to lead my men for nearly six hours. It did not seem long, there was do much doing.

      “The men go forward eagerly. They seem to know no fear. Of course, every one is afraid. Everyone realizes the terrible danger. They do not seem to think of the danger, they think of what they are fighting for―to kill Huns and the honor of America.

      “You never hear a man discussing the horrors of war in the trenches. But they may be seen in twos and threes laughing. No particular joke―just some funny remark at the uncomfortable life. The joking is partly to conceal their real feelings. It takes their minds off the terrors about them. It is always a joke, a cheer, a song, even to the time they go over the top into the thick of the fray.”

      The following was taken from a paper published in France just after Lieut. Gaines had been cited for exceptional bravery:

      Second Lieut. John P. Gaines, Infantry. He remained with his command and led it to its final objective, near Soissons, on July 20, 1918, after being wounded, directed the consolidation of his position and yielded his post only at the command of a superior officer. Next of kin, John W. Gaines, father, Bay City, Texas.                        

The Daily Tribune, Thursday, November 14, 1918
 

INTERESTING LETTER FROM RALPH JONES

A.E.F., France, October 8, 1918.

      The following letter has been received by Mrs. F. H. Jones from her son, Ralph, who is with the A.E.F. in France:

      I know you will be worried at not getting any news from me for a couple of weeks or more, especially as you no doubt saw in the papers that our outfit is in the big fight now. I thought of you every day, but there was no time to write, or chance to mail it if I had written, and this is my first opportunity. I came through safe enough, and you will no doubt be pleased to know that I have been shot at with practically every little thing the Huns have got, and rather enjoyed the experience.

      As near as I can remember, I wrote you just after I rejoined the outfit and we pulled into a little town where I thought we would rest for some time. We stayed there only two days, though, and then pulled out, this time in trucks. You ought to have seen our truck train. Old White trucks with furniture-van tops, and seats built along the sides so they would hold eighteen men uncomfortably. The drivers were all French-Indo-Chinese, little brown fellows who wore great big sheepskin coats and talked among themselves with a collection of gulps that sounded like pouring vinegar out of a jug. They knew a little French, however, and their officers were Frenchmen. Their trucks were old and rattly and they drove like drunken sailors. The train must have been miles in length,―we had to walk nearly an hour to get to our wagon. Well, we rode all night in this outfit, and detrained the next day in a woods a short way back of our line. There we made a pup-tent camp and waited several days. While we were there I tried to write you, but could not get the letter out. We (I mean a few of our officers) slept in a little dugout once occupied by French officers; then by a couple of cooks for the French artillery in the woods. The cooks welcomed us very cordially, and used to bring us hot coffee in the morning before we got up―regular breakfast in bed stuff.

      One Sunday afternoon we got our attack orders, and then everybody got straightened up and ready to start. About midnight they opened with our artillery, and we had plenty of it there. It played for several hours, in the course of which time we moved up front through the lines of guns to take off positions. The noise from the guns as we passed out in front of them was some racket. Everything before you would go into a white flash as they fired, and it stunned you for a couple of seconds. But we got up to our departure trenches and waited for one hour.

      We were in support the first day, and did not look for much fighting, and there was none at all for the company. All we had to do was bang through the woods to our objective. We had to run on a compass bearing, and had no roads, of course. The woods were terrible, an almost impassable jungle. They had been in disputed ground for four years, and had been shelled countless times. They they were filled with wire―bands of it ten to fifteen yards across and all rusted and broken down where trees had fallen across it. We worked through it all day and were dog tired when we came to the edge of it and our objective late in the afternoon. In every clearing we passed bunches of prisoners guarded by a few of our men, and all delighted to be taken from their actions. (I think they put on that stuff to improve their welcome.) There were dugouts with all sorts of material just abandoned. German cigars and cigaretts and rations. In one place we found hot coffee on a stove.

      The next day we rested on top of a ridge, while the outfits on our left and right worked up even with us, as we had driven ahead of them. The third day we pushed ahead again, this time with our outfit up in front. Naturally it felt rather funny to be up in front with nothing between me and Berlin but a couple of American scouts and the German army. We worked down a valley and up the next ridge, where a sniper on our left popped at us out of a little shack. We dropped and shot up the shack until we judged that the sniper was fairly tired of his job and then pushed on. In a little clearing in the woods we took our first and only prisoner. He came running out of a little house with his hands up, and as luck would have it nobody shot him, for I did not see him until the boys had got him. He kindly gave us some information about machine guns ahead; which I extracted by means of my almost extinct high-school Dutch, and we sent him back and went on. We came out of the edge of the woods and found ourselves in an old trench system, across a small valley from a road with a hedge along it, all lousy with machine guns. They opened up in good style and we sat tight in the trenches and called back for a little auxiliary arms and prepared to wait until the other outfits pulled up to us, for we got ahead in the woods. The boys amused themselves by sniping at Huns whom we could see in a little village in a ravine to our right. Among all our outfit the men claimed to have seen about thirty Huns drop, and we may have got about half that many. But nobody came up on our left and our right got stuck a couple of hundred yards behind and showed sighs of having to stay there all day. So I thought we would better draw back to their line and we did, but it was a messy job. I came closer to getting myself plugged than I ever hope to again. We had to sit tight on that line the rest of the day, and after dark our outfit was pulled out of the secor and over to the right. The next day we relieved an outfit on the front line. We were right on the crest of a hill, and could see open country several miles ahead of us. Our artillery was away behind us, having a terrible time pulling up through the mud and wreckage. We had little dugout in the yellow clay, about the size of bathtubs, and Jerry commenced to shell us; and of all the artillery work I ever saw, we certainly caught it. Luckily it did not get anybody in our platoon, except one lad whom a piece of shell hit in the cartridge belt. It exploded five cartridges, none of which touched him, and cracked a rib. I sent him back to the dressing station and from there they sent him to the evacuation hospital, but he ran away from there the next day and came back to see the rest of the fight. He reported rather bashfully, expecting to get called down.

