TRANSCRIBED FROM THE GREEN FOREST TRIBUNE JULY 5, 1918 P. 2
Dear Friend:
I received your welcome letter a few days ago. I am taking advantage of the chance to catch up on my writing. A chap likes to receive mail but sometimes it is hard to answer. It is not easy to write while in the trenches, although I have written letters in the first lines.
I've just finished my fourth trick in the trenches. This last one was very quiet, no shells and no patrols coming over to visit us. One of my fellows did see a small patrol but too far out in No Man's Land for us to reach. I also heard some one in a trench a short time after. Three other fellows and I went through the trench but there was no one there, although we saw some fresh foot prints. The Bosch had a habit of trying to spy out our position from that place. There was a few trees there and the grass was quite high so it was hard to see a man. He did not get a chance to see much. The time before this one was lively enough. We were fighting for a whole day. We beat back three attacks in that time. One that one German was killed and many wounded. We also took forty prisoners. Of course we lost some men but nothing to compare with the Germans.
For this work our regiment was decorated. The first American Regiment to ever be decorated by another country; also over a hundred of the officers and men received the War Cross. Six men in this company received medals. Two fellows of my old squad are the proud owners of medals.
I suppose you would like to know how a person feels out in No Man's Land? I've been out on two patrols neither of which saw anything. We had to lay out in a swamp after it had been raining all day. As it was very dark we could not see and had to make up for that by listening. We laid out there for five hours all the time expecting something to happen. The least little sound seemed as loud as a six inch cannon being fired. You don't dare cough or move and of course you can't smoke. We are all glad when the officer starts back. A fellow carries his bayonet and his rifle when he goes out like this. He also takes all the bombs he can carry as a bomb is the best at close quarters. All the "non coms" and some privates have revolvers. These are also very handy at close quarters.
We have barracks in a big forest now. I never saw such big straight trees; it is almost like a picnic after the trenches. The band comes over once in awhile to cheer us up. This is too good to last. I think that before many more days we will be up in the big scrap.
Did you ever hear of the "cooties." They are mean little "cusses" which play around your shirt. They like to keep a fellow awake nights. Every one has'em over here. They can't be killed except by boiling your clothes.
I am looking for a letter from that young lady. Thanks very much for inducing her to write; also for the reading which I expect will arrive soon.
I am returning you your cards as I promised. They have been thru three tricks in the trenches and been where there was some excitement.
I hope that this letter is not tiresome but there is not much a fellow can write about.
Hoping to hear from you soon,
I remain your friend,
AL
NOTES: This letter was written to Roy Youngblood of Carroll County, Arkansas. The correspondent is identified only as “Al”.
TRANSCRIBED BY LAEL HARROD
Dear Friend:
I received your welcome letter a few days ago. I am taking advantage of the chance to catch up on my writing. A chap likes to receive mail but sometimes it is hard to answer. It is not easy to write while in the trenches, although I have written letters in the first lines.
I've just finished my fourth trick in the trenches. This last one was very quiet, no shells and no patrols coming over to visit us. One of my fellows did see a small patrol but too far out in No Man's Land for us to reach. I also heard some one in a trench a short time after. Three other fellows and I went through the trench but there was no one there, although we saw some fresh foot prints. The Bosch had a habit of trying to spy out our position from that place. There was a few trees there and the grass was quite high so it was hard to see a man. He did not get a chance to see much. The time before this one was lively enough. We were fighting for a whole day. We beat back three attacks in that time. One that one German was killed and many wounded. We also took forty prisoners. Of course we lost some men but nothing to compare with the Germans.
For this work our regiment was decorated. The first American Regiment to ever be decorated by another country; also over a hundred of the officers and men received the War Cross. Six men in this company received medals. Two fellows of my old squad are the proud owners of medals.
I suppose you would like to know how a person feels out in No Man's Land? I've been out on two patrols neither of which saw anything. We had to lay out in a swamp after it had been raining all day. As it was very dark we could not see and had to make up for that by listening. We laid out there for five hours all the time expecting something to happen. The least little sound seemed as loud as a six inch cannon being fired. You don't dare cough or move and of course you can't smoke. We are all glad when the officer starts back. A fellow carries his bayonet and his rifle when he goes out like this. He also takes all the bombs he can carry as a bomb is the best at close quarters. All the "non coms" and some privates have revolvers. These are also very handy at close quarters.
We have barracks in a big forest now. I never saw such big straight trees; it is almost like a picnic after the trenches. The band comes over once in awhile to cheer us up. This is too good to last. I think that before many more days we will be up in the big scrap.
Did you ever hear of the "cooties." They are mean little "cusses" which play around your shirt. They like to keep a fellow awake nights. Every one has'em over here. They can't be killed except by boiling your clothes.
I am looking for a letter from that young lady. Thanks very much for inducing her to write; also for the reading which I expect will arrive soon.
I am returning you your cards as I promised. They have been thru three tricks in the trenches and been where there was some excitement.
I hope that this letter is not tiresome but there is not much a fellow can write about.
Hoping to hear from you soon,
I remain your friend,
AL
NOTES: This letter was written to Roy Youngblood of Carroll County, Arkansas. The correspondent is identified only as “Al”.
TRANSCRIBED BY LAEL HARROD