James Robert Davis letter to Mother and Others - May 6, 1919
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[May 6, 1919] Dear Mother and all others Your note of the 6 - received today Iwould certainly like to be able to step in while Mary is at home and yet Idont want to come just yet as Ive been recommended for my Captiancy and if we get sent home soon Iwont get it. I hate to get that close and still not get it across Beside losing out on my trip to England Scotland & Ireland yesterday Major Blaine and Iwent to Nevers Hdqrs for the Intermediate sections Major
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took dinner with the General but a Lieut had no chance that something you cant understand it isnt because Iam not just as good as the man above but it isnt done. Thats all Iwouldnt eat dinner in public with a private not even if he were [William] Hart or my own Brother. Funny game this army life. Well the General says not to expect to sail before June or July to night the major gets a message from the Colonel of the post asking
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the Major if he could have his Battalion ready to move by the 15th of this month - Well that the way it goes one day things look good and the next day rotten so expect me when you see me for Idont know nothing - nothing at all. Im telling you Idont want to stay in the army and yet Ihate to get out - it is going to be most awfully lonesome - a lot of the time we really have a good time
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and just at present not very much to do. The trip to Nevers was rather uneventful. I believe we rode about 190 miles and the country reminded me of just a big park. In fact all of France is an enlarged park system. Now if you lived over here on what they called a farm you get up in the morning - dress - with your wooden shoes - put on a white cap - grab your knitting a stool and an umbrella. go out and turn out the goat or the cow. drive them down
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the road and then sit around the rest of the day - while they ate grass. Not a bad system tho for your neighbor would do the same thing and you could visit together very nicely. Iwent in a swell church at Nevers one of these big rock affairs carved on the outside to the Nth degree but Ididnt stay long the inside was as cold and uncomfortable as the outside and beside they were singing in French or latin and I didnt have much of that. Pipe organ did
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sound pretty good tho Well Idont know what about all this ball playing on Sunday but Ido know this that as long as we can keep our men playing and working we dont have any trouble let them get out of work tho and no play and something liable to happen. Well I’ve given you the Dope on coming home and so you know just as much about it as I do. Frankly I am not anxious to come yet as Iwanted those
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two bars - mighty badly - and then Iwanted to see England - and then I like this life. Oh. Idont like to have the Colonel come thru on and inspection and bawl me out just because he can - and yet thats the game. Iget pretty good at it myself as a rule those things are soon forgotten and all you say is “yes sir”, and dont forget the Sir. Well Iguess I’ll mail this glad the books came
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Love to you and every body, including [William] - Regards to the Lankfords - would like to see Mary and all others Lovingly Jim Lt James R. Davis 816 Pioneer Infantry. Keep on writing when you get this just as tho you hadnt gotten any information as to the possibilitys of our sailing this month - I’ll go to see Bucks grave if Iget the chance you cant tell Imight get to. as Isay this is a funny game and one never knows what coming next
Details
| Title | James Robert Davis letter to Mother and Others - May 6, 1919 |
| Creator | Davis, James Robert |
| Source | Davis, James Robert. Letter to Mother and Others. 06 May 1919. James Robert Davis Collection, 1918-1919. 1994.41. National World War I Museum, Kansas City, Missouri. |
| Description | James Robert Davis wrote this letter to his mother and other relatives from France on May 6, 1919. Davis described a trip he took to Nevers, France, and speculated on when he would return home. |
| Subject LCSH | World War, 1914-1918--Military life--United States; World War, 1914-1918--Occupied territories; World War, 1914-1918--Social aspects; United States. Army--Promotions.; United States. Army--Sports; United States. Army--Inspection.; Military decorations |
| Subject Local | WWI; World War I; 816th Pioneer Infantry |
| Site Accession Number | 1994.41 |
| 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 | May 6, 1919 |
| Language | English |