      Well, we lay in this pleasant situation two days, on the second of which we drew the first eats we had had since the fun started. Then we were all pulled out and went back in the woods, where we lay for a day while the stragglers returned and everybody in the regiment shook hands all around and thanked his stars. We expected rest, and we certainly needed that and a good cleaning up, but they called in the Chinois drivers and shipped us across country away, and we put in three nights of hell marching and then relieved an outfit on the line there. So we are back up in the front again,―dirty, tired, cold and somewhat disorganized, but still going strong.

      Yesterday my order came through and I am now a real first lieutenant, also I am a battalion adjutant, which is a cause for much rejoicing by me. One Captain Turner had our battalion on the hill where we caught the shelling, and I had our company, as part of it was lost and I was the senior officer of the rest of it and worked rather harmoniously together. So he got his majority a couple of days ago, and got our battalion, and I drew the adjutant’s job. It means no troops to lead, but on the other hand a good bombproof most of the time, and good billets and mess, and a horse when we are back of the lines, and beau-coup work as usual. It passes for a soft job sometimes, but you can put all all the work on it you want to.

      Well I have written at some length. I am sorry to have been so long delayed in getting the letter out, but don’t be worried if it happens, for when there is a fight we drop everything and live nothing else until it is over.    Ralph

      Ralph W. Jones, 1st Lieut. Headquarters 1st Battalion, 146 Infantry Regiment, Army Post Office 763, American Expeditionary Forces, France.

The Matagorda County Tribune, November 15, 1918
 

LETTER FROM TONY GEORGE

      The following interesting letter has been received by Mr. Ernest Bond from Tony George, who is with the A.E.F. in France:

France, October 18, 1918.

      I am writing to you all in one. I will address it to you and trust that you will show it to the others. Kid, I got both of your letters the same day and sure was glad to hear from you and that you were all right. We have been over the top and stayed under fire eleven days. They sure did kill our boys. I can’t explain all the details―I haven’t got time―but while we were going over the top, from the time we left our trench till we got in the trenchers with the square heads the shells were bursting all around me. Anyway I could look I could see our boys falling. They were shooting machine guns, artillery and throwing hand grenades, shooting gas, and to make a long story short, they used all they had on us, but never did stop us. We went right in. We killed as many as we lost and captured several hundred, also guns and ammunition―we got over a hundred machine guns, and drove them back so far that we have never been able to catch them since. So far I haven’t got hurt; I have been hit several times with shrapnel but it wasn’t hard enough to hurt me. I got one bullet hole through my steel hat. I had it off, holding it in my hand scratching my head with the same hand―it was about three inches over my old cotton head―see, do you get me, Duke. It is fine sport if you get through. It is hard to see your friends falling at your feet but you haven’t got time to stop and help them till the battle is over. But we were lucky; we only had five killed, but over half of the Company was wounded. Poor little Tainer Taylor is in the hospital; he is not seriously hurt; so is Leon Ryburg and Teddie Zubifer, but not a one of them is hurt bad―just a little gas, very light, from what I can find out. I will write their folks as soon as I can. I am stealing this time now. All the rest of the boys are O.K.  Tell Mrs. Bess that Harley is doing fine so far. Tell Tudy that the kid she has been writing to is still all O.K. I saw him a few minutes ago. Son, I have lots of letters to write. As soon as I can I will write daddy. I wanted to write you and him both and didn’t have time. I knew you would see him or send this letter to him and he would get as soon or sooner that way than any other way. I will tell you later all about the rush I am in now.

      I sure wish I was there to help you work or to help the kids pick cotton. Most any old job will beat this. We work day and night, too, over here. It is no kid’s job either, take it from me. I don’t know when I had my shoes off last―I have forgot all I ever knew.

      Son, you said if I wanted anything let you know. Well, son, you can’t help me, but I certainly appreciate it just the same. We are not where we can buy anything, so there is no use to think of you sending anything. Money is no good here; you can’t use it at all, so all you can do for me is to see daddy and tell him why I don’t write and give him this letter and let the folks at the field know that the boys are in the hospital. Send word to Kid McIntosh and she will let Mrs. Taylor and Mr. Ryburg know and Teddy’s folks in El Campo―she knows their address, and I don’t. But they will be all right in a few days. I am sure, and I will write them all a letter as soon as possible. If you see Mr. LeTulle tell him if he wants a German scalp I will try and send it to him―there are plenty of them here. Give Mr. Harty my wishes and tell him that I said he and you need not worry―you all will not be needed in this war. I may not get back to tell you all about it myself, but lots of them will, and I still think I will―haven’t given it up yet and don’t intend to―will stay right in there till it is over. When the last shot is fired I will be somewhere close to the man who fires it―I hope it can be me.

      Well, I am forced to close. With love and best wishes to all, I remain as ever, your old friend.

                        Tony George

P.S.―O, Yess, Harley saw Buddie Bond the other day. He is all O.K. I didn’t get to see him―I sure wish I could have seen him. T. G.

The Matagorda County Tribune, November 15, 1918
 

BAY CITY CELEBRATES THE END OF THE GREAT WAR

Notable Parade and Addresses Mark This Notable Event in World History

      No more noteworthy expression of patriotic life and spirit ever occurred in Bay City than the celebration of the signing of the armistice in Europe by Germany the day before.

      The long tension, which has gripped the world in the terrors of this unprecedented war for four years, was universally relieved yesterday morning when the terms of the entente allies and the United States were officially announced to have been accepted in full. The fine patriotic spirit of our citizens manifested in every appeal of the government, whether for soldier, war workers, war funds and charities, need no extended preparations for a victory celebration.

      Mr. Martin Thompson, president of the Chamber of Commerce, and Mayor John Sutherland, chairman of its public welfare department, upon first receipt of telegraphic news, promptly effected a program of organization for a victory parade to include all civic organizations, institutions, industries and participating citizens.

      Lt.-Col. W. S. Holman was named as marshal-of-the-day. He selected as his aides Mr. Henry Eidelbach, Mr. Frank Carr and Mr. J. W. Elliott. The public telephone service, under the direction of Mr. J. L. Walters, was placed at the disposal of those in charge of the celebration and notification was sent to every home within a radius of miles.

