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Soldier Letters
in Clinch Valley News - August 9, 1918
41st Co., 11th Bat., Infantry
Replacement Camp, Camp Lee, Va. July 22, 1918
Dear Mary:
I received your package unexpectedly and enjoyed it ever so much. The
cake tasted just as fresh as it did they day you
cooked it.
We have been drilling real hard this week. We will be here one more week
and then we are expecting to go over seas. Everyone is anxious to go
across.
The preacher is coming down to the barracks tomorrow to give us our last ermon on this side for a while.
I saw Charlie Young the other night. He has just gotten out of the
hospital. We have been out on a hike marching for three hours. We
were
in one of the hardest thunder storms I ever saw. But we were fixed for it
alright. Army life is just fine. I feel stouter than I ever felt in
my
life.
We are getting more good things to eat now, just like boarding in a hotel.
The company commander found out how we had been fed, the last month and
raised sand with the mess sergeant, he held back over a thousand dollars
on our rations. We are getting ice cream and fruits now.
Do you think that Ed will be drafted? Tell him that I will do his
fighting and mine too. How is Raymond getting along? I would like
to see
him.
I will close by thanking you for the cake and candy and asking you to
write me a long letter by the last of the week, Your
brother, Harry
HUMPHREY. From Harry Humphrey, to his sister, Mrs. W.E.
LAMBERT.
-------
23rd
Co.,
6th Training Battalion, 155th Depot Brigade,
Camp Lee, Va. June
23rd.
Dearest Grandmother:
You say that you don't hear from me often. I write to you every
day. I
haven't received a package from you yet. Probably I will get it later.
The mails are so congested now.
I passed exams all right, but I think they have frequent exams. The one I
passed was not anything like a thorough one. Now for the overseas exam,
which is a sure enough one. A man has to be pretty sound to stand that
one.
Clint Farmer and Charles Cruey have been moved to
some other company and I
may not get to see them again. I haven't seen Guy Norman yet, but he is
here somewhere. I have seen some boys that know him. Edgar Steele
comes
up to see me every night.
This drilling is hard work, but we have a great deal of fun. I am getting
along fine drilling. If a man will try he will come out alright. If he
doesn't try he is all out of it. Everything is done with a snap here.
It's snap into this or that, "a little more pep," and, believe me, the
"snap" had better be forthcoming.
One boy deserted night before last and another one killed himself yesterday. Three men were accidentally killed on the rifle range the
other day.
I received my second inoculation this morning and believe me it sure does
work on some of us for forty eight hours. I stood it very well.
Will
Reece Sparks is very sick over it. I saw several fellows fall like they
had been shot when they were inoculated in the back.
Tell Uncle Joe that I said to stay with you so you could housekeep. Don't
break up. You know that there is no place like home. I like to feel
that
I have a home to come back to. I haven't a mother and father to come back
to, but you have taken their place.
The Y.M.C.A is doing a wonderful work. It is more like home than any
place that I can go. Write me with all the news soon. Your devoted
grandson, W.S. PATRICK.
To Mrs. Jane PATRICK, Cedar Bluff, Va.
---------
Somewhere in
France, June 30
Dear Brother:
Today I will write you a few lines to let you know I am well and getting
on fine. Hope you and all of yours are enjoying the best of health.
I haven't heard from home yet, but I am expecting to hear most any day. I
got a letter from
Orinoco,
Ky. the other day.
They didn't say whether you
had finished your job there or not, but I am sure you have. Let me know
where you are now, also if Jeff is working with you. Tell him to write me
and let me know how he is getting along.
I would like to tell you all about this country and what I have seen of
it, but I haven't got time today. I like here fine. I could not be
better contented than I am now.
Will close for this time. Give my regards to
all. Your brother, Sgt. R.M.
