Brodhead's Tribute to her Men of the Service

1914-1918

Compiled by The Civics Club

©1921 Brodhead, Wisconsin (Cantwell Printing Co., Madison, Wis.)

Extracts from Letters of the Boys With the Colors

(Copied from Newspapers)
From Private Charles Marshall (pp. 108-111)

Wis. F. H., No. 2, Camp MacArthur, Waco, Texas, October 3, 1917. "Well, here we are, and believe me we are kept on the move: "Reveille, 5:30 A.M., mess at 6:00 A.M., Police, 6:30, Drill, 7:00 to 8:00 - hike four miles, Drill, 9:00 to 11:30 A.M.,
Mess, 12:00 M., School, 1:00 to 2:00 P.M., Drill, 2:00 to 4:00 P.M., Mess, 5:00 P.M., Retreat, 5:30 P.M., Tattoo, 9:30 P.M., Taps, 11 P.M. So you see we are kept pretty busy. "However, taps are not till 11 P.M., so we have lots of time to leave for town. We can leave at 5:35 after retreat.
There's a street car line and also jitney busses to Waco, about three miles from camp. Was up to town last night. This is sure a good town and the people treat us pretty decently. Population about 32,000. "This camp covers 11,000 acres, more is being added. Row upon row of wooden buildings together with rows of tents
and mules and horse corrals, Y.M.C.A. tents, etc. "We have wooden floors in our tents and also electric lights. Each company has a mess hall and kitchen which are
wooden buildings well screened. Also the company has about ten shower baths right back of the Company Street, and no other company can use them. This camp is much handier in every way than Camp Douglas, but it sure does get hot here day times, but cools off at night so one can sleep well. "Haven't seen any of the fellows from home yet, but 'Nick' Olson. He is writing about three feet from me now at
Y.M.C.A. tent."

Camp MacArthur, Waco, Texas, November, 1917. "Will try to write a little about the Red Cross and Army 'Y' work or at least as much as I know about it. The Red Cross
is really a part of the U.S. Army, as well as all the other armies of the world. Although it has no official standing in army regulations, it is nevertheless a very great factor of the army, especially the medical department. As you know, W. H. Taft, head of the Red Cross, was recently appointed a Major General in the army and his work is to be the head of this important branch of the service. The medical department of the U.S. Army depends almost entirely on the Red Cross for supplies, especially bandages, sheets, pajamas, etc. You can imagine how much material an army of a million men or more at the present time have need for these these that the Red Cross is making. "At Camp Douglas, where our company acted as Base Hospital for the camp, we received all our sheets, bandages,
pillows and some drugs from the Red Cross at Madison, where I understand all the supplies made by the local chapter at Brodhead go. I know that those men at Camp Douglas would have gone without those comforts if the Red Cross had not furnished them. "Although none of the four Field Hospitals are operating down here, we receive supplies all the time, and much of it
comes from the Red Cross Headquarters at Washington. The base hospital here which will hold over 2,000 men, depends on the Red Cross for supplies. We shall have even more use for Red Cross supplies when many of us 'go across' and 'get busy,' which, it looks likely, will come for us soon. Nothing deserves more support than the Red Cross. God bless them as it will save thousands of lives. "The Army Y.M.C.A. is another wonderful institution. This association has its camps wherever there are soldiers,
whether at Camp Grant, Camp MacArthur, or in France, Russia, or Italy. These camps furnish papers, books, magazines, for all who come. They have free moving picture shows, two or three nights good lectures and entertainments of all kinds. Also have organized French classes and have instructors with each company. They run a canteen, sell stamps, register mail, and in fact act as a friend to every soldier, no matter who. They keep many men in camps who, if it were not for the 'Y,' would be unfit for fighting or anything else. It seems that all civilians should support the Army Y.M.C.A., as it furnishes in many places, especially in foreign service, the soldier's only place for recreation. I am stating facts. All old books and magazines and many other things which people may donate, as well as money, should be sent to the Y.M.C.A., because they certainly are appreciated more there than any place else. "Rich Aviation Field will be in full swing next week as the machine and men are already here, and soon we shall hear the
hum of the machines in the sky above us. "Our Division football team defeated the 90th Division team last Sunday 9-7. It was a fine game and very close. Next
Saturday our team meets the 2nd Texas N.G., which is supposed to be the best team in U.S. Army and is composed of the best football players from the southern colleges. It will be 'some game,' as we have a very strong team. Four men who formerly played on Varsity teams, play with the Division team. Big 'Moose' Gardner, who played guard in Wisconsin team for three years, is one of the 'main stays' in the Division team. He is with our company."