      Prior to the formation of the parade the entire town was bedecked with flags and banners and the whole community gave itself up to marching in groups, cheering, flag waving, and noisy patriotism. All business was suspended at noon and the citizens gave themselves over to public rejoicing which meant not only that the nation had obtained the greatest victory of all times, but that the soldiers of America, who had won unfading laurels in the Old World, would be soon coming come again when their tasks shall have been finished.

      The parade which was formed under the direction of Marshal Holman and his aides was an evidence of the organizing ability of this distinguished citizen who has attained high military honors. The procession formed at the First Baptist Church and was preceded by a band of 20 pieces under the leadership of Edwin Zedler.

      In the first car were the reviewing party, Mayor Sutherland, Rev. O. T. Hotchkiss, Mrs. C. A. Erickson, G. A. Moore and Dr. C. W. Kelly. Lt.-Col. Holman rode at the head of the procession.

      Two cars, beautifully decorated with Red Cross emblems and filled with representative workers of that organization, followed next in line.

      An immense truck, gaily bannered, was packed to the full with Boy Scout companies which have had such a distinguished part in the furtherance of all war measures.

      Veterans of the war of the sixties, feeble in years, but blazing with the fires of undying patriotism, were assigned the next place in line.

      The officers of Matagorda County and the Court of Commissioners followed next. Then in succession came members of the various liberty loan, war finance and united war work committees, whose sustaining efforts have had a large share in the victory of the present hour.

      Members of the school board occupied the next car and immediately preceded the teachers and pupils from the city schools. This procession was led by Profs. D. R. Hibbetts and B. F. Phelps, each of whom carried beautiful silk flags, extended three blocks, and was one of the finest demonstrations of its kind ever witnessed in this vicinity. The parade was terminated by a representation of the colored schools which was assigned a place in the lines of honor as a tribute to the splendid work and support to the war contributed by colored citizens.

      After the procession had followed its outlined itinerary, it passed in review before the speakers’ stand at the southwest corner of the court house square.

      Here the great mass of public citizens assembled themselves where a brief program was presented. Following the playing of patriotic airs by the band and community singing, Mayor John Sutherland called upon Rev. O. T. Hotchkiss of the First Methodist Church, who led in a fervent and grateful invocation.

      Lt.-Col. Holman was then introduced and gave an eloquent and forceful address which was continuously interrupted by popular applause. He in turn introduced Dr. C. W. Kelly, secretary of the Chamber of Commerce, who had returned to Bay City from San Antonio for the occasion. Dr. Kelly laid stress upon the three outstanding facts of peace. He declared that the greatest crime since the Crucifixion had been avenged; that the greatest war of all history, both in forces involved and results obtained, had been brought to an end; and that the re-discovery of America, both to itself and to the world, as the foremost nation of mankind, had been abundantly established and certified.

      A special appreciation of the work of our colored citizens was given by Lt.-Col. Holman, together with an urgent request that all Christmas presents for the soldiers should be immediately prepared for forwarding in accord with public regulations. Mrs. F. H. Jones is chairman of our local committee which has this work in charge.

      On the whole as a spontaneous outburst of patriotic feeling and the expression of public sentiment the entire occasion will be perpetuated in the memory of all participants and it is confidently believed that no community, large or small, acquitted itself with greater credit than did our Bay City yesterday afternoon. About two thousand people took part in the parade and public demonstration.                          

The Matagorda County Tribune, Friday, November 15, 1918
 

JOHNIE MAY WILLIAMS

Matagorda, Texas, November 22.―Some letters have arrived from Darwin Williams, in England, giving particulars of his brother, Johnie May Williams’ death, as he was near him when he died.

         He had the Spanish influenza which developed double pneumonia to which illness he succumbed in four days and poor Darwin is heart-broken, saying his greatest wish now is that he may be permitted to come home once more to the arms of his mother.

         A Presbyterian minister, of which church Johnie May was a member, officiated and he was buried with military honors, and there were many beautiful floral offerings.

         Darwin said he could not have been put away more beautifully had he been at home, which in a measure is a comfort to the bereft ones. Darwin also had a tombstone erected in order that there be no trouble when the remains are shipped back to America.

         Johnie May Williams was born at Big Hill, January, 1891, and his parents moved to Matagorda when he was only nine years old.

         He was always so jolly and friendly with everyone, was kind hearted and obliging, pleasant to the aged and was a universal favorite as was evidenced by the many letters, messages and words of sympathy when the wholly unexpected and shocking message came that he was dead.

         The gloom of sadness was in the hearts of all his friends here and is still for he was the first of our boys in service to “go West” and when the other boys, his life-time companions, “come marching home,” they will look in vain for the smiling face of Johnie May and they will never cease to miss him all down the years. They could not for they have all been too closely associated which has cemented their love for him for aye.

         There is no surcease for his parents, brothers and sisters in their great sorrow and their only boon is to be brave and prepare to meet him when they, too, shall have to “go West.”

         “The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”

The Matagorda County Tribune, November 29, 1918
 

GERAULT GREEN WOUNDED

      Gerault Green, who is now stationed in Southern France, 40 miles from the coast, has written his mother that on November 1 he received a slight wound in the left eye from a shell fragment just as he was about half way “over the top” in a charge against the Huns.

      He assured his mother that the wound is light and that he can see as well as ever. He also stated that he is doing nothing now save eating and sleeping and is well.

The Matagorda County Tribune, November 29, 1918
 

TWO MORE CASUALTIES FOR MATAGORDA COUNTY

      The names of two more Matagorda County boys are mentioned in the casualty list printed today, both of Palacios, They are Private Fowlis P. McCampbell, reported dead from disease, and Private Calvin I. Ward, wounded, degree undermined.

The Matagorda County Tribune, November 29, 1918
 

INTERESTING LETTER FROM PAYNE WALKER

France, October 21, 1918.

Dear Mama and Dad:

      Received a bunch of letters from home yesterday, the first in ten days, and am sure glad that a letter has at last reached you. We are still burning Mr. Dutchman’s coat tail; have at last had my chance of going over the top and didn’t get a scratch. I know the good Lord is with me and if this hard way of living don’t get me, I will come back home with lots to tell. We are living mostly in holes, dodging big shells. It sure doesn’t take long to dig a hole when Fritz is trying to shell you out, and they are doing plenty of it right now. You have to dig your hole and stay hid most of the day and at night go out on patrol work and you don’t know what minute Fritz is going to send a shell out hunting for you. Although our artillery is giving them more than they send us, and they don’t stay long in one place, it keeps the men on the move trying to keep them in range of our guns they don’t care to mix it with the Americans and call them the bravest bunch of men that they have had yet to fight.

