John L. Barkley letter to Dock - March 4, 1919
Transcript
March 4, 1919. Coblenz Germany. Dear brother Dock. I am still here in Germany making these Dutchman step lively today we got orders to make them clean out their barns and shed and all their manure piles. I have the overseeing of this job and believe me they will have to scratch it up clean or get a hell of a punch in the jaw. you see so much dirt will cause the flew and they have to clean up.
Transcript
[page 2] say they are making my old battle ground at Chateau [Thierry] a park and a place for tourists. Where machine guns spat their savage bullets at us from tall church steeples and out of factory windows now they are making a pretty place out of it. I have layed in a rock pile and made a many of a dutchman hang his hed out of the window like a shot squirrel. I would not had no one say where was you on July 15th "yes" I was at the battle of the Mason, where doe boy killed the Dutchman away from gay Pare
Transcript
[page 3] There were not many Americans there. My divison relieved the French but the Frenchman thought they had better stay close for they did not know what we would do when Jerry came over. I was listening to a French General and a noted american general one day. The Frenchman said, "General there are Boche in that town, looking down upon Chateau [Thierry]. The american Gen said, Why dont you get them out, I dont want to tear my town up. The American Gen said that is just what those Boch want so the next day our 9/2 guns were
Transcript
[page 4] Making a chat pile of the town and from then on the Dutchman was wondering What had came into the Frenchman's mind soon the found a time fuse on one of our shells that had the stamp U.S.A. July 15th they came across the river on us here is where the Prussian Guard and the Missouri boys clashed ending with one thousand guards killed 300 Americans and many prisoners. Now you see I have no love for a Dutchman. A Dutchman said the other day. The Kiser was the cause of it all. I
Transcript
[page 5] I told him there was 6,000,000 Kisers in Germany. He said nothing. Now as to me comming home I dont see home in sight yet by six months or a year. They will keep the drafted man untill peace is signed that may be a year yet. Well I must close. I hear one of our Machine gunners practicting on the target range, his old gun is sure spitting them out, I think by the sound he is using the Browning Answer soon. I am writing a story of my unlucky self. John Barkley
Details
| Title | John L. Barkley letter to Dock - March 4, 1919 |
| Creator | Barkley, John Lewis |
| Source | Barkley, John L. Letter to Dock. 4 March 1919. John Lewis Barkley Collection, 1917-1919. 1996.33. The National World War I Museum, Kansas City, Missouri. |
| Description | In this letter dated March 4, 1919, John L. Barkley wrote his brother Dock concerning the battle of Chateau-Thierry. |
| Subject LCSH | United States. Army. Infantry Regiment, 4th; United States. Army. Division, 3rd |
| Subject Local | WWI; World War I; Army of Occupation |
| Site Accession Number | 1996.33 |
| Contributing Institution | National World War I Museum and Memorial |
| Copy Request | Transmission or reproduction of items on these pages beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the National World War I Museum and Memorial: (816) 888-8100. |
| 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 | March 4, 1919 |
| Language | English |