Lexington dispatch-news. [volume] (Lexington, S.C.) 1917-1919, January 15, 1919, Image 7
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SOLDlUKS VVKllCr LU
FROM A
Somewhere in France,
Dec. 5, 1918. j
Mr. Columbus B. Rawl,
Bsatesburg, S. C.
Dear brother and all: I
Well I reckon, pou aill thought that:
you were never going to hear from
me again, I am taking a breathing
spell roKv the first one in many days,
so I wil try and tell you a few things
the letters are not censored ow I un- j
derstand, so I can say a few things
that I want to, I am as well as com- \
mon although I thought I would die I i
felt so bod from cold and grippe, this ;
climate over here is so uncertain, cold
and damp,, fog six das out of a week,
I think this 81st Wild Oat Division
has hiked all over France, I tell you
we have certainly walked some, especially
the Infantry, I dont know about
the Artillery,. I think they have it better
than we do because they ride most
of the time. Well I will try and give
you all a little history of my experience
since I left the U. S. A. We left
New York the latter part of July,
dont remember the exact date,. we came
across on the Empress of Asia a
British vessel, it was some big ship J
escorted across the oc- j
VW? W V ?? -w- W ??
ean by a British cruiser and a fleet
of Torpedo iboat destroyers, we went
through some dangerous waters but
did not see any submarines but they
were pretty close for transports had
been sunk in the very same waters
and that was in the Irish sea, we came
down between Scotland and Ireland
and landed at Liverpool, - - England,
.went to a camp and rested a day or
too then hiked to South Hampton,
boarded a boat (an American ship)
and sailed across the Briglish Chan*
nei, landed at Lb Havre Trance, para
ded through the streets, poarded a'
train (oust train too; cattle cars, you
can imagine what it was like) and arrived
at called Tanlay. Prance,
was there A month drilled and rehearsed
every day and we did have some
military band too; we have it still, we
hiked from. Tanlay through Langres
to Neuilly L* Svegue and boarded a
train, arrived at Lepange, hiked from
there to Mayenmourtier on the Vosges
front shell fire was pretty lively
there, we stayed on that front about
a month, hiked from there through Bt,
Ooryona Autrey, St Helene and Chatel
boarded a train there traveled
through Nancy, Prance, arrived at
Sampigny whee the Americans started
their first big drive against the
Germans defences, the town was torn
to bits by shell fire I have seen hundreds
of German pri oners since I
have been in France in all kinds of
waya at work and the fresh captured
from the battlefield, but I am off of
my trarfc. We hiked from Sampigny
at Ifivw R?Ma. ehAll trtrn 1
WIVU^U Ok manivn m?1 mm umv ?
- battlefields to & torn up Preach, town
called-flozamedtomup on ther Mouse*
Arogonne Front, about two miles from
Verdun, you remember Verdun the
place where the Crown Prince loot
#00.00* men trying" to take it, I have
ben in that territory I have certainly
aeen my fill of No Man's Land, and
it ie^richi^ekaAed too,* J was in the
thick of the fighting during the lest
battle of the war, our whole band was
stretcher bearers and hot a one of the
boys even, got scratched by shrapnel
shells, and I tell you the Germans
certainly know how to handle artillery
as they could throw some barrage
I came near getting killed many a
time but come out safely. I can hear
the deadly screaching of the shells yet
it is the worst sound I ever heard in
my life, ope I will never hear one
again, I have seen some gruesome
things caused by those missiles of destruction,
iusrt as I said before the
band was right out on the battlefield
during the battle and right there up j
to the day and hour of the armistice,
when the firing ceased along the entire
front from the Vosges to the
North, sea all firing stopped at once
it seemed strange about ten minutes
before you could not hear yourself
speak for the roar of the big guns!
and the sharp spit of the machine f
guns and in a few minutes it was all
over we were gathering up the dead
and wounded, and it certainly was a i
God send to hear of the Armistice, and
strange, the firing stopped the eleventh
month the eleventh day and
eleventh hour. There sure was some
celebrating thai night over in the
German trenches, rockets of all colors
were sent up as far up and down the
front line as your eyes could see", they
were so glad it was over, they just
left their artillery and made a bee line
for Germany as fast as their legs
could carry them, they said if the
Americans kept on firing they were.
