News From Over There
Editor, Brevard News:
I was formerly a resident of the town of Brevard, and at the
time that war broke out in this country and Germany, I was living on the
Brevard Institute campus, and was a member of the Brevard Institute, but as
things began to grow dark for the country that we are so proud of I saw where I
was needed to help Uncle Sam tame the Huns who at that time were running the
country of France in a great many parts wild, and I concluded that I would go
over to Asheville to see if I could pass the examination that was required at
that time to enter the army, and they passed me and allowed me to return to my
home in Brevard for three days, and the I was to report back to Asheville to the
recruiting office to be sent to Fort Thomas, Ky. and later to be sent to some
training camp, to be trained for the work that was awaiting me and the biggest
part of the Regiment that I was finally landed in knew that we were bound for No
Man’s Land before the summer was over, but then that was a mistake for they
kept us in the U.S. all the rest of the year of 1917, and part of the year of
1918. We were under the heaviest training that any troops that have gone to
France have had with the exception of the 42nd National Guard Division
which were the first troops that landed overseas, and then we came over to look
the country over, and to tell the truth this is no country it is the biggest
mad house that I was ever in and how I can stand to live here is more than at
the present time than I am able to see thru, and I am ready to be transported
back to the U.S. at the earliest time that they can send me.
While I am on the subject, I might give you a little touch
of the front, which I guess will not be too much for you to stick these few
lines in the paper if you see fit and have the space to spare.
We arrived at the port of Brest, France, April 15, 1918, and
proceeded to the training camp that we had to stay in about six or seven weeks
before we could move to the front to take over the front lines. These few weeks
at the training camps were the worst that I have ever put in the army outside
of the front lines. We had to occupy in the night imaginary trenches so that we
would be used to the regular front line trenches when we had to go to the front
to relieve other outfits that had been to the front and who were going back a
few kilos to rest up and get new clothes which at that time were very hard to
get as the supplies that were coming from the States were delayed owing to the
Submarine Warfare that they were having on the high seas, and I might say that
we were very fortunate indeed for we never saw the sign of a Sub during our nine
days that we were on the waters. Not to get off the subject that I had started
on. We started to the front lines to relieve the French troops that had been
holding the lines near the city of Chateau-Thierry, and were located on the
banks of the Marne near the town of Chiery which is six kilometers from
Chateau-Thierry, and here we had our first experience with the “Dutchman” who
at that time had his first front line just across the Marne on the hill known
through France, and by the military officials, as Hill 204, one of the hardest
hills to take that has been known in the war. It was on the morning of the 14th
of July that the “Dutchmen” started the famous push across the Marne, and they
were very successful for the time being, but at the beginning of the morning of
the 16th of July we had re-established our lines, and were ready to
give Mr. Dutchman the struggle of his life, and here the 38th
Infantry, one of the best outfits that Uncle Sam had in the army, fought the
Dutchmen to a stand still while the 30th Infantry, 4th
and 7th were getting their lines ready to support and re-enforced to
cross our (over??) succeeded in driving Mr. Dutchman back to the other side of
the Marne and at once proceeded to cross ourselves and here just across the
Marne Mr. Dutchman decided that he would have to fight to a finish or get back
for kilometers after kilometers from the sector that he was at that time
holding and they finally decided to retreat in the direction of Soissions,
France. After two days of retreat the Boche made one of their famous stands,
and at this particular place the contest was very hot though we were forced to
fight for our lives more than we had at any time before.
We were at times without food or supplies of any kind and
went for days at a time without food and very little water, to show the Huns
what the Americans were made of and I think I can safely say that the American
troops cannot be excelled by any Nation for their fighting. We proceeded to
drive the Huns still farther back than he was figuring that we would be able to
drive him, but as I have said, we had the fighting men and fought every inch of
the way and that was the reason that we were so successful in the War.
I am a member of the 4th Infantry and at the
present time am a member of the American Army of Occupation, situated, or
rather located near the city (German city) of Coblenz, right on the banks of
the Rhine and are determined, I think to stay here for some-time as I cannot
see any sign of immediate returning to the United States but we are the game
kind and are taking the situation pleasantly, and wishing for early
transportation back to God’s country.
This is not the letter that I intended to write but I have
concluded that if this gets in the paper that the people of Brevard will have
some ideas ab0ut how we had the war.
Thanking you for your kind attention to this matter I am
Very respectfully,
Cpl. Mynatt
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