      Well, mama, I have only this little piece of paper and am where I can’t get any, so will have to make this letter short. When we get relieved I guess they will take us way back where we will have a chance to get things. I am still in good health and think that I will be able to stand the winter all O.K.―will write you again soon. Love to all.

                                    R. P. Walker, Co. L. 143d Inf., 36th Div., A.E.F.

The Matagorda County Tribune, Friday, November 29, 1918
 

AN INTERESTING LETTER FROM EVERETT BOND

      Mr. and Mrs. J. T. Bond have received a very interesting letter from their son, Everett, who is now in France, and who went “over the top” three times. His letter is dated November 7, four days before the great armistice was signed. It will be noted that Everett prophecied the end “since Austria is out of it.”

      Somewhere in France, November 7.

Dear Dad:

      Well, here I am back in the civilized part of France again at present. I am in the base hospital; caught an awful cold, so they sent me here until I get over it; have been here three days; am getting along just fine; will be able to be back with my company in a few days; everything sure is fixed up nice here and believe me it sure feels good to crawl in between white sheets again.

      I certainly have had some experience since I have been here and have found out what the modern warfare is like; I have actually been in some of it. I have been undecided as to letting you know for some time as I knew it would worry mother, but I have decided it is best for you to know, I have been what they call over the top three times and have come out without a scratch although at times I was in pretty close places, still it is not as bad as a person would imagine and nothing like I expected. I really enjoy it; there is plenty of excitement at all times, especially when they start dropping those big shells around, but it does not take long to locate a good shell hole and stay there until they let up. All of this hand to hand fighting you hear so much about is a joke. I have my first Dutchman to see that will stand up to an American. They are more than willing to give up by the time you get in three or four hundred yards of them. Well, I think since Austria has given in it is only a few days before Germany will be ready to quit and I may be able to eat that Xmas Dinner at home after all. I have not heard from any of you yet but expect there will be some mail waiting for me when I get back. I do hope you are all well, and do not worry over me as I’ll be smoking back some of these days. Love to all.

         Everett E. Bond, 78 Co., 6th Reg., U. S. Marines, A.E.F.

The Daily Tribune, December 2, 1918
 

AN INTERESTING LETTER FROM WILL CULVER

      Mr. C. W. Dickey has just received the following very interesting letter from Will Culver, dated November 9, two days before the armistice was signed:

      “I know you will be surprised to hear from me over here, but nevertheless here goes. I dreamed of you and Effie last night, so will write you today.

      “This is Saturday evening and I can see you chasing around the store and know you are here because this is Saturday afternoon―and with all of Bay City’s prosperity I know business is good, and I am glad to hear that you people are making some money this year. Well, you haven’t anything on us―business is rushing over here, too, but of course you know all about this from the papers. Dick, I have seen both sides of life since I saw you last―first came months of training at Camp B., Ft. W.―next our trip through the States to the port of embarkation―and it was a trip I shall never forget. We passed through the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, also passed Look Out Mountain. I never enjoyed a trip more in my life. The trip across was “some trip.” We came over on one of the largest transports. Seems peculiar to look at such a huge mass of steel and know the bloomin’ thing was floating. The first few days out we had rough weather, consequently we “fed the fish” a great deal, but we soon became accustomed to the ticklish sensation of going up about forty feet and then splashing down between those liquid mountains. Several Y.M.C.A. men who were on board furnished us books to read, moving pictures and games. We had our regular band with us, and, believe me, those old familiar airs sure sounded good; also had boxing matches every evening―with all our entertainment we were sure glad to see land. We pulled into one of the most beautiful harbors I ever saw. We landed the next day. This place proved to be a large city. We spent a few days here, then took trains for the south, and it was on this trip that I saw the most beautiful country I have ever seen. Then came a march that would have killed an ordinary donkey, but, of course, it did not hurt us. Dick, this is some country―roads, houses, barns, fences and everything built of stone and about a hundred years behind the States. There is only one thing they have us “skinned” on, and that is roads. You can go anywhere you care to on a big crushed rock road with large trees growing on each side, which shade the road in the summer when it is hot―and we took advantage of these trees many times, as the weather was rather warm when we first came over here. There are quite a few good looking girls here, but I couldn’t have much luck with them―can’t parley-voo their language. I bought all the books I could get and everytime I could get a chance I would corner one of those fair maidens and get her to teach me her lingo, but I finally gave up in despair―and have not tried to get up a case with any of ‘em since. Wasn’t long until we went to the front, so the first real fight on the front lines I threw my French literature away―had too much to carry; anyhow, I decided I did not want to learn any more about it. I had things of a more serious nature on my mind. Gen. Sherman said a lot when he said war was hell, or “war is hell,” but we put the Germans t o flight―and they are still going (toward Berlin). I was lucky, for which I am very thankful. Got a few punctures in my overcoat, but not in my hide. Dick, I have seen some sights over here. I hope that in a few months I can drop in the store when business is quite and I can hand you some real dope on the subject of war, but I expect you have heard so much about it that you are tired of the subject. I would like to bring home a wagon load of the different kinds of implements they use over here for the destruction of mankind. While at camp in the States I have heard the boys sing, “I’ll be damned if I can soldier with a shovel and a pick”―we don’t sing that song any more. We have dug many holes in France to keep from being killed by a “G. D. can…..  One night while sleeping in one of these little holes, I dreamed that I was at home and mama was frying chicken, c-h-i-c-k-e-n, for me and just as I was taking a nice big juicy bite the report of a big gun awoke me, and there I was six thousand miles from home, and no chicken, either―some life. At present we are located in a little village enjoying a little civilization. I am at the Y.M.C.A. It is crowded with the boys writing, reading and raising sand in general―someone is playing a waltz on the piano and he can sure paw the ivory.