RUSSELL, Co. E, 317th, Infantry, A.E.F
-------
Camp Merritt, N.J. Base Hospital, June
12, 1918
Editor of the News:
Dear sir - Will you please publish the following letter for me. You know
this is the Big White you were speaking about in your paper several months
ago. I am now stationed at
Camp Merritt,
N.J. just a few
miles out of
New
York City on the Erie Railroad. I often go out ot the city and spent the
evening.
In our hospital here we have about 500 patients. I am now in charge of a
ward that is off from the hospital. It is a contagious ward, as it
contains diphtheria patients We never lost any
patients with diphtheria
if they reach the ward in time. We are only working about twenty hours a
day. I have been a
Camp
Merritt nearly three
months and only have one
more month of hospital training until I will be ready for foreign
service.
I am getting very anxious to go over as I saw so many boys on their way.
This is an embarkation point for the troops. In fact,
Hoboken is the
seaport of the world. I would like to tell you the number
that have gone
over sea since I have been here, but I cannot as we are forbidden to tell
anything of that kind. We are not even allowed to have a Kodak with us.
I expect to come to
Virginia to see you
people before leaving for overseas
service. I often hear from my brother who is in
France, telling me
that I
cannot realize what army life is until I reach
France.
I can not see why the boys hesitate going to
France. If they
could only
be here when three or four regiments are going out to their boats, there
is a feeling that would make any man want to go.
I have been looking for the
Camp
Lee boys up here
for a long time, but I
suppose they are making garden or planting corn.
I shall be very anxious to get home as it has been about four months since
I left home.
New York is now dark at
dusk on account of German air raids, so you see things are very interesting up here, as well as on the other
side. I am well satisfied with army life, altho
I get blue sometimes, when I think of the girls down in
Virginia.
It seems very strange to see a man up here in civilian clothes, who is in
the draft age.
I could never have thought there were as many old maids in the world as
there are in
Camp
Merritt. One of
the nurses in the ward to which I am
attached is from
Virginia.
Wishing you the very best of success, I am yours very truly, Prvt. Ed. K. WHITE.
WWI SOLDIER
LETTERS printed in the CVN,
August 9, 1918
----------------------------------------------------------
6th Recruiting Co., 5th Engineers'
Training Battalion, Camp
Humphreys,
Va., July 21.
Dear Brother:
I landed here safely, and like the place fine. Got plenty of
company, as
there are 40,000 men here. I have been examined and passed, so I guess I
will go to
France some
day. Say, Grat, write me all the news.
Say, send
me the Clinch Valley News. What are folks doing out there? Well, I am
fixing to go to Sunday School. This camp is 12 miles
long, and pretty
dusty. Well, I will close for this time, From your brother, R.H. GILLESPIE.
To S. Grat GILLESPIE,
North Tazewell, Virginia
------
Somewhere in
France, June 30.
Dear Homefolks:
Received your letters of the 30th inst. the 26th. Was glad indeed to hear
from home again, but time does not seem to drag by any means, even if I do
not hear from you often.
Hope everything is moving along smoothly enough at home. Suppose everyone
is very busy now that the harvest time is at hand and I judge "laborers
are few."
Am getting on fine; living tents just large enough for two and no room
left for writing desk as you can judge from my scribbling. We are still
encamped in a nice section of country. Have cool nights and very warm
days and plenty of good, cool, limestone water, similar to that along
Clinch
Mountain (nice and cool
for bathing as I can prove by several
witnesses).
Glad to note from you letter that everything was looking good and that the
season has been a favorable one and hope it will continue so.
Sure would enjoy eating strawberries at home, but that is quite impossible
at this time, so hope you all will enjoy them this year and here's hoping
that I can join you before another strawberry season.
Judging from what I have seen so far one would hardly know the war is
going on, with one exception, and that is, fewer young and middle aged
men. The average of cultivated land seems to be normal and one sees
plenty of nice red cows feeding on the pastures of bluegrass.
