Charles Stevenson letter to Folks - March 1, 1919
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Please see that Dave Park gets to read this. I told him you would send it to him. Welschbillig, Germany March 1, 1919 Dear Folks: Thru the kindness of Phil I have been granted the use of this little Corona typewriter and will tell you a little more about my trip to see Maurice. To begin with, on the 10th of February 1 left camp to go to Coblenz on a three day leave. We got back from there at 10:30 the night of February 12 and I found papers granting me a fourteen leave awaiting for me - - and these papers were effective at five o
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[page 2] of Triumph, [La Madeleine], Eiffel Tower, the big Ferris Wheel, Napoleon
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[page 3] Maurice. It is only a matter of washing the cut a little and re-dressing it. Maurice turns on his back, the wound is washed, some fresh gauze put over it, some adhesive tape wound around his body a couple of times to hold down the gauze and the doctor leaves him until the next morning. This wound has always been and will continue to be the most delicate of them all. The big idea now is to prevent puss from forming and to keep it from poising, as many of those things do. I was assured that the conditions of this was such that there was practically nod danger from this and that all that was needed was time and care. This is right below the waist on his back. For that reason he cannot sit up or bend his body at the waist, for fear of straining the muscles and ligaments so profuse in that region. However, as soon as a couple of weeks have gone by he has been told he could get up and try walking with crutches. He could walk without them, were it not for his foot, which needs only Time for recovery. You can see that it would not be advisable for him to bend his body just yet, so he must either be stretched out on the bed or standing up. His walking will be gradual, as it takes strength to walk and he has been in bed over five months - and that weakens anyone. SO - - you can see from what I have said just how he is coming around. I was constantly assured by the nurses, orderlies and the doctors that he would be all right eventually - and that not so far off. From the dope that got around I expect him to be on his way to the States some time between March 15 and March 30 - preferably close to the end of the month. He will go, of course, in bed - as I judge that it is about correct - that it will take five or six months in some hospital in the states and then he starts anew on his battle with the world. He should be as good as ever physically Perhaps, for a year or so ye will have to be carefull, and maybe he won
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[page 4] The nurses and the orderlies are fine to him - and they all like him and he likes all of them. Everyone connected with his ward took particular attention to see that I was given the best possible - the seemed glad to be able to please him. The officers have a great old time in the ward, talking back and forth andsome evening I laughed until I hurt myself. They discuss everything the papers have and lots of things the papers don
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[page 5] I left Paris at eight o
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[page 6] How do we talk to the German girls? We do not talk to any of the Germans on the streets, but we are billeted in their homes and cannot avoid talking to them to some extent. And all of them are most cordial to us. Personally, they do not appeal to me, but girls and their charms and beauties are always a matter of personal opinions and it can easily be seen that the Dutch girls appeal to some of the fellows.v Don
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All this stuff about the 35th Division is bunk. The 35th has the poorest record of any Division over here and is the laughing stock of all the real divisions. It failed to make good any time it went in and once Maurice
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[page 7] I was mighty sorry to learn of Grandpa
Details
| Title | Charles Stevenson letter to Folks - March 1, 1919 |
| Creator | Stevenson, Charles |
| Source | Stevenson, Charles. Letter to Folks. 01 March 1919. Stevenson, Charles S. Collection. 1979.24; 1982.202. National World War I Museum, Kansas City, Missouri. |
| Description | Charles Stevenson sent this letter to his grandparents about his trip to France to visit his brother Maurice Stevenson in France. Stevenson enlisted in Kansas City, Missouri and became attached to Company A, 314th Engineers at Camp Funston, Kansas. Stevenson was shipped overseas on June 12, 1918 where he remained for the duration of the war. He arrived back in the United States on May 26, 1919. |
| Subject LCSH | World War, 1914-1918--Military life--United States; World War, 1914-1918--Transportation; World War, 1914-1918--War work--Y.M.C.A. |
| Subject Local | WWI; World War I |
| Site Accession Number | 1979.24; 1982.202 |
| 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 1, 1919 |
| Language | English |