John L. Barkley letter to Mother - March 10, 1919
Transcript
Still in Germany March 10, 1919. Dear Mother. Just yesterday received your letter and sure was glad to hear from home. Do you get all of my mail. I am writing very often for you see I have nothing to do very much. How is every thing. I hear from some of my friends that "Jim Spivens" was lost in action, I hate to that to but I never lett a little thing wory me any more. Things like that sometimes wories people more than bayonette fighting with the prussian guards. There is a Dutch boy here in the barber shop playing a harp, he sure if fine. There is a boy here that I am running
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[page 2] with by the name of Kincade. He is from Kentucky. Knows all of the Barkleys well, goes with a Hambrick girl. I am sending you one of my pictures I had it taken at Andernach "the oldest town on the Rhine. Just outside of the town is the oldest castel in Germany you have herd Dick talk of the great statue of Kiser's grandfather it sure is a wonderful piece of work. I think I will be here most of the summer and if I do I sure will see some fun foot riding up and down the Rhine. When they sign peave they will let the drafted man out I am in hope so. They are giving us boys a chance to enlist.
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[page 3] The only army I will enlist in will be the "salvation army" or something like that. Some of my pictures are good and so I will send you a real good one. they cost me twelve marks per dozen about .84 c. I am sending you one of me and that [Kentucky] boy. He wasn’t much of a fighter, for he thought most of his dug-out. My division was second in causilties in the A.E.F. forces twenty six thousand and John was one that came back unhurt. The three little white stripes on my sholder in my division insignene three fronts, Chateau [Thierry] [St. Mihiel] and [Argonne-Meuse] the rest is blue.
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[page 4] The band around my coat sleve is green for intelligance work, being a trained scout and observer. I do not have to do any fatigue work or do any guard and am excused from all calls from the company. I have it pretty soft. At the front I was on a high point of observation watching closly the tricks of the germans where our barage was falling and directing our artillery into their machine gun nests through a twelve power spy glass. Some times I was called upon to make night patrols into the german lines and then is where things starts with pistol and knife. The man with the Quickest wit and Quickest on triger
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[page 5] was the man who came back. He could not goe out there facing a machine gun in the night half asleep and not on the alert. Once six of us made a patrol out one dark night. We met a german patrol which consisted of 14 men. we saw that they outnumbered us and we was so close to them crawling along. They herd us. I picked up a little rock and whirled it into the bushes on the opposite side of them, they raised on their knees and one Dutchman caughed and at the instant they fired a volley of shots into the bushes and then rushed in that direction and we fled back tword our line. We found their line and accomplished our mison
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[page 6] On my left arm is a foreign service sheveron. Six months in Europe I am due one more the sixth of next month means one year over here. I am glad I doe not wear one of the right arm for that is for wound and I am glad there is not a scratch on my body only on my little toe where I dropped the rock on it 1915. On my right side is a 45 caliber automatic which I carry with me on my belt at all times, for you can't trust a Hun. I have seen enough of their tricks. Well I must close. Answer real soon You son John Corpral John L Barkley Co K 4th infantry.
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P.S. I get your letters Quicker than you get mine. You see they carry troops going back and do not have much room for any mail. Your letters reaches me in thirteen days. Think I had some Holden Papers. How is dear old Peach.
Details
| Title | John L. Barkley letter to Mother - March 10, 1919 |
| Creator | Barkley, John Lewis |
| Source | Barkley, John L. Letter to Mother. 10 March 1919. John Lewis Barkley Collection, 1917-1919. 1996.33. The National World War I Museum, Kansas City, Missouri. |
| Description | In a letter dated March 10, 1919, John L. Barkley wrote his mother, Leona Barkley, concerning the different parts of his uniform, observation, and one experience on a night patrol. Barkley also explained the three little white stripes next to his division insignia were stripes representing the three fronts of Chateau-Thierry, St. Mihiel, and Meuse-Argonne. |
| Subject LCSH | United States. Army. Infantry Regiment, 4th; United States. Army. Division, 3rd; United States. Army--Uniforms |
| 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 10, 1919 |
| Language | English |