The people of this section of the country have strange customs,
that is on
our way of seeing them. One often sees a family in one end of a mud or
stone building and the other end used for cow barn or the cow barn may be
built only a short distance from the door.
I am getting on fine. Mail is being collected now and must close.
Best
wishes to all. Sincerely, Jesse.
From Jesse VERNON to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. John VERNON, Cedar Bluff,
Va.
--------
With the U.S. Naval Forces,
Newport News, Va., July 22.
Dear Father and Mother:
I have arrived from
France and am getting
along fine. The trip was just as
usual, nothing new.
I am very sorry to hear of grandmother's death and regret very much that I
couldn't come. The telegram came June 23rd, the day we sailed, so it was
impossible for me to come. The message came from
New York in the mail, making it late in getting here. If it had been delivered right away, I
possibly could have seen here, for I could have gotten, leave up to the
day of sailing that would have given me time to come home for a few hours
anyway. I know you miss her very much and I am very sorry.
Mother, I am glad to hear that you and the boy are getting along so
nicely. I was expecting to come to see him this trip, but we are only in
for a short stay and the most liberty I can get is 48 hours. Perhaps the
next trip I can get home for a short trip. From here I can come home and
have from
noon until No. 6 the next day on a
seventy two hour leave and
will do that next time if I have the opportunity. It looks like we are so
busy that we can't get furloughs. The more trips we make the sooner we
will have enough troops "over there" to lick the Huns. It looks
now like
we are making a pretty good start, and I am in hopes that they will keep
it up as they have started until it is soon finished.
I have heard from Grant from sometime. He is having some real excitement
now I am sure. You were telling me about him being in the frontline. I
have talked with lost of soldiers who had been in the trenches for several
months and I have some idea what it is like. We have passengers aboard, coming home nearly every trip from the front. I guess Crockett was
anxious to go over. They all seem to be. It would surprise you to
see
how jolly the boys are going over. I've never seen any how didn't take it
as a joke. The boys over there are the same way. At the same time they
know it is serious proposition and mean business.
I had a letter from Bill McCall, dated July 12th. Has Edd.
Lowe been
called yet? And what is Fred doing by this time? As it is getting
about
time for our breakfast, I will close. I am writing this letter on watch
and will mail it ashore today. With lots of love, Lawrence.
From
Lawrence LOWE to Mr.
and
Mrs.
D.C. LOWE, Indian.
-------
With the American Expeditionary Forces,
June 13.
My Dearest Mother:
I have been looking for a letter from home for several days, but none have
come I know some are on the way, tho. I am glad
Hattie is with you now.
I hope she will be satisfied and I believe she will. Tell her I'll be back
before very long to eat some of her good cooking. You will see I like to
eat as well as ever. It will seem strange to get back and see women
cooking. I have been accustomed to seeing men do it so long.
I am feeling fine after my few days in the trenches and by the way, I
spent my birthday up there. I'll soon be man, won't I.
I am sure glad I
have a horse though, and have the kind of work I have. I had a letter
from Mr. Allison a few days ago and was glad to hear the Mrs. Allison was
better.
You ought to see me now. I am as brown as a pancake and the sun is hot
over here. For a long time I didn't think the sun ever shined over here, but I have found out it does. It is beautiful over here now.
All the boys from home are enjoying the best of health and getting on
fine. I have never felt better. I hope all of you are well and that
grandmother is better. Remember me to all. With lots of love, Your loving son, Corp, Grant Lowe.
Co. B. 117th H.M. and M.P. A.E.F.
------
Co. D, 116th
US Infantry, A.E.F. June 28th.
Dear Parents:
I have landed safely and had a fine trip and sure did get lots to eat on
the trip over. I never felt better in my life then I feel now. I
never
was sick on the trip - I can stand anything. I am going to try and find
Grant. I know he will be surprised to see me. Take good care of Lacy so
he will make a good soldier. That is all I have to say only I am well.
