Letter from Reinhold Jakobitz, Olivia Times, 12-26-1918
October 5th,
1918
Buffalo Lake
News, Buffalo Lake, Minn.
Dear Friends:
I have been in
France for some time. Most of the boys on our transport had a touch of
seasickness, but I happened to be one of the lucky ones that didn’t get sick,
although it had me guessing for the first couple of days. I never did sleep as
much in my life as I did on board of ship. We had to go to bed early and get up
at 6:30 in the morning. We had our signal corps band with us and they played
twice a day, that is, when the sea wasn’t too rough. We also had a number of
boxing matches and different stunts pulled off for the past time going over.
Boat drill was our real excitement, we had it about every other day. We finally
sighted land, and say, you could notice the change it made on the men. The sick
got well in about five minutes. After we left the boat we went to a rest camp
for 24 hours, then boarded a train and rode for two days. I myself don’t like
to railroad system here. The 1-2-3-class stuff gets my goat. I rode in 2nd
class and that wasn’t anything to brag about, it was too crowed for long rides.
Four of the coaches here are about the size of one of the C. M. & St.
coaches.
We went through
some very pretty country. The farmers believe in hard work here, they cut grain
with a scythe and hoe the corn and potatoes. They use one horse to do the
hauling and oxen for the heavy work.
We were
quartered in a small village and there were a number of vacant houses which we
could occupy. We did some hard training for a couple of days, then we had to
instruct dough boys. We sure did some hiking here or anywhere else was 41 miles
in 21 hours. The men were rather sore footed for a week, including myself, but
little things like that couldn’t be stopped for. Every place or town we get to
here is full of American soldiers. I should think they would be rather scarce
back there. Going from one town to another we find the people very much the
same. Once in a while I s=would see a frenchman home on a furlough, but very
few. I wish I could speak as well of the roads in the United States as I can of
these. They are all paved with rock and are about a road and a half wide. Even
the roads that are not used much are paved. It sure is great for automobiles
and motorcycles. Every move we made we got closer to the front. We don’t bother
as much about our clothes pressing as we did at Levenworth. Our next move was
by truck train to a pretty good sized town (Vignal). We were there a short time
then moved to where I am now at the front. I operate a telephone switchboard
and am in a dugout all the time. At night I have electric lights and in the day
time use candles. A bunch of us had a little excitement the other day. When
shells are falling we all go and hunt a hole. One of our boys got a little
excited and not seeing a bunch ahead of him, fell over one of the others in his
haste, then he wouldn’t take time to get up and run but made it to the dugout
on his hands and knees. We have some funny things like this pull off here about
every day. The cook says we don’t get breakfast if we won’t furnish the wood.
Well we won’t be chopping wood in France very much longer. Well I must say
goodbye. From the man that is looking across “no man’s land.” I am, Sincerely
yours,
Private
Reinhold H. Jakobitz, 6th Fld. Sig. Corps. 6th Div.
A.E.F.
Carl Gustav Hurtig December 29, 1895 – January 17, 1982
The Buffalo
Lake News received the following letter last week from Carl Hurtig who has been
in active service in France for several months.
November 4th,
1918
Dear Mr.
Foster:
You will
probably be surprised to hear from me as it is such a long time since I wrote
you a letter, In fact I have not written to you since I came over, although I
have often intended to do so.
I have now been
in France for several months, almost long enough to get my first chevron, which
I will be entitled to in a few days. I rather enjoyed my trip across the pond,
which did not take very long. It sure was a swell trip as we had fine weather
all the way I can tell you that the soldiers who came across on the transport I
came over on, were certainly fed good. We only got two meals a day but we sure
got a lot to eat and as good as there was to get. I wasn’t seasick at all and
enjoyed the trip but as long as I live I shall not forget the last few hours of
the voyage.
After landing
in France we were sent to the forests of southern France, and have been there
ever since. I have not been with my company all the time, as I have been away
on detached service. I have been down to the Spanish border, and have seen the
Pyrenees Mountains of which I have heard so much. Then I have been in the low
lands of France where the land in only five feet above sea level, and then I
have gone up in the mountains where the air is rare and cold. At present I am
in these mountains in central France. We are in the highest point of the
Arevergere Mountains and have been here for several months. I rather enjoyed
being here at first as it was then a period of nice weather, but for a month or
so it has been bad weather. It has rained a lot and has been pretty cold. But
this is all in the game of the American Forester in France. It is quite an
experience to work among the low hanging clouds in the drizzling rain, although
I have been fortunate as my work keeps me dry under roof.
For about six
weeks I have been working nights. I quite like to work at night as we have two
whole nights and days off each week.
I am a tall
sawyer in the mill that this company is operating. It is about the only job in
the army that I have liked. There is not any hard work connected with it, but
one has to be keenly alert at all times. Our mill is a ten thousand capacity
mill and we are setting a pace for the rest that is hard to follow. We have cut
thirty-two thousand feet in ten hours, which is going some for a mill of this
size. I think we ranked first or second for last month among the mills of our
class. This is going some as we did not come over here for this kind of work.
In fact we have one of the best forestry companies in the S. O. S.
I like it
pretty well over here, but I sure will be glad when I set foot on good U.S.
soil again. The French have many strange customs which seemed funny to us when
we first came over but we are used to them now. I can speak French fairly well
now, although I have not made a study of it. We have some fine officers in our
company and they do all they can for us. Through their efforts we have always
had plenty of good food. Since coming over here I have been promoted to First
Class Private. Well I will close for this time, and hope this letter reaches
you O.K.
Sincerely, Carl
G. Hurtig, 49th Co. 2oth Engineers
James L. Stadtherr 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.
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’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.
