This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Peters Classification: Military Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/AQB.2ACI/248 Message Board Post: Plattsmouth Journal, Monday, January 21, 1918 OVER THE COUNTY [Louisville Courier] Dr. J.A. PETERS, of Springfield, who formerly practiced medicine in Louisville, is now Lieutenant in the U.S. army. He has recently been assigned the duty of sanitary inspector at Camp Lee, Virginia, which is 100 miles from Washington. Mr. Peters is a man of exceptional ability and his Louisville friends extend congratulations. Plattsmouth Journal, Monday, July 22, 1918 A LETTER FROM OVER THE SEA June 14, 1918 Dear Friend Jim: I have not as yet heard the burst of Shrapnel nor the boom of those long range guns, but as we move tomorrow for a point much nearer the front I do not expect to have to wait long for their greetings. As this will probably be the last time for many days to come that I will be permitted to make public our location or give any details as to what is going on in our section, I will give you what I can of events up to the present time. The date of our departure from somewhere in America must be left blank, but it is now definitely known here that those submarines which destroyed those vessels (13) on the New Jersey and New York coast were sent there for the sole purpose of getting us. Had we been listening, we might have heard the explosions. As it was however, we were compelled to forego the pleasure of the sight of one during the entire journey. The voyage was a delightful one and barring a few necessary formalities, was very much like a pleasure trip. The sea behaved very nicely and with one or two days exception was perfectly calm. Our transport, like all others, was camouflage by being painted in various hues and designs which after a few days out was scarcely recognizable as the different varieties of soups, meats, vegetables, fruits, and onion which covered it made a camouflage unnecessary. I did not help in its decoration however, and enjoyed every minute of the trip. Outside of a man over board w! ho was very quickly picked up there was no excitement whatsoever. After a somewhat lengthy trip we landed in southwestern France and are now in Genicourt Camp about three miles from Bordeaux. This is a very beautiful country with a number of large castle-like chateaus surrounded by lofty trees and the most beautiful flowers I ever saw. We are about half a mile from the Garonne river and a trip down this river in a gasoline launch to Bordeaux is one grand event. Since being here I have made this trip twice daily for the life there is a great deal like Paris and is very enticing. Bordeaux, the second city of France, has a population of about 300,000 and is full of history. The most striking and interesting thing I have seen so far is a collection of seventy-five mummies in a cave under the belfry tower of St. Michaels Cathedral. These bodies were buried in the church yard there over four hundred years ago, and after one hundred fifty years were exhumed and since then have been! on exhibition in this same place. Although bodily withered the skin in most cases is intact and is a very fine parchment. The ears and tongues of a few of them are quite flexible and the hair and nails are quite well preserved. In a great many things the city and its people are as far behind the times as those mummies. It has but two or three lines of street cars and these are mere toys as compared with those over there. The conductor or conductress uses a small tin horn as a warning in place of a gong or bell. In the barber shops one sits down in a small straight back chair with a slightly raised wooden slab to rest your head on and after being lathered regardless of eyes, mouth or ears with cold water and shaved with a very dull razor, you are told to get up and wash you own face in more cold water. After being again seated he comes at you with a small atomizer spray and covers you with a sort of liquid Lewis Lye and without drying, powders the face with a very dainty pow! er puff. Once is too often and they are all alike. The language is but a mere stutter and has got the Russian backed off the map. Volly Voo, and sil voo pla are common expressions but their meaning is still very vague to me and I think always will be. It is really a pitiable sight to see the children which swarm the camp, each with an old tin can and requesting all the soldiers to empty their leavings from the mess kits into them. A second slice of bread is obtained in about the same way as boot let whiskey there as it is a great offense. The cafes and hotels, however , are supplied with abundance of all kinds of food and one can obtain a meal there for five francs or about one dollar that would cost $3.00 there. This includes a quart of wine which the French consider a necessity with his meal. There is not a wooden structure in the entire city, the buildings being of stone or cement and are very old. From the number of large transports of all nations seen in the harbor here, one would judge that the submarines had a huge task ahead of them and when one considers the fact that not one American convoyer has met with disaster, they are to be feared but little. Our American torpedo boat really welcomes the sight of one and are so arranged that before one of them could maneuver into position to do damage it is sighted and immediately pounced upon. These boats having a speed of 35-40 knots go straight to the submarine and without firing a shot drop a depth bomb which is set to explode in about fifteen seconds. This explosion is so great that anything within 150 to 200 yards is totally destroyed. A periscope is sighted almost as soon as it appears. The crews on these subs know what these depth bombs are and when a transport is accompanied by an American torpedo boat they take no chances. Although we know now where we are going from here we are forbidden to lit it be made publi! c, but if I am not mistaken in Comte’s address we will be very close to the scenes of his childhood. We have at least a twenty-four hour ride by rail from here. There are so many interesting things I could write about that are under the ban, but am keeping a record of events and hope to be able to relate them to you personally soon. The number of American troops in the service over here, their location and the rapidity with which they are arriving is not for the public but it would indeed be surprising to those who are criticizing the administration. The Hun hasn’t a chance in the world, but one would be foolish to even prophesy the time for a successful allied termination of the war. Will give you an address that in all probability will reach me and would enjoy very much a letter from anyone. Regards, LT. J.A. PETERS, Sanitary Squad, No. 2, 305th Sanitary Tran 30th Div., A.E.F. France via New York