Your loving son, Crockett.
From Crockett Lowe to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. D.C. Lowe, Indian.
-------
Somewhere in
France, June 28.
My Dear Mother and All:
I suppose you think I am not going to write to you folks at all. We have
been here nearly a month, but we don't have much time for writing. How
are you all getting along these days? I am getting along fine; am feeling
good. This sure is a fine country and the climate is very much like it is
in the states, except it is cooler. The nights are pretty cool. I sent
you a card from the ship, but you may not have gotten it. We had a fine
trip across and were not a bit sick. I have been to town once since I
have been to this camp. It is about seven miles from here. I guess
there
will be a bunch of the boys leaving Tazewell pretty soon. I will close
for this time, but will try and do better next. You know we can't write
very much. I am feeling fine and hope you are well. Love to all and
lots
to you,
Your loving son, Prt.
Jas. H. YATES. Co D. 318th Infantry, A.E.F.
To Mrs. Mary YATES,
North Tazewell, Va.
Aug 9, 1918
----------------
POUNDING MILL
----------------
Mrs. Martha SPARKS is visiting her sister and daughter, Mrs. R.L. ELLIS
and Mrs. Charles GRIFFITHS at Whitewood.
Mrs. R.K. GILLESPIE has been on the sick list the past week, troubled with
bronchitis.
Rev. Mr. FORBES, of Richlands, filled his usual
appointment at the
Christian church Saturday night and Sunday at 11
o'clock. The morning
service was cut short in order to give time to Mr. Lacy TYNES and Mrs. T.A. REPASS Jr. of Tazewell, who made addresses on War Savings Stamps.
They were the guests of Mr. F.O. GILLESPIE.
Mrs. W.B. STEELE visited her mother, Mrs. Jane A. MCGUIRE on Wed. of last
week. Mrs. MCGUIRE has been unwell for a few days, but is much better at
this writing.
Dr. Rex STEELE, who was badly burned at his home here last week by a
gasoline torch explosion, while assisting plumber A.J. CRUEY, of Cedar
Bluff to mend a leak in the reservoir of the range, is reported as getting
on as well as could be expected. He was accompanied to the
Bluefield
Sanitarium on Friday by his mother.
Another sugar famine has been on for a few days. Sugar is badly needed
for canning purposes and the fruit that is being canned is liable to
spoil. We can't see why President Wilson don't
put the lid down tight on
the manufacture of beer, which takes 70,000,000 pounds of sugar annually.
Mr. Alex BEAVERS of Raven Red Ash, spent Saturday night and Sunday with
relatives, J.T. ALTIZER and family.
Mr. Alex RILEY went to Richlands yesterday afternoon
to see Mrs. RILEY who
has been in the
William
Hospital for the past
week.
Mrs. James ASBURY died from a third stroke of paralysis last Thursday.
Funeral and burial at Thomas Cemetery on Friday at
6pm. She was quite
old
and leaves three children, daughters and several grandchildren. Rev. Mr. FORBES conducted the funeral. She was a good woman.