      “Excuse me for shooting such a long line of hot air, Dick, but I just felt like writing.

      “Best wishes to you, Effie and all the folks.”

The Matagorda County Tribune, Friday, December 6, 1918
 

SERGEANT DAVIS WILLIAMSON WRITES HOME

      The writer has received a card from Davis Williamson, who left The Tribune to join the colors as a volunteer in the Goliad company. The card was dated October 29, thirteen days before armistice was signed and reads as follows:

      “Hope crops have been good and that you are enjoying a good trade. Things are looking good to us over here now. We will be coming over the creek before many days, as we have them on the run.”    Davis                          

The Matagorda County Tribune, Friday, December 6, 1918
 

The remains of Frank Weaver of Bay City were put off here Friday through error. Deceased was a soldier boy stationed on the Panama Canal and died of disease. The address was, “Undertaker, Bay City, El Campo, Texas,” the error appearing in the marking at the point of shipment.―El Campo Record                                           

The Daily Tribune, December 12, 1918
 

THREE PALACIOS BOYS IN CASUALTY LIST

      J. D. Greenwood received word Saturday from the war department that his son, Clarence, who had been reported missing in action since October 9, had succumbed to wounds received while in the discharge of his duties in the front line trenches in France.

      E. M. Kelly received word this week that his son, Leo, was missing in action. He has since had word from his son stating he was well and getting along fine.

      The sympathy of the entire community goes out to Mr. Greenwood and his family in their loss.

      At the moment of going to press we are informed that Calvin Ward has been wounded in action.―Palacios Beacon.                                 

The Matagorda County Tribune, December 13, 1918
 

ANOTHER MATAGORDA COUNTY BOY IN CASUALTY LIST

The name of Otis Montgomery, of Markham, appeared in the casualty list, published yesterday under the severely wounded column.

The Matagorda County Tribune, December 13, 1918
 

INTERESTING LETTER FROM IRVIN T. ALLEN

Mrs. George Wainer, Bay City, Texas

Dear Sister and Niece:

      Will commence a letter tonight but may not get it finished for a day or two. I am at a French Y.M.C.A. in a small village. We have been back from the front for a few days now and are taking a rest. I received your letters while at the front but did not have much time to write then. It is only 4:30 p.m. and so dark in here. I can hardly see how to write. The sun is down here before that time. Maybe they will light up here before long as they are preparing for some kind of an entertainment here tonight. We would sure appreciate a good, classy American entertainment, for it has been so long since we have had anything like that.

      Oct. 7, 5:30 p.m. and just back to my writing. It has rained today and is very muddy.

      The entertainment was fine last night and was a large crowd of solders there to witness it. Two men and two ladies composed the company and there were three other Y.M.C.A. women there also. Up until recently we have had no opportunity to see the pleasant faces of American women for we had been with the French army until recently. We were in the lines on the front with the French to the right and left of our division. We were in training for some time after coming to France and we knew for some days that we were soon to go to the front or at least near the front. We had quite a little march to the railroad station where we were to take the train. For short distances troops are usually put in box cars which are equipped with seats in them. Soon we were comfortably situated and sometime after midnight we stopped and unloaded. We soon noticed considerable signs of the destruction of the war. We left town to go to a small village to be billeted for a few days. We started out on the wrong road and soon saw that we were going right toward the front. Here we passed dozens of ammunition dumps. We could see the flash of the cannon and hear the raging of the huge guns. Occasionally we would see signal rockets going up from the front lines. By this time we were four or five kilometers out of town and had stopped for almost three rests for our packs were heavy. We turned around and went back and soon found the road and passed through three or four villages and an hour or two we were at the village we had started for. While here for a few days, the signal men spent most of the time running lines and setting up stations as if at the front. Next we left this place riding in trucks and after several hours’ ride we were in quite a little town which was completely deserted by the civilian population. It was trying to rain some so we pitched shelter tents and placed our equipment in them to keep it dry. I was called to go with a detail of men and help clean up some billets for the men. And here it was that I saw the first enemy shells of any size. There is always a few shells that fail to explode and naturally I thoroughly looked over these heavy steel shells. Here also I noticed the first shell holes and some of the bomb proof caves used for officers and command posts and signal stations. Along down the railroad track there was nothing but caves and holes in the ground where the French soldiers seemed to live with ease or as if they had grown used to it during the four years of that kind of life. This afforded better protection for them than the deserted houses for the town had been bombed for a long time by the Germans. Up in the day we saw that the entire division was coming in. Sosmetime in the afternoon we began to see the activity of some airplanes and discovered it was some French planes giving the Germans a hot chase. They were fighting with machine guns directly over us and we soon heard the echo of the French anti-aircraft guns and the bursting of the high explosive shells in the air. The Germans soon saw that things were hot for them and we could almost tell when they fully realized the change of climate for them, because they swung to the east and then directly to their own lines. As far as we could tell there was no damage done to either opposing side. All day we could hear continuous echoing of the guns at the front and we were sure that it must be a pretty hot time up there and probably the Germans were being dislodged from a stronghold in the Hinburg line. Sure enough a day or two later we learned that the Germans had been jarred loose from a certain hill which they had orders to hold at any cost.

