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The Republican (Danville, Indiana)
Thursday, January 2, 1919
page 1, column 2:
THEY WERE COUSINS AND SONS OF COUNTY
One Killed and One Wounded on Fields of France
Captain Victor N. Nysewander, reported killed in action on November 4, was a former Hendricks county boy, a son of Prof. J.D. Nysewander, a former well-known teacher of the county, now living at Jonesville. Victor was in the second officers' training camp at Indianapolis, and received a commission as first lieutenant.
Captain Robert Carle, of Oklahoma City, and Captain Clarence Trotter, of Indianapolis, cousins of Captain Nysewander, were also born and reared in this county, where they have many relatives. Captain Carle writes his mother that he went to the front October 3, and that he was on the front twenty-two days without undressing. No one can imagine how awful it was and how he escaped with his life when so many of his friends were killed will always be a mystery to him. He was with the 143rd machine gun infantry of the 36th division.
Captain C.E. Trotter was severely wounded on November 1 while standing in his tent by his cot. A shell burst about twenty feet away and literally tore his tent, overcoat and the pillow of his cot into shreds. He was in the Rainbow division. These officers are nephews of Smith Trotter, living near Danville.
Within the week information has come showing the thoughtfulness of Captain Nysewander. The letters tell of arrangements he completed by which he bequeathed $1,000 to be used in enabling a faithful girl friend to realize her cherished ambition to obtain a college education. He had arranged to give the money out of pay due him since last July, and in event of his death he had arranged that the money should be taken from his government insurance.
Extracts taken from letters written by him while in this country and abroad add testimony to the unselfish motives that made him a martyr to the cause of democracy. In a letter written from Camp Travis, Tex., he said: "This is going to be a long war and if I ever get to France I shall be satisfied. I do not care whether I get back or not. We have to win this war, the world would not be worth living if we lost it, and it will not be easy."
Through repeated and tireless efforts he succeeded in being assigned to duty in France. He sailed June 20, and landed in England July 1. An extract from a letter written shortly after his arrival abroad said: "But it was in England where we were to be treated as princes. The British are positively nothing less than wonderful, so kindly, so thoughtful and very anxious to be nice to us. Three of us for July 4, expecting of course, to pay reserved a table at the Carlton Hotel for it, but what could be more unusual, unexpected and pleasing to find that all had been paid for, that we were real guests of that very wonderful hotel."
In this letter he added: "The people of France were not to be outdone. Never have I eaten such dishes as here and the people are among God's chosen ones. The very first town we made, while on leave, some of us officers stopped in a most unlikely appearing restaurant--but what dishes. All their dishes seemed to be seasoned by some art of magic and who would ever care to know nicer or more generous people? I shall never forget when the old
proprietress proposed a toast to the union of France and America. It was old wine and rare and she insisted on treating us.
"If you could only see where I am billeted. Four of the prettiest little children, three little girls and a boy. The father is an officer in the French army. The family has not heard from him for two and a half years. Think of it, and it is the same everywhere I have been, both in France and England. None is left bu the very young and the old. Every one has a father or brother in the war and if there are five brothers, then five brothers are at the front. If you could see this beautiful land and talk to its people you would take it as an honor to help them defend it."
Captain Nysewander was the son of Mr. and Mrs. J.D. Nysewander, who reside near Jonesville, Bartholomew County. He leaves three sisters and three brothers, Joseph J. and Miss Phyllis Nysewander, of Indianapolis, Mrs. E.H. Anderson, of Mooresville, Rufus I. Nysewander, of Plainfield, and Margaret and Kenneth at the home of their parents.
Submitted by Meredith Thompson, May 2003 as a courteous to other researchers.
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