Camp MacArthur, Waco, Texas, Jan. 7, 1918. "Went through two kinds of gas tests last week. Tear gas, which we go through without masks - sure makes you cry
some, and then chlorine gas, which we go through with gas masks. This we have been having for quite a while, the masks protect you entirely from it. One of the English non-coms said that the Germans started the gas, but the Allies had, at present,by far the most dangerous gases and the Huns wish they had never begun using it. "Read about a balloon drifting into Mexico, but didn't know Stanley Hahn was in it. That must have been quite an
experience. We have not many balloons here, but have lots of aeroplanes. Guess this will be one of the largest aero plants. They are sending 16,000 Signal men from all over, many are here now."

Somewhere in France, Camp Hospital Headquarters, About April 1, 1918. "We are to act as Camp Hospital for the 32nd Division and will probably be here some time. The hospital is not finished
yet, but will be quite large, something like a base hospital."

In Active Service with the A.E.F., Somewhere in France, April 18, 1918. "This is a queer old country, and a queer old town that we are in, rather off the beaten trail. The buildings are all stone
and must have been standing for ages. "The open country is intensively cultivated, a good share of it by hand labor, mostly women doing men's work. No task
seems too hard for them. The fields are small and divided by stone walls, or brush hedges where hardly any fences are in evidence."

April 26, 1918. "Warren Niles is in the same town I am and I see him nearly every day. I was surely glad to see him and he to see me.
He is the only fellow I have seen from home with the exception of Fred Hamilton."

May 31, 1918. "Hope you received the Mother's Day letter. Yesterday was Memorial Day and some of us went over to a larger town
where ceremonies were conducted in a church and afterward in a park. The church (built in 1560) was beautiful and the singing was wonderful. The General and many troops took part in the celebration. At the park a bishop who is a Y.M.C.A. man made a very fine speech and the General also gave a short address, not many words but straight to the point. The bands playing and troops marching reminded one of a Memorial Day back home. The town was decorated with American, French, English and Italian flags and the French people helped to make it very impressive.

July 6, 1918. "We are very busy at present as we are running two hospitals, one for gassed patients, and one for the sick and
wounded. Things have livened up around here and we are lulled to sleep every night by the thunder of the big guns. They are surely getting after the Boche lately, aside from that there isn't much doing around here."

Sept. 8, 1918. "Again we are getting another bit of rest after a terribly busy time and we are sure glad to get it. Once again our Division
has distinguished itself before all others I believe. One citation was made by Pershing and another one by a high French General. Wait until all the Division has done can be published without danger. A 'shock division' - so called by the Boche - and their new war cry of 'kamerad' when the Americans are seen. A German prisoner told me this instance. 'We saw them coming and opened up our machine guns and they came on and then we saw the O.D. uniforms and thought they were English and were drunk and we fired more, but they still came on, and then we knew they were Americans and we ran like h--l.' The Allies have them on the jump all along the line. "For the first time last night I saw 'Rec' Hahn and J. B. Searles. Will see 'Rudy' Broderick, Don Bowen and Nick Olsen
today. They are near us now and believe me I was glad to see them! "Haven't told you before, but I had a slight touch of gas up in Alsace. It was very mild, but was mighty uncomfortable for
a day or so. It was mostly tear gas, as it made me sneeze and weep. "That band led by Dave Routt from the U.W. is here now and last night they gave a concert. How that band can play
'On Wisconsin!' It sounded great. They are from the same Regiment that Rec. Rudy and the others are in. Have seen Bill Reigle, Purdy and Elmer Swann. "If Capt. Reid of the Red Cross ever lectures anywhere near you folks, go and hear him. He was with this Division until
very recently and was sent back to the states to lecture. His home is in Wisconsin. He was with our company a great deal and did a great deal for us. He is one of the finest men I ever met. Hear him, meet him and help him all you can, if he is ever there. He did wonders for us."

