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Sunday, February 10, 2019

J.L. Osteen Writes 'From Across the Water,' Feb. 7, 1919

From the Brevard News, Friday, Feb. 7, 1919

From Across the Water

Dear Editor:

Now that the clarion of peace has sounded not only in every home thru out France, but in every home let it be a mansion in the city, a bungalow in the valley, or a log cabin among the hills of the Allied participants, now that the war monster who for four long years brutally enforced upon humanity his despicable crimes—crimes that the lovers of civilization almost shudder to mention—crimes that even the inhabitants of the Dark Ages refrained from committing has been victoriously subdued. Our praise should be given to the Great Commander who never permits His soldiers to suffer defeat when they are struggling for a just and righteous cause. Had it not been that we were battling for Christianity as well as for civilization perhaps the war monster would have been running rampant in Allied territory today. But before entering the great conflict we were sure we were right and went ahead and so as a result we are receiving our triumphant blessings. Time and history will bear me out in saying that no nation, no people will flourish long where it digresses from the great teachings the great principles which were laid down for our guidance at the beginning of recorded history. Refer to past records and you will find that all nations which have fallen were nations which abolished the fundamental principles mentioned above and replaced them with ones not recognizing Christianity and humanity as they should. Let us not forget as long as the language of the Son of Man shall last to praise the One to whom praise is due for the wonderful blessings we have and will receive. Amid our joy, and while we are slowly but surely throwing from our shoulders the burdens wrought by the terrible war, let that be our first and foremost thought.

Since the strenuous hand of censorship has been lifted to a certain extent, and since we have been permitted to give some of the details of our voyage and experiences, I presume the home people will e interested in hearing of some of our actual happenings “over here.”

As this is now New Year’s Day, and we have the afternoon “off” I shall spend my time in writing and shall say in the beginning that I wish for all the folks at home 365 perfectly pleasant days.

To tell of all the things we have come in contact with would require too much space, therefore, I shall have to confine myself only to a few details of our trip.

How well we remember that memorable day of August 8th, 1918 when we set sail for a foreign country not pleasure seeking as many had previous to the out break of the war nor were we permitted the comfort and luxuries of a first class passenger transport. But we left realizing that we were setting out upon a mission greater than that sought for by the pleasure seekers during all the past year, we were sailing to a far-away soil not to pay a debt to any particular country, but to take our place side by side our allied comrades who had so faithfully during the past four years given their very life blood to save not only their beloved homes from autocracy but the world. Therefore we were content even if our comfort was not first class in every particular.

We sailed on an English transport (Nester) accompanied by 14 other troop ships, there guarded by a number of chasers and destroyers. Our voyage was rather northward. After leaving the sight of our own beloved land the first land we saw was Ireland, and let me say, from what we saw of Ireland it is a most wonderful country. The most picturesque hills you ever saw. The next land was the long heard of Scotland, we were very favorably impressed by its magnificent scenery. For miles and miles we stood on the bow of the ship and looked wishfully upon the beckoning shores. Having been upon water several days we were homesick for land. We saw many beautiful homes and much farming land, several times we saw laborers tilling the soil near Scotland. We were met by more guards, and about 40 chasers and destroyers—Also an observation balloon. If I am not mistaken, on the following night we landed in an English port, anchored in the Murzay river, stayed on ship until 2:30 p.m. on the following day. I must confess that the 12 days upon the tossing waters had a bitter as well as its sweet. Of course that leads up to sea-sickness, for about 48 hours out we felt fine and really commented upon the fact that none were going to “feed the fish.” But soon after two days out we began to change our minds, and many were growing sick rapidly, ere long many were “feeding the fish” like good fellows. But that didn’t last long and soon all were as gay as ever.

On our voyage we saw one big iceberg and many flying fish, small ones of course, also a number of real large swimming ones.