Posted: February 22, 2019 by Renville County Historical Society Leave a Comment
Letter from Reinhold Jakobitz, Olivia Times, 12-26-1918
Letter from Reinhold Jakobitz, Olivia Times, 12-26-1918
October 5th, 1918
Buffalo Lake News, Buffalo Lake, Minn.
Dear Friends:
I have been in France for some time. Most of the boys on our transport had a touch of seasickness, but I happened to be one of the lucky ones that didn’t get sick, although it had me guessing for the first couple of days. I never did sleep as much in my life as I did on board of ship. We had to go to bed early and get up at 6:30 in the morning. We had our signal corps band with us and they played twice a day, that is, when the sea wasn’t too rough. We also had a number of boxing matches and different stunts pulled off for the past time going over. Boat drill was our real excitement, we had it about every other day. We finally sighted land, and say, you could notice the change it made on the men. The sick got well in about five minutes. After we left the boat we went to a rest camp for 24 hours, then boarded a train and rode for two days. I myself don’t like to railroad system here. The 1-2-3-class stuff gets my goat. I rode in 2nd class and that wasn’t anything to brag about, it was too crowed for long rides. Four of the coaches here are about the size of one of the C. M. & St. coaches.
We went through some very pretty country. The farmers believe in hard work here, they cut grain with a scythe and hoe the corn and potatoes. They use one horse to do the hauling and oxen for the heavy work.
We were quartered in a small village and there were a number of vacant houses which we could occupy. We did some hard training for a couple of days, then we had to instruct dough boys. We sure did some hiking here or anywhere else was 41 miles in 21 hours. The men were rather sore footed for a week, including myself, but little things like that couldn’t be stopped for. Every place or town we get to here is full of American soldiers. I should think they would be rather scarce back there. Going from one town to another we find the people very much the same. Once in a while I s=would see a frenchman home on a furlough, but very few. I wish I could speak as well of the roads in the United States as I can of these. They are all paved with rock and are about a road and a half wide. Even the roads that are not used much are paved. It sure is great for automobiles and motorcycles. Every move we made we got closer to the front. We don’t bother as much about our clothes pressing as we did at Levenworth. Our next move was by truck train to a pretty good sized town (Vignal). We were there a short time then moved to where I am now at the front. I operate a telephone switchboard and am in a dugout all the time. At night I have electric lights and in the day time use candles. A bunch of us had a little excitement the other day. When shells are falling we all go and hunt a hole. One of our boys got a little excited and not seeing a bunch ahead of him, fell over one of the others in his haste, then he wouldn’t take time to get up and run but made it to the dugout on his hands and knees. We have some funny things like this pull off here about every day. The cook says we don’t get breakfast if we won’t furnish the wood. Well we won’t be chopping wood in France very much longer. Well I must say goodbye. From the man that is looking across “no man’s land.” I am, Sincerely yours,
Private Reinhold H. Jakobitz, 6th Fld. Sig. Corps. 6th Div. A.E.F.
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Last Updated: February 22, 2019 by Renville County Historical Society Leave a Comment
Letter from Carl Hurtig, Olivia Times, 12-26-1918
December 29, 1895 – January 17, 1982
The Buffalo Lake News received the following letter last week from Carl Hurtig who has been in active service in France for several months.
November 4th, 1918
Dear Mr. Foster:
You will probably be surprised to hear from me as it is such a long time since I wrote you a letter, In fact I have not written to you since I came over, although I have often intended to do so.
I have now been in France for several months, almost long enough to get my first chevron, which I will be entitled to in a few days. I rather enjoyed my trip across the pond, which did not take very long. It sure was a swell trip as we had fine weather all the way I can tell you that the soldiers who came across on the transport I came over on, were certainly fed good. We only got two meals a day but we sure got a lot to eat and as good as there was to get. I wasn’t seasick at all and enjoyed the trip but as long as I live I shall not forget the last few hours of the voyage.
After landing in France we were sent to the forests of southern France, and have been there ever since. I have not been with my company all the time, as I have been away on detached service. I have been down to the Spanish border, and have seen the Pyrenees Mountains of which I have heard so much. Then I have been in the low lands of France where the land in only five feet above sea level, and then I have gone up in the mountains where the air is rare and cold. At present I am in these mountains in central France. We are in the highest point of the Arevergere Mountains and have been here for several months. I rather enjoyed being here at first as it was then a period of nice weather, but for a month or so it has been bad weather. It has rained a lot and has been pretty cold. But this is all in the game of the American Forester in France. It is quite an experience to work among the low hanging clouds in the drizzling rain, although I have been fortunate as my work keeps me dry under roof.
For about six weeks I have been working nights. I quite like to work at night as we have two whole nights and days off each week.
I am a tall sawyer in the mill that this company is operating. It is about the only job in the army that I have liked. There is not any hard work connected with it, but one has to be keenly alert at all times. Our mill is a ten thousand capacity mill and we are setting a pace for the rest that is hard to follow. We have cut thirty-two thousand feet in ten hours, which is going some for a mill of this size. I think we ranked first or second for last month among the mills of our class. This is going some as we did not come over here for this kind of work. In fact we have one of the best forestry companies in the S. O. S.
I like it pretty well over here, but I sure will be glad when I set foot on good U.S. soil again. The French have many strange customs which seemed funny to us when we first came over but we are used to them now. I can speak French fairly well now, although I have not made a study of it. We have some fine officers in our company and they do all they can for us. Through their efforts we have always had plenty of good food. Since coming over here I have been promoted to First Class Private. Well I will close for this time, and hope this letter reaches you O.K.
Sincerely, Carl G. Hurtig, 49th Co. 2oth Engineers
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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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