Nov. 14, 1918. "The Kaiser is 'a man without a country,' and the Crown Prince is where, in all probability, he will keep very warm this
winter. Now comes the watchful waiting until peace is signed and I surely hope after that we may be sent home as soon as possible. Our Division has done as much hard fighting as any, if not more, and we all feel that those Divisions who were first here and who have been in action the longest should go home first. Of course no one knows how soon that will be, but we do not expect to leave for sometime yet. However, we do not have to worry any more on moonlight nights, when the Red Cross shows plainly."

Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 28, 1918. "Another fellow and I have had a nice room ever since we have been here in this town and it does seem good to hit a
real bed. The beds they have here are so high one needs a step ladder to reach them, and then you sink down in those feather ticks and it takes a derrick to get you out. We have been here about a week. We are about three miles from the city of Luxembourg, and I have been in twice. We have our hospital located in the summer Schloss, or home, of the Grand Duchess. Must be a beautiful place in summer time, as grounds are magnificent. Do not know how long we will stay here, but suppose before long we will move up the Rhine. Who would have thought a year ago that we would be on the Rhine but here we are!"

Rensdorf, Germany. "Well, here we are ten miles over the Rhine, but from our place up here on the hills, among the pine trees, we can look
down on the river and valley and see the different towns and their factories which line the banks. It looks pretty at night to see the many different lights down below. As you have probably read the 1st, 2nd and 3rd occupy all the bridge heads allotted to the Americans with the other Divisions a little back, in reserve. The Brigade and artillery that were with us at Waco, and some of the Ammunition Train were detached from the Division before we were put in the Army of Occupation and another brigade added, and this included Rudy Broderick's, Requartte Hahn's, J. B. Searles' and also Forrest Rosenburg's organizations, so they did not come up with us. We hear that they are going home but rumors are many in this man's army. "We crossed the Rhine at 12:30 A.M., December 11th, waited four days for orders, and came up here, where I hope
we will stay, until ordered home. We have been moved around so much that a permanent home would look good to us. We are very comfortable here, our hospital being located in a large hotel, with all modern conveniences. There is a 'Y' down town where shows are given every night and once in a while we can buy something. The Red Cross sends up candy and cigarettes to the patients about once a week. The American Library Association has books here, so one can get something to read. We are not overworked at all and have time for reading and writing. I am working in the office again, attending to the mail, carrying dispatches, etc. "Division headquarters are here so there are officers galore. We have a new general as General Hahn now commands a
corps. "The people here are glad the American troops are here to preserve order, as they are having revolutions and hot times
in Germany, which is not occupied by Allied forces. "Do not know any more than you do about when we will be home, but not for several months. We have heard it
rumored that we are going down the Rhine to Rotterdam to board the ships which the Allies have taken over from the Germans and come home that way - that would be fine - better than waiting around in the mud in France for several months. "We have no Base Hospital attached to this Division. They are all in the S.O.S. When the Division is in the lines there
are evacuation hospitals at rail heads who work with the divisions, but only for the time being. We belong to the Division and go wherever it does. Our hospital on the front was the advance surgical hospital, only taking very serious cases that had to be operated on at once. The rest were sent farther back. "We ran a 'Triage' or 'sorting station' through which every wounded man from our Division and others were brought first.
The Doctors decided which men were to be kept and which sent on. We have had 1700 patients pass through in twenty-four hours. I worked in the Triage, generally on night duty. At times we were farther advanced than the Field Hospital. "Three teams of surgeons have worked without rest almost continuously for three and four days and the results they
obtained were wonderful considering the conditions under which they labored. You must remember that generally all the shelter they had was a tent or an old building and they saved many a boy's life, by giving him medical aid at once. "Personally it has been the most interesting year of my life. I have seen much of hell, and much, too, that was beautiful,
and through it all have gained experiences that will always be invaluable to me. "I am proud of Brodhead in the way she has supported all war work. It has helped to 'put the boot to the Kaiser' and
that is what we have all been working for."
CHAS. MARSHALL.

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