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This is an eyewitness account from a WWI Soldier from Crockett, Texas that was a Captain of a group of U.S. troops that ran ammunition nightly to the front lines, or as they called it then "The LIVE". Here is some of the info in this letter, written and mailed on the LAST DAY of WWI (World War 1). He was also a graduate of Texas A&M.
This is for an amazing INCREDIBLE 105 Year old letter hand written by an American Soldier in Europe, a Captain in WWI who was on the front lines (he calls the "Live") and ran ammunition. Even more amazing, this is a letter written on the very LAST DAY of the war: November 11, 1918. He tells his mother what he and his men did the last 48 hours, and what he saw.
PAGE ONE - Letter from Captain Company for 803rd Infantry; James L. Lipscomb. November 11, 1918. Dear Papa: The war is over, and I have had some very thrilling experiences in the last hours. This is Monday, Saturday my battallian was far down on the Southern end of the "Live", running ammunition up to the guns under shell fire. We had been working since Friday Mid-night feeding the artillery lines for a terrific barrage which was laid down at 8 a.m. Under it the infantry went forward for a three mile drive, but were terribly cut up by German Machine gun fire.
PAGE TWO - The thing was over by four oclock and everybody was exhausted in that sector. The gun crews and outfit fell back two miles to a ruined, once beautiful city for what we thought would be a weeks rest. The cellars were stocked with champagne and fine wines and everybody made a joyous evening. None better than we that we were whipped. At eleven, I had my buglers to sound taps and we all went to bed. At 2:30 Sunday morning the sargeant major woke me up with orders to report to the major at once. I dressed and ran up to the Place where his headquarters were established.
PAGE THREE - A carrier from Corp. headquarters had just arrived. Another Captain summonded came in and said "Captain, have your company fed immediately, have them form in the Rue de Napoleon under ???. Nine trucks will rush then here (and pointed to a place on a map 40 miles away. He gave orders to the other captains to follow me out of the sector to the new one by motor trucks. I awoke my then Sargeant Cooks and officers, starting breakfast. At 3:40 the men had eaten.
PAGE FOUR - We issued a days rations and were ready. I could hear the shouts of sargents getting the men out from the ....(hard to read the line)... "heading Northward. Then my nine trucks swung up the river rogh thad , Company boarded, and we were off in a cold rainy down guiding by map and compass for this sector. It was a memorable trip. The whole damn company was afoot. We passed unusually long line columns of infantry, slushing through the road with heavy backs: a Machine Gun Battallion!!
PAGE FIVE - Battallions with mules carrying and filling their little but deadly guns; giant naval guns drawn by caterpillars, long supply trains loaded with rations and drawn by weary horses. On a parrallell road the ammunition trains were rushing loaded trucks, once a squadron of cavalry thundered by at a gape When it came light I saw a wonderful picture. Over every northward road were marching troops, as far as I could see were bobbing cannon, the riders playing planting spurs and teh horses galloping thru the mire.
PAGE SIX - Here and there a great tank, fetching and rolling along, occasionally a swift and mobile camping, several or stasff officers. And the ? filled the woods and fields overhead the movement of squadrons overhead protected us in airplanes. The planes circled and sailed (then describes the planes actions). One general, by a word, had set a vast army moving. They had until 11 a.m. to access to French's terms, and our General had decided to sound him with every alarm of force at his command until the last second.
PAGE SEVEN - And I believe that if the German had not given in the whole allied live (front) would have swept forward with an attack even more powerful than even this war has seen. We arrived at this place at 2 p.m. Sunday. ? were pouring in from every direction. I saw immediately that it was a imobilazation. I established a kitchen, started my men to feeding and reported I was ordered eastward six miles to man two batteriess of Feverish 75's. The Live sounded like a chorus of Hell as we approached it.
PAGE EIGHT - First we came on the heaviest, their crews stripped to the waist and working like madmen, their guns firing six shots to the minute. They were throwing high explosives. Then we came to the live of six inches, hurling gas shells. A Mile farther we reached the 75's, their crews had sewed without relief for 39 hours and were ? out. The guns were laid on the German first live, all I had to do was to load and fire. I organized my carrying parties, assigned my crews at four oclockk that morning.
PAGE NINE - I blew my whistle, the men snapped the breech blocks home, pulled the lanyards and my part of battle was over. ....... talks more of carrying guns towards German lines.
The next two pages are more of how the battle wound down.
Then the last four pages are his talk, more battle, taking German prisoners, etc. Then how he is about to head home.
Amazing, first hand view of the last two days of WWI in France! Incredible letter!!
CONDITION - This letter is in really good shape considering it's 105 years old. Some damage on a few pages but NO major rips or tears that make it difficult to read and see information provided. This letter is amazing.
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