Hampton B. Ball letter to home- December 8, 1918
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[December 8, 1918] Dear Home, Just seven months ago today I landed in France. The boat pulled in just about day light and the first thing I saw was about 400 "Chinks" going to work. This week has gone just like the rest. Had a little hike the first part of the week and the rest of the time it has just been plain drill. I didn't have to drill before I went to the trenches but I am making up for it now. Rumors are floating about as to
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what we are going to do. Some say it is for parades over here while others claim it is for parades in the states. I hope it is the last but it may not be either. I moved again this week but am still in the same town. I am now living in an old school house. There is about a dozen kids, all boys, go to school up stairs and the soldiers stay down stairs. I wish you could see this bunch. All wear two pairs of shoes. One pair of cloth shoes and others are wooden. They wear the cloth ones all the time but while they are inside they leave the wooden ones in a row along one side of the hall. Play time comes and then of all the clatter you ever heard we have it. They pump into those wooden shoes and it sounds like a bunch of horses on a concrete floor. I dont know what they study but I doubt it very much if they learn much of any thing. This old town is still as slow as ever but I hear we are moving soon. I hope it is right and that we move about 4000 thousand
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miles when we do. I am ready to come back to the states now. The excitement is all over and the time passes too slow when there is nothing going on. I have not heard from you now for about two weeks. The only letter I have gotten in that time was from Uncle Jim. I will write him as soon as possible. Love to all Hamp. Cpl. Hampton B. Ball Co B. 326 Inf A.E.F. [censor signatures]
Details
| Title | Hampton B. Ball letter to home- December 8, 1918 |
| Creator | Ball, Hampton B. |
| Source | Ball, Hampton B. Letter to home. 08 December 1918. Ball, Hampton B., Papers, 1918-1919. C3935. The State Historical Society of Missouri, Columbia, MO. |
| Description | In this December 8, 1918 letter to his home in Troy Missouri, Hampton B. Ball speculated when he would be sent back to the United States. Ball served in the 82nd Division, 326th Infantry Regiment during World War I. |
| Subject LCSH | World War, 1914-1918; United States. Army. Infantry Regiment, 326th; United States. Army. Division, 82nd |
| Subject Local | WWI; World War I |
| Site Accession Number | C3935 |
| Contributing Institution | The State Historical Society of Missouri |
| Copy Request | Transmission or reproduction of items on these pages beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the State Historical Society of Missouri: 1020 Lowry Street, Columbia, Missouri, 65201-7298. (573) 882-7083. |
| Rights | The text and images contained in this collection are intended for research and educational use only. Duplication of any of these images for commercial use without express written consent is expressly prohibited. |
| Date Original | December 8, 1918 |
| Language | English |