We got off the ship in Liverpool and paraded the city. The people were very enthusiastic and cheered much. We paraded hurridly and soon left on our voyage by rail. We passed thru some of the large cities of England, vis. Birmingham, Derby and others. England is a beautiful country. Everything seems to be uniform.

We landed in a so called “Rest Camp.” But we didn’t consider it so for most of the time was spent in taking long hikes, and doing detail work. But really those hikes gave more pleasure than you might think for we always went a new route and visited several places of interest, such as the home of Oliver Cromwell, etc.

We stayed in England about a week and left for France. We went by way of South-Hampton, passed the home of Priscilla which is spoken of in the “Court-ship of Miles Standish.” We were less than one night crossing the English Channel, landed in Cherbourg, France, then to another “Rest Camp.” Spent very little time there. From there we caught a train and rode two days and nights on “Side door Pullmans”, crossing the northern part of France, not knowing where we were going. From then on it was a continued move until we landed on the front, in the Lorraine sector on Sept. 21st and here we saw our first actual service. The night of our landing our company relieved another company. There was not so much activity on that front. The great excitement were air-raids most every day or two enemy planes would come over and soon the air craft guns would open up. Occasionally Jerry would be brought down. The most exciting air-dual (duel) I saw and the one that struck me most forcibly was between a German bombing plane and an English scouting plane, for almost an hour the battle continued but finally the large plane was brought down by the smaller one.

From that sector we went to the western front near Verdun and there we found what we had read of for the past four years. The afternoon of our landing 54 allied planes passed over in battle formation going after Jerry, I suppose. It was impressive to see how systematically they flew. We had entered the zone of war, yes, war in every meaning of the word. It was an easy matter to go out on any knoll and watch the shelling of roads. The doleful cry of the cannon ball soon became a common thing as well as a continuous one. It was so wonderful to see how calm both the American and French went about their tasks even if the pensive cry of the shell was about the only thing audible. It was war in the first degree; what we had learned in the past was only a dream. Oh! All the battles I have heard the veterans of the 60th tell of and those I have read of on the pages of history flashed vividly thru my mind. But what I got in reality will stay with me longest. Indeed, “Experience is the greatest school of life.”

Our Division 81st (better known as the Wild Cat Division) went over the top at 5:30 a.m. on Friday before the war ceased on the following Monday, the battle never ceased for one hour until 11 o’clock sharp on Monday November 11, we made great advancement and took a number of prisoners.

After the signing of the Armistice the rumor soon began that we would leave the front immediately, and sure enough we did, we left hiking, carrying full equipment too, we were on the hike of 14 days making over 125 miles. But not a word of resentment did you hear even if at night our closest neighbors were the sweet scented goat and the clucking hen, for we were told we were on our way home.

We are now located in a small town by the name of Mussy-Sur-Seine and well cared for but our happiest day will be when orders come to pack up and leave on our homeward voyage.

Now that the war has ended, I can see at no distant day a kinship not only among the people of the United States of America but Great Britain, France, Belgium and all the allies such as the world has never known. There will exist among the allies a Bond of Common Gratitude, Common Suffering, and Common Glory for lying beside the Poilu, and the Tommy under a mound on the plains of Flanders are our own brave comrades, the Yanks.

Now that the war Drum has ceased to sound longer and as a result many of our own comrades who left ideal homes, friends and all to defend our beloved land from the invading hordes, are left on the fields of France and Flanders. There will be sacred shrines to which thru all the eternity of the coming ages will come throngs of Pilgrims from America to breathe the sacrificial glory which will inspire them to live high and holy lives in the service of man-kind as they stand beside the monuments reared by an appreciative people and as they stand beside the monuments reared by an appreciative people and as they look down into the fertile valleys or to the vine-clad hills which men bought inch by inch and paid the price with their life-blood, their heart will be filled with pride and untold joy when the fact will be recalled that here their brothers and sons in the very morning of their youth made the supreme sacrifice in order that freedom and justice should not perish from the earth.
--John Luke Osteen

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