Rick, your wish is my command

[Tom Y]

Here's an 1870 Feldbrief I'm posting for Rick to see, but the rest of you are welcome to look too. Hopefully he'll post the translation if it isn't a letter to his creditors saying the check's in the mail.
Address:

[Tom Y]

Page 1:

[Rick Research]

Most interesting! I had no idea there even WAS "Feldpost" that far back!

Interesting content, which I will just summarize, and give the German transciption of what I can read at the first pass through. There are spelling errors or "antique German," and some gaps in long words from being written with old "fountain pen" ink, as well as crinkles and the odd hole and such.

It is addressed to Mr. Shoemakermaster J. Sauer in Liegnitz, Silesia at Breslauerstrasse vis à vis Gasthoff zur (extra letter for "Stadt" and maybe "Ham")burg.

Sender Gefreiter (crease/wrinkled) of 7th Comp. Lower Silesian Fort Artill Regt No 5 with the Siege Artillery Corps before Paris, 11th Army Corps.

Dated Les Roches 29th October 1870, "before Paris"--
He writes to dear friend Sauer and wife to jot a few lines to friends--his best friend who it pains him to say has NOT written to him in a long long time, despite all his hopes (sigh, eyes rolling, little violins playing in the background....).

He reports a huge battle on the 22nd that lasted 8 hours and left 20 men in his unit dead or wounded, though 16,000 French were captured as well as 6 (somethings--probably cannons). Something about French refugees complaining about "the Prussians."

He is presently quartered in a Schloss in (Fantemiets?) in the southern part of Paris, it being very difficult to locate any houses which are undamaged. (I suspect there is more letter here, but you've reposted the address cover and notb a second page, Tom!)

A nifty letter!!!!!

[Rick Research]

Lieber Freund Sauer und Frau
Mit Freunden [sic: "Freuden"] ergreife ich die Feder um die
bester Freund einige Zeilen zu übersenden
indem ich schon lange mit schmerzen auf
einen Brif von dir gewartet habe, aber
jedoch meine Hoffen war umsonst.
Am 22ten d.M. hatten wir ein grosses Gefecht
vor Paris welches 8 Stunden dauerte wobei
meiner (...) 20 Mann Todte und verwundet
wurden 16 tausend Mann Franzosen wurden
gefangend und 6 (Kanonen?) erobert, an [hole in letter]
versuchen die (ortflohen?) alle Tage zu machen
die Franz. sagen die (...) Preussen würde
(machen?), welches Ihnen aber nicht gelüngen
wird. Ich liege auf einem Schloss in (Fantemiets?)
Quartier auf der Südteile vor Paris obenge-
nannten Ortes in die Städte und dörfer um
Paris ich alles Geflechtet da keinem Gruss nicht
(...) eine (...tze) (...), grüssen (...) werden die
Häuser die (...) unbeschädigt sind.

[Tom Y]

Oops:o Here's the second page.

[Greg S]

Rick you've left me hangin what else does it say?

[Tom Y]

Ranger's right. When are you gonna do the Paul Harvey thing?

[Rick Research]

!!! This side is REALLY bad!!!!

The crumpled into a ball paper doesn't help!

This continues descriptions of houses with doors and windows smashed, belongings including fine women's clothes thrown out in the frontyard manure piles (he doesn't say so, but this seems to imply destruction by the fled residents in "scorched earth" to deny anything to the Germans), and ends with more whining about what incredible pain he feels not getting so much as a note from his bestest pal (think Goddam in "Bored of the Rings," if you ever read that parody!)

I'll START the transcription here and fill it in/complete it later. Sometimes it takes several readings. He has a bad habit of leaving spaces in the middle of long words and really sloppy handwriting. (I deleted the duplicates of pages.)

vollends demoliert den Thüre und Fenster trifft (eine?)
in die Häusern wenigen, da wird alles zu (....)[page folded]
(gem...), der (Train?) der (...) alles vergraben wird, aber
doch (nutgefucht?), die (...) leer, (d...) wird [crinkle]
(...) anders (Ge...) die feinsten Seiden damen[folded over]
treiben sich Auf dem Mist (...) Lieber Freund
alle Tage komt mir die Sehensucht zu (...) nach deutsch=
land, stolz (d...) ich gegenwärtig meinem schönen (...)
bin, den hier ist einem des (...) zu sehr [crossed out] Ab=
sändig und (...).
Mithin (...) ich mein schliessen die Zeit ist vor
Paris sehr kurz und die Gedanken sehr schwerig
und hoffe ein baldiges Schreiben von dir zu er-
halten viele Grüsse von
deinen Freund F. K. (Duerke?)
Adresse
den
den Gefreiter (Duerke?) bei der 7.ten Com.
Niederschlesiens Festungs Artill. Reg. No. 5
Belagerungs Artill. Corp. vor Paris
Feldpostbrief Elftes Armee Chor.