      But back to where I left off. We were served our dinner at about 2 o’clock in the afternoon and then fixed our beds for the night. Sometime after dark I started down to where I heard that there was a Y.M.C.A. hut, but before getting that far I heard that it closed before dark because no lights were allowed in town where they could be seen through a window or even cracks in the broken walls. While on my way back I heard a terrible explosion. It seemed to me loud for I was not thinking of any thing so close. I was sure that this must be a bomb from one of the enemy aviators who had passed over in the afternoon, but noticed that the Frenchmen paid no attention to it so I began to inquire a little and found that a big six-inch French naval gun was located at the edge of the town, nearest the front and not over three hundred yards from where I was. We had been told that this town was bombed every night by enemy airplanes and we were given instructions what to do in case an attack was launched against us that night. We had a good night’s rest and lost no sleep, hoping that we would not be attacked. The next day several others and myself were called out to go forward with a detail of men and did not know just how far toward the front we were going, but found that a signal dump of supplies was being moved to a certain place at the old Hindenburg line. Soon we loaded in a big truck and were on the way. Just as we got to the edge of town and out to the right of us about two hundred yards we saw our first cemetery of Frenchmen who had died in the act of protecting their country. It looked as if there was possibly two thousand graves and a cross or stone at the head of each of them and hundreds of pretty wreathes. Down the road a little farther we saw the road was camouflaged on each side with kind of a bunting that grain sacks is made of. This was fastened to wire netting which had been fastened to the trees along the side of the road. About every hundred yards a strip of this camouflage was stretched across the road and the cars would just pass under it. This part of it was to prevent airplanes from getting a view of the road. For several miles we passed along this hidden road but still we were so far from the front that it was not necessary to have the road hid from the enemy. A little later we began to see numerous ammunition dumps and big stacks of old shells and gun placements. We passed through this for several miles and would see graves scattered here and there and also there were numerous trenches and dugouts. We began to see trees that were victims of the big shells and things looked more desolate until we had gone about seven or eight miles and as we came to the top of a hill we could see what we thought had been a large town before the war. We were possibly a mile from it and we were keeping our eyes open taking in sights that was new to us. As we came nearer it was evident that the Germans had well directed their big guns, for the destruction of this town was complete. Once it was a city with large buildings of rock, but now it is reduced to heaps of broken stones. Not even one complete wall of a single building was left untouched. All along we saw men working the road and it seemed as if there was a gang here at work all the time for this road had been continually shelled for a long time, but for the last three days it was out of easy reach of the German guns. Until this time, we only had a vivid imagination of the horrible sights of the destruction of this war, but it was now coming to our own eyes in reality. We decided that there was really no limit to the force of war but we were thankful to know that the allies were now prepared to be more than twice as effective in the destruction of the German lines and that it had already begun and was having its serious effect upon us for the Germans. Pictures which we had seen of big shell holes and merely tree stumps to represent a forest were now real to our eyes. We passed all the French lines and finally to what had been No Man’s Land for a long time. This seemed to be a mile across and a good road had been built across it. The artillery shells had played upon No Man’s Land so much that the shell holes did not only meet but lapped over one another. Some of these holes were nearly ten feet deep and fifteen feet across. Our road was bridged over a small hill which had been mined by the Germans and had been set off in an effort to kill a large number of Frenchmen, but they got wise to it. One huge explosive in one place had been planted and there was a hole about forty feet across and nearly twenty feet deep. Can you imagine what a power it would take to lift that much dirt as quick as a flash. Do you wonder then at those high explosives rattling windows ten miles away. Remember too that the allies are prepared for greater destruction if it should be necessary. We then came to the first line of the Hindenburg system which they believed was impossible to move them from. If you could see how this front line trench had been battered and destroyed by the allies you would say anything was possible and how did any Huns get out alive. Communicating trenches were almost equally destroyed. We passed over a hill which afforded almost natural protection from artillery shells and the second line of the Hindenburg system was built along the side of this hill and in this line is where we located our signal dump. Many of the caves were fixed up comfortable and showed that officers had lived in many of them. Right here we saw a German cemetery and some were victims of 1914. We saw two of these graves which had been opened up by a high explosive shell from a French gun. It was evident that the allies had directed their artillery fire so that the shells dropped right over the hill into the German line. Around this place we found all kinds of German ammunition and equipment and it showed that not long since a hand to hand fight had taken place there. We found that it had been only three days since the Germans had been ousted out of this place. Not over a quarter of a mile away we could see some dead soldiers on the ground. After locating a good dugout to sleep in I decided to chase around a little over the recent battle ground. There were old rifles laying everywhere and ammunition scattered all over the hill. I passed by eleven dead French and German soldiers in one pile and part of them had come in contact of the bayonet and part of them had faced machine guns. At or near the top of this hill was a trench and there was a clump of trees filled with machine gun nests and trench mortars. Also there was a number of dugouts but the shells of the allies had destroyed them. There were several big stacks of German gas shells which had been untouched. Along all of the main trench systems we saw great masses of barbed wire entanglement. A great portion of this was fastened to steel posts which were very sharp on top. It looked impossible for one to make his way through such a mass for the barbs were as close on the wire as they could be placed and were about an inch long on a great lot of the wire. After hard and continuous blows the Germans had been pressed back about five miles from this line. Our division headquarters were being located some distance forward from this place and there was another demolished town at this place but during the Germans’ long stay here they had dug numerous caves back in the hillside and it was almost an underground city. The officer in charge of our signal dump wanted a line of communication to division headquarters, so I asked him to give me the job. The next morning a bunch of men and myself started on the work. I went on over to division headquarters to locate the office and the best way to build the line to it―was not aware of the fact that the Germans had been throwing shells around there, but did not think it only a firecracker when one landed about two hundred yards from the road. Then I thought we had trained a long time to meet these things and now we are really here. I walked a little farther and another one came over and bursted in the air and a big slug of iron landed only 20 or 30 feet from me, but I thought well―I am still just as safe as if it had been a mile away.

      It was sometime the next day before the line was completed and several times I heard the shells coming and had not learned how to judge how close they were going to land to me and would drop to the ground so that any pieces might pass on over me. One time I hung to the ground closely while shattered rock fell all around and on me, but thanks that the shell was not closer than 20 feet of me and was part of an old rock wall which gave me the desired protection by falling behind it. After this it took no extra time for me to fall to the ground and really I had become a little nervous about it. These were six-inch shells. I saw one of these strike a Dodge automobile and it turned it into a mass of tin and iron. No one happened to be in the car. In a day or two a detail of men was called to go several miles back to the rear and I happened to be one of the detail. Here we were put to work at constructing some permanent lines which connected us with army corps headquarters. The Germans had been pushed back so far by this time that there were several miles of this line to build. After about three days’ work on this another fellow and myself were sent further to the rear to change the transposition on some lines which had not been put up correctly. When we had finished this work we started for the place were the detail was camping along the road. On reaching this place we found that the men had left there and did not know where to find them. On returning to the signal dump at the Hindenburg line we discovered that it had been moved so we went on to the location of our division headquarters only to find that it had moved forward, but found the old station where a few men had been permanently established. It seemed as though we were farther than ever from the front for distance made the sound of the guns faint. We started forward for the new division headquarters next morning and we rode for miles and it seemed unreasonable that an army could drive the enemy back so far in such a short time. We saw truck after truck of French civilian people who had been rescued from the Hun and they looked like the hardships had been great for them, but still had the greatest expression of joy at this time. There was a solid line of trucks on each side of the road, those of one side coming and the others going. On this trip we saw the first American graves but there was quite a consolation to know that there was not near so many graves as we had expected to see. The division had done its work well and even being the first time at the front for action it gained the praises of all the allied armies. When the Boshe prisoners were brought back we saw that our infantry had been up against Germany’s best (that being the Prussian Guards), but with a million dollar barrage of artillery to start the drive, the shock had been too great for the Hun. It seemed as though the Hun did not flee from the French so on each side of us and it was several days before they were up even with us. After a long ride to our new division headquarters, about a dozen of us were put to work at building our designated lines forward to another station up near brigade headquarters. We completed our part of this without the reception of a single shell.

