Nov. 20, 1918
Dear Mother:
This is my
first chance to write for some time owing to scarcity of writing material, also
that we have been moving considerably. We are quartered in an old German
village which was very recently occupied by German troops. We are very
comfortably located, but expect to move shortly further north. Our last move we
made in trucks. We were called at 2 a.m. and started about 4 a.m. arrived here
late in the afternoon. This is our second day here. We have done very little
here except go sight seeing and rest up. This country is covered with trenches,
shell holes, barb wire entanglements dug outs, etc. There are no civilians
here, in fact we have seen none for about a month, as we have been where the
fighting occurred the past few months. We were in a graveyard this a.m. Saw
crosses dated on 11-11-18, date of Armistice.
These towns are
not ruined nearly as bad as those further south.
Things have
eased up considerable lately, in fact we are having a good time, better than
you think and we surely are seeing some country. People from U.S.A. will be
paying big money in the near future to come over and see less than we have
seen.
Here is a
sample of German propaganda picked up behind the American lines near Metz,
Germany:
THE BETTER PART OF VALOR
Are you a brave
man or a coward!
It takes a
brave man to stand up for his principles. Cowards stand behind leaders and die,
imagining that by so doing they become heroes.
The motive of
an act is its measure. If you think the war is hell and that you as a citizen
of the United States of America have no business to be fighting in France for
England you are a coward to stay with it. If you had the courage to face
criticism you would get out and over the top in no time to a place where there
is some likelihood that you may see home again.
What business
is this war in Europe to you anyhow? You don’t want to annex anything do you?
You don’t want to give up your life for the abstract thing “humanity.”
If you believe
in humanity and that life is precious, save your own life and dedicate it to
the service of your own country and the woman who deserves it of you.
Lots of you
fellows are …………….Your wills are …………….judges of what is best for you to do.
Do it and save your life! Germany never did any harm to you , all the newspaper
tales of wrongs were printed to inflame you to the fighting pitch, they were
lies, you know you can’t believe what you read in the papers.
If you stay
with the outfit ten chances to one, all you will get out of it will be a
tombstone in France.
I have been
acting Sergeant since arriving over here and was raised to that rank Oct. 27th,
received my warrant a few days ago.
Wish you all a
merry Xmas and a Happy New Year.
Jay
Editor’s Note: We do not have a photograph of Jay Leasman.
Posted: February 22, 2019 by Renville County Historical Society Leave a Comment
Letter from James Stadther, Olivia Times, 12-26-1918
July 10, 1891 – December 16, 1959
Paris, November 19, 1918
My Dear Sister:
How is everybody getting along at home? Fine, I hope I am still here in the hospital and am getting along fine, the wound on my left should is all healed up already and that looked to be the worst at first but the one on my right shoulder seems awful slow healing up and my shoulder feels stiff. It may take some time for it to get the way it was. I don’t know if I will ever be back to my company again now as the war is over.
I would like to be with them now so I could go into Germany with them and see what it looks like there, but my greatest wish is to get back to the good old U.S.A. but I have no idea when I will get back. I met a boy from my company here in the hospital today he got hit later than I did and he told me that Lawrence Molden from Bird Island got killed the 28th of October a machine gun bullet hit him somewhere near the heart and killed him instantly you can maybe leave his folks know about it if they don’t know it already, he was a good friend of mine. (Editor’s Note: Lawrence Molden died June 26, 1921 he was gassed).
I have been up town on pass two times already. I was there last Sunday they had a parade with all the allied troops representing sure a large crowd there.
The French people are sure feeling good about the victory over the Germans. I suppose the American people do too.
Will close with best regards to you all.
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Posted: February 22, 2019 by Renville County Historical Society Leave a Comment
Letter From F G Kohler, Hector Mirror, 12-26-1919
January 17, 1889 – ????
Camp Custer, Mich., Dec. 15, 1918
Dear Folks:
Rather a lonesome morning. I am on duty until one o’clock but not much doing, as only of part of the sick and wounded……. It is very interesting to converse with these boys who have just arrived from the front. I have seen all kinds of cripples, from those with one finger lost to those with both legs and an arm gone. The most remarkable thing about these men is that not one among them has a single complaint to make and they cannot praise the Red Cross service enough. Poor boys, they are a pathetic sight, but they take great pride in the thought that they still live. They will be well looked after until physically fit, when they will receive artificial limbs, and Uncle Sam will take good care of them.