going to quit anyway at eleven, I understand
they have carried out the
terms of the Armistice to the letter
so far and the signing of peace seems
near at hand, the old Kaiser had to
quit and they have a socilist chncellor
now, It seems they will get along all
right hereater, it is not quite sunny
enough to suit my taste,- it has, noth- j
ing to compare with old South Caro- ;
Una, and especially Batesburg, I tell,
you I have went through some hard- j
ships since I have been over here I j
think I will be home before so very j
long then I can tell you more about j
what happened over here I can ex- ;
plain it better you know then I al- j
most forgot to tell you a little more
about the battle our band the .323rd
and the 323rd Hospital Corps did all J
the first aid work for both the 323rd
and 324th Registrants the 324th. Reg
intents suffered heavily by Macmne
gun fire and shrapnel shells our band
won the admiration of the officers of
$>oth Regiments for Tbravery under
shell fire. We hiked from the front
one hundred and sixty eight miles and
arrived here yesterday. I believe we
will move in a week or two for a seaport
and start for ljome pretty soon
hope so anyway. I have received
nearly all the letters you all have writ
ten me and was certainly glad to hear
from home all th time hope to be
there soon. I received'a card from
Miss Addie M. tell her I was glad to
ge* it and will answer some time before
long. I cannt help but envy the
boys that will get home for Christmas
from the training camps. I would
v*?
%?> -1
?T??T/? ? fifrminnn
VlIMj Ltl IIiKS j
CROSS THE "POND.'
not object to spending- Christmas J
from the training camps. I would ;
not object to spending Christmas at
home myself you 'bet some of the A.
E. F. has aJready landed at home
guess we will be there pretty soon I
have bought myself a York Baritone
from Harris, it is some cutting up instrument
too, fine tone, splendid
valve action, in case with all attachments
complete, we will have some
band when we all get together in Batesburg
again, many of the boys in the
band want me to go on a show with
them wehn we eturn(, but I think
I will have enough of traveling for
awhile. I want to play Baritone with
Mr. Wherry when I get back I think
I can atisfy him alright as I have
advanced frcm third class to first
clas musician ince I have been in the
army. We will oganize again when
I get back so whet up. I have just
received a letter with some pictures
of you all and was certainly glad
to get them I will try to get some pictures
of my elf and will send you some
so be patient. I have received several
letters from frinds at home
since I have bee over here I.certainly
appreciated their lettrs give all the
folks and frinds my best regaas auu
wishes I wish to write more but it is
getting- prettyt dark so I will have to
ring: off will write you anothr letter
before long. Hope Billie will get
home some time I do I certainly wou
Id like to ^ee him. I am sorry I cannot
get in touch with him over here
Write soon and tell me all the news
from home
Your devoted broter.
Musician I<awrenceD. Raw I
Headquarters Co.
32Sr& V. &. Infatry ?and
i- ffSst Division A EL P. *
* r A. T. O. ?S1.
BKCIAND. Kov. 24, 1918.
"ZXtdfs Christmas tetter."
My dear father:
I wilt now take the advantage of ,
today .father's day) and write you a
few lines. We can say most anything
in our letters to you. I am very* anxious
to hear from you. I haev had
no mail sac* way. in- September.
I will tell you a bt of my experien- a
ces up the line. I first went to Belgium
in the Flanders or Ypres sector
and from there to Kemmel, from
there we came down to France and
took over the line on the Somme near
St. Queaitin and had a bit of hard
fighting there. Then we went to the
line up at Cambrai. I know you have
" -*? ??? ?? ? *>! . na.Ders.
seen an uiose imuucd ... ^ _
No doubt you have been, very anxious
to know just' where I have been doing
my fighting. You can remember those
places and you will know where I was
I was near St Queaatin when I was
wounded. -I would lorre to tell you
indite,, but I hardly knpw how to begin.
I can tell you how I was hit a Tot
better when I see you. I am going to
say I had a very hard fight for life. I
know, there is not another one here
Wh- ohad snch a narrow escape There
<
face and noee shattering my- cheekbone,
coming out just about 1-4 of an
inch below my temple. So you know
how near that was.