      It was now our job to look after this line and keep it in repair. This line was upon poles along the roadside and it was an easy task for the Hun to shell the line and road at the same time. For some reason they would not succeed in cutting the lines with shells till late in the evening and then our job came for repairing. And, on yes, it seems to take a long time to splice a wire on a pole and the shells screeching over a fellow’s head. One night I was out with a fellow on a motorcycle and the road passed only a few yards right in front of a French battery of heavy artillery. They were shelling the Hun and we got the full power of the great concussion of those big guns. It felt like a tremendous pressure against us in every direction. In a few days the detail I was on was called to go to a station farther forward and wait. Some expected orders for some line work. While here we often had our attention attracted by the big shells. One evening we were getting quite a lot of shells and the next day undoubtedly one of our planes had located where it was coming from and gave our artillery the range, and that evening they commenced again and our artillery then opened upon them and we heard no more from them.

      While up here at this station I helped to build a line after night up to a little over half a mile of the front. This line was put on poles along a road that was almost continually being shelled but as luck would have it everything was quiet that night. Later we were called back to division headquarters again and one evening the shells fell close to the kitchen, each one coming about 30 yards closer and the last one was only about 30 yards from the kitchen. This was almost supper time and the shells were coming at about 20-minute intervals. One of the cooks would not stay and said that he figured the next one would hit the center of the kitchen but as luck would have it that was the last one. Oh, yes, there was quite a bunch of fellows who were not hungry at all that evening. Well, my name was on that list, too. Sometime later we were relieved at the front and no doubt that before time to go back it will all be over.

      Well, I do not know whether this letter will find its way past the censor or not, for he must decide that.

      I have fared much better at the front than I expected to and the prospect for an early return of the Americans is good. This is the long letter that I promised to you Merle.

      As ever, Corporal Irwin F. Allen, Serial No. 1,505,556, Co. C, 111th Field Sig. Bn., A.E. F.

The Daily Tribune, Friday, December 20, 1918
 

LIEUT. H. P. COOKENBOO GASSED AND WOUNDED

      Mr. and Mrs. H. E. Cookenboo received a telegram on the 12th from the war department stating that their son, Lieut. Henry P. Cookenboo, had been wounded on the 9th of October, exactly two months after he was hurt. They have since heard from him and he is convalescing rapidly.

      Their son, Elwood, received his discharge from the navy a few days ago and will resume his work with the railroad after the holiday.―Wharton Advertiser.

The Matagorda County Tribune, December 20, 1918
 

CORPORAL W. S. PHILLIPS

      Corporal W. W. Phillips, son of Mr. and Mrs. W. P. Phillips of Matagorda who has been cited for distinguished conduct in service. He is said to have been the first boy to volunteer from Matagorda after war was declared, entering the service in June, 1917. He trained at Camp Bowie. Corporal Phillips was a member of company I, 143d infantry, but has been transferred to company K, 9th infantry, 2d division, since going overseas. He has been severely wounded three times and is at last on his way home.―Houston Post.

The Matagorda County Tribune, December 20, 1918
 

LETTER FROM HORACE E. STILES

Dear Brother Tom:

      I am going to write you this morning to let you know I am back in the dear old U. S. once more, and to be sure I am a happy kid. I wrote you a few days ago and told you I sent a letter by my friends, as I thought I was going to get to come home, but I will have to have an operation on my foot, and gee, there is no telling when I will get to come home, but I landed December 1. And talk about having a good time, well I sure do here, as I am just from France and have been bunged up and these N. Y. people sure treat you good, as they say you are some of the boys that helped win the war, and I guess they are right, but I do not think anything about it. Now, boy, you sit right down and write me all about everything and if I were to get to come home in a year or so, how I could get there and how far out from town you live and say does O. M. A. still work in Bay City and what is the name of the place, and say where is Robert? Or is he on some ship? If so, do you know the name of the ship? You see I am anxious to hear from him, as the last letter I got from him was some time in the first part of the year. Now, boy, let me get a line or so from you, and say what kind of time do you have down that way now. I guess you have a good looking Jane, haven’t you? Say, boy, did you ever get a money order for $40.00 I sent the 27th of May. I have written many times, and guess you have written and told me as many time, but I didn’t get any letter saying you did. The last letter I got from you was written June 27, I think. And say, do you still get an allotment for $20.00 per month” Tell me all about it. O, yes, did you get anything about me having insurance. Say, boy, I am going to try to get out of the service, wouldn’t you. Write and tell me. Say, kid, are there any deer around or bear? I am rearing to go out hunting and, by the way, the best, are there any ducks? It isn’t very cold here. I would like to be with you awhile―I could tell you a few things but not write. I am getting along just fine. How much cotton did you raise this year? and Pap? and did you raise much corn? Gee, I see in the papers this morning a big write-up about the marines by Daniels, the naval secretary. But, boy, we did a great part of the fighting, if there were not but two regiments of us, but we used up about six regiments placements. You may have seen a little, but we were in it from start to finish. One time, kid, the 7th infantry took over the sector where we were and we just had got out about four miles for a rest for a day or so and we just had got an hour or so rest and orders came in: “You marines get your packs ready”―and had to double time back up as the 7th Infantry was letting the Dutch get through and drive them back. We went right in and made the Dutch haul tail, believe me. I had better close for this time, kid, so write soon and tell me all the news. Give my love to all,

            Pvt. Horace E. Stiles, U. S. Marine Corps, U. S. Naval Base, Pelham Bay Park, N. Y.