Had a big fire near here Friday evening; the Liberty Club and several other building went up in smoke. Our fire fighting machinery is just the same as in a large city only we don’t need the long ladders, as the tallest building are only two stories high. Our water supply comes from artesian wells located north of the Kalamazoo river, from a distance of five miles and the pipes are laid under the river. The water is just grand, and soft as rain water.
This afternoon, if rain does not prevent, I am going over to the heavy artillery range and get a few relics of sharpnell shells, etc. The camp here was once a farming community but I can’t understand what they could raise as it is all sand and quite a little timber, but not large trees, and very hilly.
Wednesday 11:30 a.m
I wish you could see the over seas men here this forenoon. There are now a couple of thousand in this area and eighteen hundred more coming in today. They will gill thirty six two story sleeping barracks. I saw more cripple in one bunch today (and I see a whole lot more inside of twenty-four hours) than I ever expect to see again, and more artificial limbs than there are people in Hector. A great many of these boys will have to have a re-amputation in order to get a good stump for artificial limbs. Those who are in fairly good shape will leave immediately, or as soon as they get a settlement from the government. A final settlement is made in all cases before discharge so there will be very few after pensions.
One poor fellow had his nose shot away, and a new one replacing it was made from parafine and a skin graft from the arm, and one must look very, very close to see any mark. All one can see is a very light line of demargation where the skin or the arm and the face grew together. That operation was done two weeks ago in New York and he can be discharged in a few days.
It is mess time now. Will write again soon.
Dad
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Posted: February 22, 2019 by Renville County Historical Society Leave a Comment
Letter from Dr Harley McLaren, Hector Mirror, 12-26-1918
May 22, 1882 – July 25, 1944
France, Nov. 25, 1918, W. J. Hager and Wife,
Dear Friends:
It’s nearing Thanksgiving time and I wish I could run in and eat a leg off your Turkey on Thursday but guess I will eat hard tack and bully beef the small as usual with the bunch.
We are present in a temporary camp waiting for further orders, where we pulled in yesterday after a four days travel with the animal transport, coming from the Argonne Forest where no doubt you have read in the papers, that the 77th Div. have been for so long maneuvering under difficulties thru the valleys and over hills with an enormous list of casualties and you can’t imagine what a great relief came when hostilities ceased along the line and the amount of celebrating there was done all over France over the victory. Everyone saw it coming but did not think it was quite so near until the final collapse came all of a sudden. I was in a hospital 175 miles south of Paris the day the armistice was signed. Took sick and of course was shipped where all sick men go over here. Was in the largest hospital in the world for ten days only and while returning to my organization I stopped off a day and night in Paris and saw the sights and the best and quickest way of describing Paris is to say that it is the most wonderful city that I have ever seen, especially after spending so many months in the shelled areas. Arrived at my organization just two day before starting on this move and tomorrow we are to start on a nine day move south no one knows where.
There were rumors that this division was going home but the latest rumors rather spoil the first and now we may wind up at the Rhine, but there is one great consolation we are not wondering any more how much longer the war will last but instead we are all wondering what boat we are going to sail on and we certainly know that our time in France is limited from now on. There are a good many divisions over here that have not been under shell fire at all and we are wondering why they are not selected to make up the army of occupation instead of some of us, however we won’t complain from now on as orders are changing continually and some day before long we will get orders to sail.
Kindest regards to you both. Remember me kindly to my friends.
McLaren
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Last Updated: February 22, 2019 by Renville County Historical Society Leave a Comment
Letter from Jay Leasman, Hector Mirror, 12-26-1918
Nov. 20, 1918
Dear Mother:
This is my first chance to write for some time owing to scarcity of writing material, also that we have been moving considerably. We are quartered in an old German village which was very recently occupied by German troops. We are very comfortably located, but expect to move shortly further north. Our last move we made in trucks. We were called at 2 a.m. and started about 4 a.m. arrived here late in the afternoon. This is our second day here. We have done very little here except go sight seeing and rest up. This country is covered with trenches, shell holes, barb wire entanglements dug outs, etc. There are no civilians here, in fact we have seen none for about a month, as we have been where the fighting occurred the past few months. We were in a graveyard this a.m. Saw crosses dated on 11-11-18, date of Armistice.
These towns are not ruined nearly as bad as those further south.
