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I Letters fromtooKMeaacmseasaaaoagMSiassaas' Mrs. Clifton Willi*, of Sprague, received the following communication from her husband, Sergt. Willis, who is a member of the 157th Division. The citation was given by the French general:Q. G„ October 8, 1918. 157th Division—Staff.General Order No. 234.In transmitting you with legitimate pride the thank* and congratulations of the General Gamier Duploa-sis, allow me, my dear fiiend of all ranks, Americans and French, to address you from the bottom of the heart of a chief und soldier, the expression of the gratitude for the glory which you have lent to our goo(J 167th Division. I had full confidence in you but you have surpassed my hopes.During those nine days of hard fighting, you have progressed eight kilometers through powerfully organized defenses, taken nearly 600 prisoners, captured 15 guns of different calibres, 20 minenwerfers and nearly 150 machine guns, secured an enormous amount of engineering material and important supplies of artillery ammunition, brought down by your fire, three enemy aeroplanes.The Red Hand, sign of the Division has, thanks to you, become a bloody hand which took the Boche by the throat and made him cry for mercy. You have well avenged our glorious dead. GOYBET.157th Division—Staff.Q. 0„ October 8th, 1918. Army Corps—Staff 3rd Bureau.No. 255.P. C. October 7th, 1918.NOTE.The 157th and 161st Divisions and the 2nd Moroccan Division are leaving the Army Corps. The er.eral Commanding the 9th Corps addresses to them his most sincere thanks and his warmest congratulations for the glorius successes achieved by their admirable ardour and their indomitable tenacity. He salutes the brave American Regiments who have rivalled in intrepidity their French comrades.He cannot recount here the feat* which have been performed for every one of the days of that victorious journey. They are inscrihed on the conquered ground materialized by the trophies taken from the enemy and engraved in the heart of the chief wdio bows before tho troop* and snlutes them profoundly.The General Carnier Dupiossis, Commanding the 9th C. A.Miss Mattie Curtis,68 Central Ave.My Dear Cousin:Your pleasant and encouraging letter of Sept. 23, was received on tho 14th tnst., and I enjoyed every word of it, it recalled the pleasnnt days spent at home last year. I remembered that Sept. 22 was Emancipation and thought of what a jolly time you were all having, and remembered what a swell time 1 had a year ago that day. I thought of it so much that I unpacked by pack a.id looked at the pictures I had taken at the Fair Ground, and also the pictures of the “Bunch,” taken on the following Sunday at Lafayette’s.1 hear from you so often now which makes it seem you are only a few days by mail away, write often even if you don't write much, for it makes home seem nearer and friends much dearer.We arc nil very busy doing first one thing and then another. We have walked nearly all over western France sleeping on dear old mother earth with the clouds or stars sheltering us, but it has no ill effect on me and I seem to hold my own. Say, you should see my moustache, it is a bird; the boys all tease me about it, but they are only jealous of my fine and well trained crop. Ha! Ha!Yes, I hear from Miss Green occasionally. I must write Geneva, as I have not heard from her for some time.I suppose you see plenty of peace talk in the dailies. We have American papers here and they are printed in Paris, and contain much interesting news. Occasionally we get ahold of a colored paper which I enjoy very much. I was reading an article in the Literary Digest of October 10. 1918, on Lynching and it was indeed very good.I had a fine breakfast this morning, which consisted of stewed prunes, bacon (and it was the best I have ever tasted), hot cakes with good French butter and honey, and coffee.We pay very high for all things we buy from the French people, os they think all American soldiers are *, rich, and you know how free Americans spent money. Well, vnu should see hew they spend this French money, which looks more like coupons you get with American cigarettes than money. Eggs are $2.20 a dozen. Butter $1-80 a pound for“Our Bovs” iI;Americans. Wines and beer are cheap and soldiers are permitted to’ buy such here. For miri, I prefer1 the grapes, oven if they do cost 30 cents’ a pound. Champagne costs j $1.60 a quart. A French soldier receives 5 cents per day. while an American soldier receives $1.33 1-3 per day. 1 am told I get more than a French captain. I receive 296 francs per month. A franc is at present worth 18 cents, but is equal to 20 cents ordinarily. ! am enclosing a half franc, 10 cents. Sorry i have no one franc note, date and city of same.Well, Mattie, us I know not more to write, 1 am compelled to close, with best to all, tell Will and Emma hello. I received a letter from Emma a week or so ago. Thanking you for your letters. With love and best wishes, as ever, your cousin,JACOB.October 5, 1918.Mr. Dona Smith.Dear Friend: Just a line to surprise- you, as these shells surprise us here in the trenches, but we are now what they call war dogs” and think nothing of ii shell exploding near us that digs u hole fifteen or twenty feet deep, nnd shrapnel flying that deals death at a distance of 100 yards.As you soe in the papers, we are now in the midst of a great drive that we think will end in a couple of months with Frenchmen and Americans walking into Berlin.The American colored soldiers are doing greut work and deserve credit and respect from all when we get home. There is no difference in race with the French people and why such conditions cannot exist in the states I cannot see. Some day as tfhc Bible says, The Darker Races shall rule.”One cannot imagine how dnngcrous this war is and the fellows that go on the battlefield, as we are out of the trenches fighting in the open, he seems to lose himself and nothing on his mind but to advance and get the other fellow. Forgetting about hie own danger, but plunges in with shells bursting all around and machine gun fire which is almost impregnable, and still they advance and come out alright.There are daily happenings that the censor will not pass, but my memory will permit me to tell all when we; march home with victory.Give my regards to your family, and congratulations. Asking an interest in your prayers for the boys.the* •» * — -•As ever your friend,CLIFTON F. WILLIS,Sergt. Regt’l Hqs., 872nd R. I. U. S.S. P. 179. France, Via New York.ON THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON NEGRO LABOR.Rumors still persist respecting the Advisory Committee on Negro Labor. of which the Rev. J. N Samuels-1 Belbodcr is chairman. Many people are wondering about it; what it is; what it is doing; what it has done; what it is going to do. Those who cannot give an answer invent an answer. Some invent all kinds of nonsensical answers. Others proceed to say what the Committee ought to do and not do. Yet others spread false reports about it. The committee was asked to do certain definite woric by the agent of the Federal government, and to report to that agent if necessary. It was asked—nnd reader please note (his fact—not to jeaporn-ize the future of the Negro for a few days’ work. The committee was not asked to work miracles or make open war ngainst bad conditions over which it has no control; but to use its good offices to change these bud conditions to help the Negro people as much as possible. The committee was not naked to advertise how it is working, or to publish th the people anything at all. The committee will be open to grave chargee of condemnation, if, after accepting all these conditions it publishes its efforts People hear all sorts of tales, but the committee regrets it has nothing to say. One thing it can say. and that is, it has nothing to do with any rumors of Jim-Crow factories. Please do something good and ston speculating and blaming; too much curiosity causes one to sin grievously.N, S. C. NOTES.Mrs. Madlyn Nelson highly entertained the Nedelecraft Social . club last Thursday evening at her residence, 26 Pease street. A two-course luncheon was served. Tuesday evening, November 12, the club met at the residence of Mrs. Viola Banks, of Wert F'fth street. A delivious luncheon was served. The next meeting will be Tuesday, November 19, at the residence of Mrs. Lulu Caesar, 325 Sprague street. All members are o-«*;d to be present Business of irn-n:rtance.~ L. CAESAR, Secretary.
Newspaper Details
The Dayton Forum
Dayton, Ohio, US
Fri, Nov 15, 1918
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
Gina S.
USA 17 Jan 2025
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