Harry S. Truman letter to Bess Wallace - February 6, 1919
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[American YMCA letterhead] Rosieres, near Bar-le-Duc February 6, 1919 Dear Bess: Yesterday was one grand day - I got two letters from you. Had first returned from a three day trip on foot and on horseback to turn in my guns. It snowed and sleeted the night before something like an inch. It must have been mixed with rain because that inch stayed on the road in the form of solid ice. It took me from 7 A.M. to 6 P.M. to go 40 kilometers. I walked most of the way because my horse had on slick shoes. That was Thursday. Friday it snowed all day while I was turning in the property and then cleared off and got as cold as the very mischief. I reckon it would have frozen the proverbial brazen monkey. I managed to get a good place to stay but the men were not so fortunate. Some of 'em
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slept in a pretty cold barrack; but they didn't kick because they think that everything is helping to get us nearer home and I guess it is. Comming back to Rosieres yesterday was a hard job. Because the roads are still all covered with ice and a horse can hardly stand. I had some to fall as many as five times but the driver was always lucky enough to get away unhurt. It was about the worst march of the war for me and that is saying quite a bit. We hope to turn in our horses soon and then we'll go to Le Mans and make up our papers and unwind a couple of thousand miles of pink tape and perhaps be home by spring. That of course all depends on the humor the commanding general of the S.O.S. when he looks us over. I am at the officers Y.M.C.A. in Bar-le-Duc today trying to get warm
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[American YMCA letterhead] and incidentally get a bath if such a thing is possible. France you know doesn't believe in heat in the winter time and baths are for summer also. The Y.M.C.A. here is going to fix things up for us though and I reckon we'll go home satisfied. You've no idea how I liked your letter especially when you asked me if I can do a days work on lemon pie and chocolate cake. I can work the rest of my life on those two luxuries if I can only have you to make them. If I can go a whole week under fire and have only corned millie and hard bread with boiled potatoes sometimes and still come out whole mentally(?) and physically you can rest assured that anything you'll choose to fix up will be as nectar for the gods.
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Your insinuation that you might be a Marie Louis was rather hard to take though. You'll remember she was No 2 and I've spent the last few years trying strenuously to make you believe that you never could run second with me. Eugenie belonged to Napoleon all right but not the Napoleon and that is no worse than my trying to tell you that Richelieu issued the Edict of Nantes in one of my letters with I was trying to indicate to you where I was going to school. I am going to send you a telegram tomorrow hoping it will reach you by your birthday. I hope you have a happy one and never spend another without me to help you celebrate it. I am having a hard time to get that iron cross for Uncle Strother but I hope to make it before I leave. Just missed getting one the other day from a fellow on leave from Coblenz.
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[American YMCA letterhead] Maybe I'll have better luck next time. It is so bloomin cold in my billet and fire wood is so scarce that I haven't written you for several days but I'll make it up when I see you which I hope will be soon. C. C. Bunschu was given an efficiency board - unjustly I am happy to say and I guess he'll beat us home. I don't know if I told you that K. D. K. is transferred to the 106th F.A. because it's going home sooner that we are and we have Col. Smith. There wasn't much sorrow when he left among either officers or men. Be sure and keep writing I love you always Harry. Harry S. Truman Capt 129 FA American E F
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Harry S Truman Capt 129 Amer E F American YMCA [stamp] [ms illegible: 3 wds 13 [February] Service o. 743 Officers Mail 2-6-[1919] Miss Bess Wallace 219 Delaware St. Independence [Missouri] U.S.A. OK Harry S Truman Capt 129 Fa [stamp] A.E.E. Passed As Censored A.1619
Details
| Title | Harry S. Truman letter to Bess Wallace - February 6, 1919 |
| Creator | Truman, Harry S. |
| Source | Truman, Harry S. Letter to Bess Wallace. 06 February 1919. Papers of Harry S. Truman Pertaining to Family, Business and Personal Affairs; Correspondence from Harry S. Truman to Bess Wallace, 1910-1919. HST-FBP_6-17_01. Harry S. Truman Library and Museum, |
| Description | Letter from Harry S. Truman to his future wife, Bess Wallace, describing the difficulties that the soldiers were experiencing in France during the winter. Captain Truman was placed in charge of Battery D of the 129th Field Artillery Regiment from July 11, 1918 through the end of the war on November 11, 1918. During his military service Truman frequently wrote to Bess informing her of his experiences. |
| Subject LCSH | Truman, Harry S., 1884-1972; United States. Army. Field Artillery Battalion, 129th; World War, 1914-1918--Military life--United States; United States. Army. Division, 35th; Military discharge; Bar-le-Duc (France); Soldiers--billeting; Y.M.C.A. |
| Subject Local | WWI; World War I |
| Site Accession Number | HST-FBP_6-17_01 |
| Contributing Institution | Harry S. Truman Library and Museum |
| Rights | Documents in this file are in the public domain. |
| Date Original | February 1, 1919 |
| Language | English |