Things have eased up considerable lately, in fact we are having a good time, better than you think and we surely are seeing some country. People from U.S.A. will be paying big money in the near future to come over and see less than we have seen.
Here is a sample of German propaganda picked up behind the American lines near Metz, Germany:
THE BETTER PART OF VALOR
Are you a brave man or a coward!
It takes a brave man to stand up for his principles. Cowards stand behind leaders and die, imagining that by so doing they become heroes.
The motive of an act is its measure. If you think the war is hell and that you as a citizen of the United States of America have no business to be fighting in France for England you are a coward to stay with it. If you had the courage to face criticism you would get out and over the top in no time to a place where there is some likelihood that you may see home again.
What business is this war in Europe to you anyhow? You don’t want to annex anything do you? You don’t want to give up your life for the abstract thing “humanity.”
If you believe in humanity and that life is precious, save your own life and dedicate it to the service of your own country and the woman who deserves it of you.
Lots of you fellows are …………….Your wills are …………….judges of what is best for you to do. Do it and save your life! Germany never did any harm to you , all the newspaper tales of wrongs were printed to inflame you to the fighting pitch, they were lies, you know you can’t believe what you read in the papers.
If you stay with the outfit ten chances to one, all you will get out of it will be a tombstone in France.
I have been acting Sergeant since arriving over here and was raised to that rank Oct. 27th, received my warrant a few days ago.
Wish you all a merry Xmas and a Happy New Year.
Jay
Editor’s Note: We do not have a photograph of Jay Leasman.
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Last Updated: February 22, 2019 by Renville County Historical Society Leave a Comment
Letter from Florense Grimes, Franklin Tribune, 12-25-1918
February 25, 1892 – July 17, 1968
Saumur, France, November 24, 1918
Dear Dad,
Well, dad, I’m going to open up and tell some of my experiences in the A.E.F. and the trip across Powder River. We have been given the privilege to do so. I think most of us appreciate it. I know I do. I can’t tell it all as I’m not a novelist or a newspaper man and I wouldn’t have anything to tell when I get back if I did. So here’s part of it.
We left Hoboken, N.Y., the 31st day of July and landed in Brest, France, the 12th of Aug. We left Hoboken with a convoy of nine transports and two cruisers. When we were about three days out we were met by six sub destroyers to take us to port. On the morning or the 11th about 8 o’clock a sub was sighted. It was rumored that it fired a torpedo at one of the transports. It came up near one of the destroyers and before it could submerge and get away the destroyer ran over it, dropped a depth bomb and the sub blew up. I was lucky enough to see it. There were several shots fired from the transports at what they took to be another one. About two o’clock in the afternoon of the same day several more subs were sighted. I didn’t happen to be on deck at the time so didn’t see any of them. I was down on the fourth deck below the water line when the shooting started and if the Atlantic goes dry I’ll always claim that some of the bombs that were fired that afternoon went thru the bottom of her.
We landed in Brest without a scratch. We were there about six days and moved to Reames, where we stayed about three weeks and then moved here to Camp Villibernier. We are about three miles from the town of Saumur, which is 120 miles west of St. Nazaire. Our camp is a good one compared to most of the camps I have seen. We have good barracks and lucky enough to have a hot shower bath. The camp is not large, as the men that are here are nearly all railroad men. The 31st Engineers were here about six weeks ahead of us and had started to build a railroad yard and shop. They were all railroad men so when we got here they went out on the road and we finished the shop. I went to work as engine watchman in the yard as soon as I got here. I had a chance to take exams to go firing on the road so that’s what I’m doing now. Our division is on the P. & O. between Saumur and Geviers and Saumur and St. Nazaire. There is some excitement to it with lots of hard work attached. It’s a good job to take up time and that’s what a fellow wants here now as all the talk is about going home. I son’t know when we will part for America but hope it will be tootsweet.
Sis said in her letter that now this thing is over you would feel better to know that we were all together. I can’t say anything about Henry as I haven’t heard from him since I got over here. As for me, I have ben congratulating myself on my good health for the last few days as there is a pen of fat geese out back of our kitchen and so far I haven’t found any bullet holes.
Well, Dad, I’m about out of wind. It’s nearly supper time and I need some sleep so I will call this the end. With love to all and A Merry Xmas.
Your son, Pvt. Florense T. Grimes, Co. B. 44th Reg. T. C., Amer. E. F.
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