American
Expeditionary Force, Sept. 23, 1918
My Dear Father:
Have just received your letter, written July 19, and several days ago I
received a long letter written in July. These are the only letters I have
received since you and mother wrote from
Ashville,
NC. I have
written you
two letters since July 8th. I know I should have written more, but we are
moving around so much it was hard to get any mail out. I wrote you several
months ago about Corporal Wade Miller being killed. He was killed by a
piece of shell which struck him in the head. We have not been transferred
from M.F. (military police), duty and do not expect to be. I do not see
what Capt. V. and Lt. B. mean by writing such stuff home, if they did, and
I don't believe they did. Do not believe any such reports about me or my
company; I will write if such things happen. Bill Bowser was sent to the
hospital about two months ago. He had appendicitis. I wrote you all about
him in another letter. The reason that Bill Bowser and Sam Angles are
writing for money is because they have been separated from their "service
record" When a man is transferred he does not get paid until his service
record is sent to his new organization. We have a man transferred to us
who has not been paid for five months. After this month we will have "pay
books," which will carry ourselves and present it to any quartermaster
officer after the last day of the month and be paid no matter where we
are. That will come in good for us "M.P's"
as we are very seldom with our
command. The Y.M.C.A. get most of our money - that is my money, lots of
the boys go in for wine, beer, and other drinks, but I spend more money
for chocolate candy, hot chocolate, sweet cakes and anything else sweet I
can find, than for anything else. Sweets are awfully hard to get, on
account of the scarcity of sugar. If the government ever gives you a
chance to send a package, send block chocolate and as much of it as
possible; there are others who want it just as bad as I do. Yes, I guess
William will be transferred to "somewhere" over here soon. I am
surprised
that he has not been before now. He is fortunate to get the training that
he has had and will have before coming over here. It makes a good
difference.
I surely would like to get my hands on a few bushels of those tomatoes. I
feel like I could get rid of a bunch of them. On one occasion we were paid
off in a part of this country where we could buy nothing; soon afterwards
we moved into a nice town, and in the market they had rabbits, chickens, tomatoes, cantaloupes, apples, peaches and plums. We didn't take time to
ask the price, just made signs as to the quantity and threw down a bill; sometimes there was a little change, but very seldom. That is the only
time I have had enough fruit to eat. I am glad to hear that you are
dropping some of your practice. Why not drop it all and come over here and
lecture for the Red Cross or the YMCA. There is a Mr. Elmore who gets the
latest American and European news of every kind and gives it to the boys.
He was a preacher in the States and preaches over here too, and belongs to
the YMCA, and whenever the boys hear that Mr. Elmore is going to talk a
certain time they know it will be worth while. You can do the same. I
doubt if you could preach as good a sermon, but you could give a blame
good lecture. If you ever do come over here be sure to get every thread of
news you can from President Wilson clear down to the Buck private.
American news is greatly in demand over here. I guess Billy has changed
lots, and I have never seen John, but I bet I would know them both if I
should meet them. I have had all kinds of descriptions of them and every
one seems to think there are no kids like them. I am getting so I want to
see them worse than any one else. They must be great! Bet they keep every
one on the jump to keep them out of mischief. I am just crazy to get one
on each knee and tell them what fun I have had over here. Guess they will
keep me busy for quite a while when I get back.
There is very little chance of my seeing Miss Jesse, but sure will keep a
good lookout for her. I have written you that I have seen Jack May and
William Pierce. Don't waste paper, ink and time asking questions about my
division or any other. I am not allowed to make any remarks whatsoever
about losses, gains, movements, etc. In short, I am not allowed to say a
word about it. The papers will tell you all about it - even more then I
know myself. You cannot depend upon what a friend writes home about any
one. If Uncle Sam has not said anything about ***** being wounded, then he
hasn't been wounded. One of Lowe's so-called "friends" wrote back
home
that he was wounded. The boy who wrote that has never seen or heard of
Lowe since he has been over here. There is time enough to worry when Uncle
Sam tells you that a man has been killed or wounded, so pay no attention
to such reports, for they are entitled to none.
Here is a little story about myself which I hope the censor will not cut
out, as it concerns only myself and two of my men; We
had been detailed
from our company and sent to the front for duty. Rations were hard to get
and I sent in for some and we went to cooking. One evening while we were
washing our pots and pans, Fritz opened up and sent over a few
"pills"
(shells) on of which came near my kitchen, so I flopped on the floor. When
I got up I found splinters scattered all around and a large hole shot
through my stove pipe. The next day passed alright until about the same
time, when Fritz opened up again. We had just started to eat and we had
fixed up an extra quantity, as we were all hungry. Fritz dropped a shell a
little ways off and I went to the door to see where it landed and about
the same time we heard another coming toward us. It didn't take us a
thousandth part of a second to hit the ground - you don't pay any
attention to what you fall on in these circumstances either. The shell
landed about 10 feet behind my kitchen. I didn't take time to see what
damage it did to the kitchen or think about how hungry I was, but we all
made one grand race for a dug out and stayed there until things got quite
again. I then went back and looked things over about the kitchen. It was a
beautiful sight for a hungry man to look at. I had canned beef and pork
and beans warmed together and cabbage cooked and the best coffee you ever
tasted. All of it was still on the stove, but besides the eats being in
the pots, there was mud, rocks, splinters, glass and most everything that
should not have been there, mixed with it, so we got no supper that night.
