William Clark Breckenridge Letter to William Porter - December 19, 1917
Transcript
St. Louis, [Missouri], [December 19, 1917]. Dr. William Porter, While-A-Way Lodge, Ocean Springs, [Mississippi]. Dear Doctor:- I was mightily pleased to find a letter from you awaiting me when I reached home the other evening. -it was almost -but not quite- as good as talking to you face to face. I love your cheery optimism and so it does me good to get a letter from you at the psychological moment. I am a lonely man now. My daughter-Lamiza-was married to Lieut. Arthur W. Lambert, Jr. F.A. O.R.C. at 5 o’clock on Thanksgiving day at the Bofinger Chapel (Christ Church). They stayed with the groom’s parents until last Thursday night ([December] 13) when he left for his assignment at Ft. Oglethorpe [Georgia]. Lamiza left to join him Monday night ([December] 17) It is uncertain how long he will remain in the United States -He may be sent abroad almost any day. By this marriage I have gotten a fine son-a man I honor and respect. I have known him for two years and have known his father and grand-father before him. He is a Graduate of Washington University and Culver-has a good mind and is ambitious. The aristocracy of America (and the rest of this world) is going to be made up of the men who come back from this War. So if Arthur returns, he will be in the best of company. I tried to persuade my daughter not to marry until the war had ended, but as I could not give her the date for that event she and Arthur refused to wait. Arthur Lambert son of Arthur W. Lambert, the treasurer of the Lambert Pharmacal Co. Mr. Lambert Sr. is the cousin of the Lambert who founded the company, but he owns no stock in the concern. His wife was Miss Virginia Webb, the daughter of Dr. William Webb who had an office on Grand near Olive for so many years. You see that while I have no son living to send to this War, I am giving my Son-in-Law., and I wish I could join him and go over. For some of the military training I have had is surely soon to be of use. The Germans of this City have a grape-vine telegraph through which they get the latest news from Berlin. (confidentially they meet at the Liederknanz and certain speakers then tell them the latest news.) I fail to see why this Government does!nt shoot without a trail every member of that Club. Pardon the digression, but I started to tell you the latest news from HELL. It appears that Germany is running woefully short on heavy ammunition for their big guns, so are now compelled from this on to force the fighting to a decision. It is their intention to load their troops from the Russian fronr onto transports and start an invasion of England at the first favorable opportunity the weather offers This invasion will be by air, seas, and undersea. and will be armed with every known instrument of death. They expect to make a landing and then sweep every living being off the British Isles. Some contract, eh. With such fiendish malignancy as this to combat, I believe that the can [ms illegible: 1 wd] be forever won by the absolute extermination of the German Nations.
Transcript
[Page 2] For the Germans throughout the World all seem to have the same form of insanity afflicting them. Even those who are supposed to have been thoroughly Americanized by residence in the United States for three generations, are traitors at heart. It is an historical fact that the Germans of today are not pureCaucasion, but are bastard tartars (Huns) but the most astonishing thing is that every evil trait their ancestors possessed is highly developed in the descendant. The Kaiser and his people are ONE and are going to stand or fall as ONE. They are a united people-not only in Germany but the world over, hence as a great Roman said Delenda est Carthago! and I cry the same cry. In that day it was either Carthage of Rome. -today it is either Germany or the Allies. -One or the other must be wiped out. If the battle is not fought to death now it must be fought all over again in the near future, and then fought again and again until the cause the Allies represents wins. For it is only the Allies who represent what is imperishable the right. Germany is going to be whipped if it take 1000 years to do it-for she stands for what has never won in this world. Germany’s attempt to force an instant decision now is going to results in her being obliged to retreat to her own territory and from that on fight on the defensive, and largely in the open. The death grapple will be with cold steel, hence I say my training might be of use for I have had sword and bayonet and rifle work. I fear that even with the Germans forced into the open, the War will last into 1919. and most certainly result in frightful slaughter. We Americans here in St. Louis are doing all we can to help win the War, but we are in the midst of traitors who are hampering us all they dare. The first heavy reverse which comes to our arms in Europe is going to start Anti-German riots here which will result in the death of many both innocent and guilty. I am thoroughly hopeful for the future, but we as a nation have much to endure before we reach that future. I did not attend the last meeting of the Papyrus Club. I met Major Arbuckle the next day and he reproached me for missing the best meeting in some years. He said the new president was putting life into the Club. and that it was looking up. and recovering from the last two administrations. It was a calamity when you left the club, for it then lost most of its initiative. Miss Hinrichs has resigned. I am sorry. The last green pills were received O.K. and I find them as efficacious as ever. and am under many obligations to you for them. With best wishes to yourself and Mrs Porter for a very Merry Christmas and for a very Happy New Year, I am as ever, Sincerely your friend, 4123 Von Versen Ave. St. Louis, [Missouri] P.S.-Morgan St is now Von Versen Ave.
Details
| Title | William Clark Breckenridge Letter to William Porter - December 19, 1917 |
| Creator | Breckenridge, William Clark |
| Source | Breckenridge, William Clark. William Clark Breckenridge Letter to William Porter. 19 December 1917. Breckenridge, William Clark, Papers, 1808-1936. A2030. The Missouri History Museum, St. Louis, Missouri. |
| Description | In this letter, dated December 19, 1917, William Clark Breckenridge wrote William Porter concerning the marriage of his daughter and German loyalties in St. Louis. |
| Subject LCSH | Fort Oglethorpe (Ga.); World War, 1914-1918--Great Britain; World War; 1914-1918--Technology; World War, 1914-1918--Propaganda; World War, 1914-1918--Germany |
| Subject Local | WWI; World War I; German Loyalty |
| Site Accession Number | A2030 |
| Contributing Institution | Missouri History Museum |
| Copy Request | Transmission or reproduction of items on these pages beyond those allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the Missouri History Museum: 314-746-4510 |
| 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. Contact the Missouri History Museum's Permissions Office at 314-746-4511 to obtain written consent. |
| Date Original | December 19, 1917 |
| Language | English |