With the Colors
“Somewhere in France”
Oct. 8, 1918
Dear Editor:
I am sure the friends of the Transylvania boys who are with
Ambulance C. 324 on active service in France will be very happy to hear that
they are enjoying the very best of health, as well as the many interesting
things of France. France is a wonderful country and we are getting much
pleasure from our stay as well as hard work. But we boys don’t mind hard work
when it is for a just and righteous cause and when we realize that we are
laboring for the sake of humanity, for the liberation of the world from the
tyrannical hands of the privileged few, we are in spirit to give our very best
and when we realize that the patriotic people at home are sacrificing so much
that we may uphold the sacred principles which were arrested from the
oppressive ones by the sturdy pioneers of early days, we can never fall short
of our task.
The spirit that exists among the Transylvania boys and how
eager each is to do his part is clearly demonstrated by the fact that when the
call came the other day for volunteers to go near the front for the purpose of
rendering first aid work every boy responded, but to our sad disappointment all
were not accepted.
The boys with the immediate company have been very fortunate
for we have been together since our enlistment on September 18, 1917. We consider
it grand and often wonder why we have been so fortunate. Our case is about the
only one in which so many home boys were kept together. In most instances home
boys were assigned to various companies. It certainly has been a pleasure for
many happy hours have we spent describing the exciting things that happened
during our boyhood days among those bonny hills of old Transylvania. And, too,
our stay together has been a pleasure from the standpoint of news, for when one
hears form home he relates the news to the others. Since our arrival bugler
Harold Hardin has received one copy of the Brevard News and even though the
date was a little old, it was handed from boy to boy and each column scanned
very closely. It was just like a long newsy letter from home. Never before did
we realize the pleasure obtained from our splendid home paper. May it have the
most success.
Wags, Virgil Merrell, Cay A. Surrett and King S. Whitaker by
their faithful work are considered among the best waggoners in the Company.
Cook Walter C. Whitmire (better known as Whit among the boys) can make biscuits
almost equal to any Transylvania girl. Going some isn’t he? Sg’t Avery M. Orr
had the pleasure of visiting near the front recently with a detail for the
purpose of rescuing a wrecked ambulance. Sg’t Ernest O. Miller for business
purposes is away from the company, but is expected to return soon.
We boys are all well clad, well fed, and in fact we are well
cared for in every respect. Our officers are very much interested in our
welfare and favor us in every way possible.
The wish to extend our sincere thanks to you home people for
the wonderful aid you have given the Red Cross. The marvelous work done by the
Red Cross can not be described, therefore I shall only say that in our
estimation the Red Cross has done more than any other organization towards the
comfort of the soldiers.
Let not the faithful Y.M.C.A. workers be forgotten for
wherever we are located there is a “Y” man ready to furnish information, all
writing material and in fact aid in every way possible. “Y” workers are
continually giving amusing entertainment and adding to the pleasure of soldier
life. Last Sunday we had two religious services and the hall was packed with
eager hearers.
You should see us Sammies conversing, or rather trying to,
for with most of us our vocabulary is very limited, with our French comrades
and especially to the mademoiselles. I fear you would consider it rather
comical and consider us more like actors than conversants for it seems as if we
make more motions than we say in words.
Cheer up, dear friends, for time is speedily bringing the
triumphant day of victory and soon the war drum shall sound no longer and we
Sammies shall come proudly marching home to parents and friends and live in
peace and unity for the days to come. May time speed that day.
--John Luke Osteen
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