It also sent a piece of shell through the stove pipe and we have not
cooked or eaten here since. That was a pretty close call and what you said
about being under shell fire is as true as truth itself. My knees tried to
knock each other from under me for about half and hour after it happened.
It was a great sight to see the French people who had been in the claws of
the Hun for the last 4 years. They were the happiest people I have ever
met up with in all my life when the Americans went plunging onward.
Write some more of those long letters. They read just like sugar tastes, and that's saying a lot too. Lowe and Watkins were well the last time I
saw them, two weeks ago. I am healthy and stronger then ever, but some
dirty, as I have not had a good bath for sometime. There is some class to
this army life in active service - Its GREAT.
Love to all, Morison. Corp Hobart M. Werth, Co. B.
117th T.H. and M.P.
A.E.F.
-----------
Somewhere in
France,
Sept. 4, 1918
Dear Father:
I am afraid you will think something is wrong, because you have not gotten
any letters from me. They have not mailed any, because they did not have a
censor stamp. They hope to get out some letters today, and I know there
will be at least three of mine to you all, as I have written on the
average of once a week. I received Nello's letter of
July 27th, the last
that I have gotten. It takes your letters just one month to get here.
Nello was telling about the dinner you all had on the
Sunday that
Henrietta and Clara Peery were there. She asked or
wondered what I had.
Well, to be specific, I had nothing. I happened to be on a train coming
back from school and I failed to get any dinner. But such a thing as going
without a meal is a small thing compared with other things one has to go
thru with.
The last time I was on the Front all I had for two days was two sandwiches
and one canteen of water, and laid in a shell hole all
night, too. But
that is part of the game; such incidents as that happen only at frequent
intervals. It is marvelous how they get things to you in the trenches, anyway. One really gets more there than he does while out. We sure have
been on the hike. Have hiked seventy miles in four days and with heavy
packs most of the time, and light packs the rest of the time. We have been
taking a good rest yesterday and today. We are in the mountains and by a
trout stream. Floyd Repass and three other boys caught
35 yesterday; another boy and I caught six this morning, one
eighteen inches long. We
caught them with our hands. I got out yesterday morning and got some eggs
and good sweet milk for breakfast. The boys buy all the eggs they can get
their hands on and if you are not an early bird, you are out of luck. I
saw Leland Edwards and Hubert Meredith yesterday. If you don't get a
letter from me every week don't worry for we move often and Bob Whitley
just now told me that I could not mail this because we have no orders as
to return address. Love to all, Your devoted son,
Charles. Charles Gose to
his father, John P. Gose, Burke's Garden.
-------
Sept.
10, 1918
Dear Father and Mother:
Received your letter of August 9th Saturday. I don't understand why you
have not received any letters dated after June 21st as I have averaged one
letter a week. I think it was two weeks between two writings. You see we
are moving very often and it is hard to get letters written and after they
are written, it is hard for the officers to censor them, but I have good
news for you in this letter. I have passed successfully the examination
for the officers' training school. Suppose I will leave in the next day or
so for the school. It came as a surprise to me. I was ordered to report at
Regimental Headquarters on a fifteen minutes notice for examination.
