Sincerely, Joel C. Swisher

The ruins of an old chateau built in 1137. It overlooks the camp at Is-sur-Tille.

Dear Helen,

My conclusions were correct. In fact we were on this side of the Atlantic when your letter was written.

We had a mighty fine trip across. Good weather and a very respectable sea. Quite remarkable to relate almost none of us got seasick. Saw no subs but had other things to break the monotony.

When we landed in France and took a little trip over the celebrated French R.R. which altho they are broad gauge may be compared to the L.O. & S. with odds in favor of the latter. They call the cars wagons and they hold about 32 and are divided into crosswise compartments. Have no aisle but have a footboard along the outside. There are 3 classes of passenger travel. The freight cars carry about 10 tons.

We stayed at one “Somewhere” for some time part of which I spent in the hospital getting over the measles but came out feeling fine. Then spent some time getting training with pick and shovel, hammer and saw and the like. If you want to know what we have to do over here read Irvin Cobb’s article in Saturday Evening Post for Sept. 3 or 2, as we are not allowed to tell.

Then just as we were beginning to get acquainted with the town and the people, we took another RR trip from that Somewhere to another Somewhere, the latter being here. We bumped merrily along in 3rd class passage for a few days at the rate of 100 miles per day providing the engineer did not stop at too many farmhouses for drinks. When we started I thought that the car had a flat wheel, but by the time we got here I had decided it was a square wheel. However we were mighty glad that we did not travel in cars labeled 40 hommes or 80 cheveaux.

This country has ridges and valleys and resembles Pa. up near the mountains. It is a hop growing district and is more prosperous looking than the part of France we came from.

Until our barracks are ready we are billeted in a half deserted French village. Part of the population got nervous and left a few years ago. The squad I am in is bunking in a straw mow, so we don’t care how cold the weather gets.

The town is on the top of a hill and near an old chateau. The new part which now stands is the tower over the gate. That tower however is in very good condition. It has 3 stories and gives the view of the country for miles around. Some of the rooms have fireplaces with the coat-of-arms. On one of which is the date 1137. There is a cathedral in splendid condition which was built part in the 12th & part in the 13th century. There are a couple of modern buildings but the most of the houses in the town have dates around 1600 and some look a lot older.

This is one of the Xmases you read about. There is about 6 inches of snow on the ground. Last night I went to Christmas Eve Mass. It was held at midnight and this morning just got up in time for dinner. We had turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy dressing, figs, nuts, and apples. Some feed for the army.

The midnight mass was one of the highest masses of the year. Where they only bring 6 candles on the alter on other feast days, this time they had about 2 dozen. It was my first experience at a Catholic service. I went with a fellow, a Catholic, who promised to take me if I did everything he did. I got along pretty good, only made a couple miss moves. The inside of the church had stone columns and vaulted roofs and carvings very much like the pictures you have seen of old cathedrals. Built in the wall is the stone coffin of some Catholic saint that died about 1200. Some place for a coffin.

It is some job to get on to the lingo of this country. I studied German at G.S. Instead of French. The German may come in handy later on but it is not doing me much good now. Like most of the fellows I bought a couple of books and don’t use them. Am trying to pick the language up by attempting to talk it. If you wave your hands and yell you can mostly get what you want.

The fellows in the steam heated barracks in the camps in the U.S. sure are missing a lot of experiences of army life that I wouldn’t miss for a good bit. Most of us over here will be so hardened when spring comes that bullets can’t scratch us.

This country certainly shows the effects of the war. You see no men out of uniform except very young or very old. You can plainly see that it is up to America to win the war. It is going to be a tremendous job. Few people in U.S. realize what we are up against.

The French people treat the American soldiers good but sure know how to charge. They say, “American rich, Lots a money.” There are no elevators in the stores but everything else goes up when we come in town. 4¢ apiece for a ginger cake, 20¢ for a spoon of ice cream, 60¢ for a pie, etc. This may partly due to the American tendency to spend the month’s wages as soon as possible after pay day.

The water in this country is often not good, so it is used by the natives for washing purposes only, relying on something with more flavor to quench the thirst. In one town this company remodeled a house for military use. As far as I could see the family’s winter supplies consisted in 2 jars of pickles, 6 carrots, 3 baskets of corks, and 300 empty bottles.

There is dandy sleighing here now if the people knew what a sleigh was.

We are pretty busy getting things ready for the National army. We work hard, but not too hard, and as long as we keep well don’t care how cold it gets or what we have to do.

Here’s hoping you are also enjoying life.

Sincerely,
Joel C. Swisher
Co. B, 25th Engrs
A.E,F. via New York

P.S, Edith Bradley, whom you met at Balt. Yearly Meeting is my first cousin. You asked me if I knew her and I can reply affirmatively.