The Matagorda County Tribune, December 20, 1918
 

RALPH JONES HONORED

      In an interesting letter to his parents, Judge and Mrs. F. H. Jones, of city, Lieut. Ralph Jones, 1st Lieutenant in the 73d Infantry Brigade, recites some interesting and gratifying personal experiences. He was all through the battle of Argonne Forest and had crossed the Scheldt on his way to Ghent on November 11. About two weeks prior to the ending of the war Lieut. Jones was made aide on the general’s staff and sent to Brussels to represent the general at the celebration incident to the triumphal entry of King Albert and his retenue into the Belgium capital after four years of German rule.

      He gives a graphic description of this and other closing features of the war, many of which came under his personal observation.            

The Matagorda County Tribune, December 27, 1918
 

LETTER FROM ALVIN BENGE

France, Nov. 26, 1918.

To My Dear Wife:

      Just a little letter to show I am still well and doing the best I can. I received your letter stating you had the “flu.” I have been worried so about it; so afraid you would take it. Well, God knows I was sorry to hear of it, and I only hope that you will be well again and keep so. I know it must be hard on you to have to put up with so much. I’ll say this for you―you sure have stuck it out well, with lots of nerve. Well, I am still hoping for an early return to the old U.S.A. Peace is so close, but not yet. I am sure it will come soon, but sorry I will have to stay here for a little while longer, but I am still living in hopes of being sent home soon. I can’t help but believe as soon as peace is fixed up and troops can be returned that we will be among the first to be sent home; well, I’ll tell you, dear, we sure have earned an early return, if anybody has. Since we finish training here we took position on the front and have been on the front ever since, the only time we were off was when we were hiking from one front to another, and we have never been relieved until the armistice was signed; the boys at our guns sure have stuck it out well―were in position so long and under shell fire all the time―day and night. Some of the officers had nervous strokes and had to leave the company, but the most of the boys stuck it out without a whimper. And I’ll say no one knows how hard it is on a man to be placed under a heavy shell fire so long except the one that was there. It’s an awful thing―it sure is trying on anyone’s nerves, the sights are awful to see―men shot to pieces, gassed and many such things. I thought several times my time had come, but I am still here, without a scratch, although Hq. Co. was never on the extreme front, but we were under range of the enemy’s big guns all the time and no shelter, so the ones behind the lines were in just as much danger as any one. Early in the morning was the only quiet moment. We had shells the balance of the time. Shells were falling all around us, especially at night. When the troops were moving the Germans would start shelling from roads and woods or wherever they though Americans were located. It was hard and miserable times and at meal times when we were lined up they would try to shoot into the line, so we were not allowed to bunch up for meals―had to keep hid most all day, for airplanes would come over and get pictures and locations of camps and then in a little while anyone could lookout for shells to fly over, and at night the airplanes would come over so low they would drop bombs and flames that would light up everything on the ground and then they would open up with machine guns at the men they would see. There are so many things I cannot mention they would do. So you see just about what a man had to contend with and how much pleasure life was over here; maybe I’ll be home soon so I can tell you everything. It’s no use to try to write all, but I can tell what I want to now, and where we are, so here goes, from the time we left: We left New York went to Halifax, Nova Scotia; stayed there three days in the harbor; then for France; landed in Liverpool, England, June 12; from Liverpool to Winchester to a rest camp; stayed there eight days; liked to have starved to death there; went from Winchester to South Hampton, England, and from South Hampton across the English Channel; landed at La Havre, France; there one day, then to Valde Hon, France; trained there, then took up position on the front in the Voges Mountains. There’s where the first fight was and the first Americans to take a town alone from the Germans; from there to some place in woods―I don’t know where it was; and then to the St. Mihiel front―there is where we tore the Germans up for life. Held position there for long time; then moved to Pont Musson, right close to Metz; took up position there until the armistice was signed. All this time have been in the woods, old dugouts and old shot-up towns where there is nothing in the world, and at present are located in a valley, living in dugouts in mud up to our shoe tops, working every day, and in a few days are going to move to Luxemberg, Germany. I suppose there we will stay until peace is signed, and if peace is not signed then fight some more; anyway, or anything, to get rid of the dirty Germans, and if the Americans get another crack at them it is going to be a hard one. They will simply tear Germany and the German people all to pieces―so if the Germans know what is good for them they had better make peace pretty quick, for the Americans are tired of fooling―they want to come home.

      Well, dear, I guess I have told enough for this time. Oh, yes, I got the Houston Post and the Saturday Blade and sure was glad to have them to read. Well, good-by; be good and take good care of yourself. I’ll be home some day.      A. E. Benge, Musician, Hq. Co. 19, F. A.

      P.S.―Dear, I like to have forgotten to tell you about some work I did. I whittled a walking cane out of a piece of tree that was shot down by a German shell, carved two snakes on it, put silver eyes on them and a silver Loraine cross and sold it for $10. I wish a shell would cut another tree down for me. Also picked up five little one pound shells and made five napkin rings out of them. I didn’t have anything to work them with except my mess kit knife and a nail. I made them at nights while thinking of you, and made them by fire light as we don’t have any lights―but I made them just the same. I am going to send them to you, so good-by, as ever.

                        Alvin.                                    

The Matagorda County Tribune, December 27, 1918
 

CARD FROM MAJOR BYARS

         The writer has received greetings from Major C. R. Byars, formerly of this city. The card came from “Somewhere in France” and conveys to us the following friendly communication:

      “My dear friend Smith: This is only to remind you that I have not forgotten my old friends. Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I beg to remain, your sincere friend,

 C. R. Byars.”

      Dr. Byars also sent us copies of the Paris edition of the New York Mail and New York Herald. Parts of these papers are in English and part in French, and are issued regularly from Paris printing offices.                              

The Matagorda County Tribune, Friday, December 29, 1918