The order came in yesterday that I was selected. I will do my best and by
the aid of God, will endeavor to do that which is right, and I know I will
get the commission. An officer has a chance to do world of good in this
army, altho I suppose it is one of the worst places,
or at least the
hardest place to lead a Christian life. One has so many temptations and
hardships to bear and one often feels like just giving up. But when one
reads his Bible and goes in prayer to God he sure feels much stronger and
it is a great aid. I think I realize it more and more each day. One always
thinks of God and the wrong one has done when he is in danger. Yet one is
prone to wander, when he is back from the trenches and out of danger. I
have found this to be the case, with myself and with others too. I
endeavor to overcome this weakness. There is only one way, and that is in
reading one's bible and by prayer.
A number of the boys have told me that when shells were bursting all
around and some so close as to almost flatten you against the side of the
trench, everything they had done that was wrong passed before them, altho I, myself have never felt uneasy. I have been scared, but somehow I always
felt safe. Of course, this is my experience in being in two heavy
barrages, I feel sure it is all the same when one trusts in God. I know
that I am a long ways from being perfect and I do things every day that
are wrong, but I strive to live better each day and all this I owe to you,
for if it had been for your care and training, I would not have had the
ground to work on. So it is to you, father and mother, that I owe a great
debt. I hope to be able to send you a cablegram soon. I want you to know
that I am alright. It has worried me because you have not received more
letters from me. Love and kisses to all. Your devoted son,
Charles.
P.S.Have carried this for a week trying to get it mailed. Am now at the
candidates school. Have a cold, but am much better at
the present. Am
close to the same town that I was when I was at school in July. Of
course
you know no more than you did before. Do you? Will write
oftener here as I
can get it mailed easier. Charles. From Sergeant Charles J. Gose, Army
Candidates School, A.P.O. 714, to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. John P. Gose,
Burkes Garden.
On Active
Service with the American Expeditionary Force, La Mons,
France,
Sept. 26
Editor of the News:
I have been longing for the opportunity to write you ever since I landed
in France, but have been busy most of the time. I have a few days off and
I am putting in a good time writing back home. Of course you all have a
clear idea how
France looks as most
of the boys that are over here have
written back. It is a very beautiful country and I have already had the
pleasure of seeing quite a large part of it. I see lots of beautiful
farms that remind me of home, although the hills are not so high here, but
the roads are simply fine and we never get tired hiking over them. I like
over here fine; in fact, all the boys do. You never see one that is
homesick. We are properly taken care of, so the folks back home should
not worry about us. I haven't seen any boys from Tazewell since I came
over. I am the only one from Tazewell in my company. You will note
I am
in La Mons. It is a very beautiful city.
The boys are always anxious to
make a visit here. I am getting anxious to get up to the front to pay the
Boche a visit. I am speaking from the depth of
my heart when I say (and
not from them fountain pen) that we boys have the spirit and pep to put
those Huns across the
Rhine; it is Hell, Heaven or
Hoboken with us.
So, all we ask of the folk back home is to buy Liberty Bonds, War Savings
Stamps, and give to the Red Cross and YMCA till it hurts and we will take
care of the Huns. Remind the boys back home that they are missing the
best time of their lives. We all know we have the dearest country on the
map and she shall always be as she is today,
America. Send
the C.V.N. to
me. It is possible that the paper is still going to me at
Christiansburg,
Va., my last address before entering the
service. Yours very truly, Prvt.
M. Luther BOWLING.
*******************************************************************
Fort Mott N.J.
Oct. 18, 1918
Dear News:
I guess you will be surprised to know that I am ready to sail. Have
everything but a cap, leggings, and a pick and shovel. Will
get them in
Fort
Dupont.
I am glad we are on our way, for where a man is on this he is pretending
to do his bit, but where he is over there he will do it, of course. Some
of us may fall down on examination, but I do hope I won't. Tell everybody
I am happy, and also tell the girls to stay single until we get back from
Berlin,
Yours truly,
Mustard PRUETT, Battery D. 7th Trench Mortar Bn.