I am getting on fine now and hope
to be home or in the U. S. A. now in
a few more weeks.I went before the
board a few days ago and will be
going home before long. I will have
to have another operation after I get
to the States, and then. I will be all
right. My eye is giving me a bit of
j trouble the one on the left side where
I was hit. . .
j How is everything in the States? I
; am anxiously waiting to be back with
you all again. I know the time is
short now before I con be back in the
States.
We sure did put up a good fight and
you see it did not take us long to end
the great war. I was in the fight that
first crossed the Hindenburg line. I
! dont know whether you ever read any
[ thing about our diivsion (30th) or not
j but we were right there at all times J
j when there was any fighting to be !
done. 1 will tell you all about my
j trips out on "No Man's Land" at night
j between our lines and his when I get
I home. I had some fine fun, and, too
j bad some narrow escapes. And too
II will tell you. We had lost ail of
, our. officers and. I was in command of
a platoon the morning when I was hit
and X dont know how it went on then.
j I was hit out in an open field, and
thought of course I would die then.
But in a few minhtee I said, "No, I
won't die here, I mhst go home." So I
| with the aid of two German prisoners
went back to the aid station about
two miles and was dressed. And
from there I went on about ten miles
to the train in an ambulance, and
j from theer about 100 mles to a base
j hospital and was operated on and begun
to do better and have been improving
all the time since. You must
write me real soon even though I am
expecting to be home soon.
My address is: U. S. A. Base Hospital,
204 Hursloy near "Winrhester,
Bngland. I am crazy to hear from
you and all the folk I have been in
a lonesome hospital for two months,
and not a letter from anyone. Well,
1 I will close. With a heart full of lo/e
to you all, I am.
Your own true son,
Corpl. Claude K. Wingate
OBITUARY
! IMttle daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
: Bovick O. Weed, was born Jan. 4, 1916
and departed this life Dec. 17, 1918.
She leaves to mourn her father and
mother and other relatives. She died
at her grand fathers home. Mr. S.
T. Weed. Hed tender little body was
| taken by a kind and gentle band and
! was laid to rest in the cemetery at
; Columbia.
I Gone but not forgotten,
' lonely are our hearts today.
| For the one we loved so dearly,
Has forever passed away.
The Golden Gates opened wide,
And a gentle voice said come,
i And an angel from the other side
! Welcomed our little darling home.
Written by a loved one.
I
1
Lifetime Furniture
Had your grand father or mother not used excellent
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would you have those antique pieces you cherish
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This same kind of furniture is obtainable from
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Or if you have nofe a cherished piece handed down
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lb Will gl TV VUV>u vuv
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Let us show you our complete line, so moderately
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Do not hesitate to make our store your headquarters
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VAN METRE'
LIFETIME'iFURNlTURE
Funeral Directors and Maimers.
Complete Motor Ser
1313-19 Main St., - - 'Phone 111
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I Open-Minded? I
B The average American I
a open-minded. I
"* " ** - - ' ^K*- -->? ? [<; -*hr? fe - . ,. ,?-r^^^|:'.i
BBS H
I American business is coo- g
ducted by true Americans of B
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efficiently, and economically, re- ||S
ducing the margin between the K
cost of live stock and the selling B
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the profit is only a fraction of a Bg
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any noticeable effect on prices. |i?
The packing industry is a lag, H
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Rr P.omnnnv nrftSfiftts ffl
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facts in the advertisements that
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addressed to every open-minded
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The booklet of preceding chapters in this
story of the packing industry, will be mailed
on request to 1
Swift Company C
Union Stock Yards - - Chicago, llHnoie
Swift & Company
I U. S. A. ^ j
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STOMACH DISODRERS, NERVOUS DEBILITY,
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Let him offer you the results he has given
Wm^^m othdrs aud leave the payment in your own hands
Testimonials on file
X-RAY and Other Examinations Free onJMozi__
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Hours: 9 a, m. to 7 p. m. Sundays 10 to 2.
P. J. O'NEILL, M. D.
Suite No. 7 Carolina National Bank Building
I Cor. Main and Washington Sts. COLUMBIA, S. C |
Shoes For Everybody
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We carry shoes for the entire
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1518 Main Street COLUMBIA, & Cj
flk JBpBBfc. A OUT-OF-TOWN Patients,
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Assembly Street, Columbia, S. C
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