*****************************************************************
From the Lowe boys
American Expeditionary Force, Sept 12, 1918
Dearest mother:
Will write you a few lines this afternoon as I have a few minutes to
spare. Our rest is over and we are again doing something. I guess
the
harder the boys go after them the sooner will be home. I really don't
think that will be long. I heard from John McCall a few days ago.
He
seems to be getting along fine. I have been trying to find out where
Crockett is and it seems impossible to locate him as it would be for you
all. It seems that the rainy season is on again. It has rained for
three
or four days and the mud is fierce.
Werth, Bill and I are getting on just fine. We
often talk of the great
things we will do when we get back to Tazewell. I must stop now and with
lost of love to all, you loving son, Grant. Corp. Grant LOWE,
Co. B.
117th T.H. and M.P., A.E.F.
Sept. 16, 1918
My Dear parents:
I will write you another letter. It looks like you all can't get my
letters that I write to you.
I am feeling fine and hope all of you are well. I have been in the
trenches for several days and I got some wonderful experience. I was in
the trenches five times as long as Grant was. I have been seen Grant yet, but I have been close to him in a short time. I have gotten three C.V.N's since I have been over here and I am glad to get them, too. I have also
gotten three letters from home and the pictures were real good. I wish
you would send me some more pictures of the kids and be
sure to write me
every week if not more. You don't know how much I enjoy a letter from
home. I must close. Will write more next time.
Kiss the kids for me and
give my love to all the folks. Crockett LOWE, Co. D. 116th Infantry, A.E.F. to Mr. And Mrs. D. C. LOWE, Indian.
North Adams, Mass,
Oct. 13, 1918
My Dear Mother:
I landed in
New York yesterday and
came here with George Baben to spent a
72 hour leave. I would have written from
New York, but only had
time to
catch the train.
I am well and having a nice time. We haven't received our mail when I
left the shipyard. I am anxious to hear from you. I hope you are
all
well. I am anxious to hear from Crockett and Grant. I wrote to both
of
them in
France.
Our trip was just the same as usual, except a lot of influenza among the
boys. We had about three hundred cases aboard and about twenty dead when
we landed in
France. Only
three sailors died. I hope it isn't around
home.
We sure found good war news waiting for us in
New York. It
looks like
the end is near.
There was a large Liberty Loan parade in
New York
yesterday. I saw a part
of the parade while I was trying to cross a certain street that was
blocked by the crowd. I would liked to have seen more of it for it was a
grand sight but came very near missing the train as it was.
Our ships company bought about forty thousand dollars worth of bonds on
our way back from
France, I bought a fifty dollar bond. Would have bought
a larger one if it had been possible. Nearly everybody bought
some.
I was counting on landing in
Newport News this trip and
would have been
home for a short stay, I couldn't come home on a seventy-two hour leave
from
New York, so I came
home with my friend. This town is about 180
miles from
New York and is in a
very mountainous and pretty place. There
are some very noted places around here, such as the
Grey
Lock
Mountain and
Mohawk Trail and Hoosick mountain and Hoosick tunnel
which is four and
three-quarters miles long, the longest in the
United States. They
have
very severe winters here, and have lots of deer and bear, but I haven't
had the chance to see any of these. The people use snow shoes in the
winter time. There are three pairs hanging here on the wall now.
I am making myself at home here and feel the same way. The people are
just fine. They make me feel that I am visiting homefolks. We went to
church this morning and have been out in the mountains and around the rest
of the day. We are going over to Mohawk trail tomorrow. It was used by
the Mohawk Indians and is fixed up now for sight seeing. I will be here
until Tuesday morning. With lots of love, from your
loving son, Lawrence.
Lawrence LOWE, U.S.S.
Pocahontas, to Mr. And
Mrs.
D.C. LOWE, Indian.
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