Charles Stevenson letter to Folks - November 22, 1918
Transcript
France - November 22, 1918 Dear Folks: It sure has been a long time since I last wrote to you, but so many things have happened since then and the company has been so unsettled that it has been impossible for me to do any personal work at all. We have been shifted from one dirty French town to another Dirty French town and from one dirty French billet to another dirty French billet. We do not know where we are going - or when - - in fact as far as any knowledge concerning ourselves is concerned the only thing we know are events of the past - and of a few of those we are still in doubt. Rumor has it that we move on to Germany - no telling where we will go. We hear that our division is one of the last to be home. We sure hope not. We are being put thru a lot of stuff tending to produce discipline, and I guess it does - it takes a well disciplined man to grasp some of the junk. But I can
Transcript
[page 2] This is the next day - - November 23 and I just came back from what is called a field inspection. We all take nearly all the stuff the Government issues to us and lay it out in a certain way on a blanket in the middle of some field, called temporarily for that particular vent - - the parade ground. We stand stiff for about a half hour while a major looks us over - then we stand around and try to keep warm for a couple of hours until he gets around to where we have our stuff laid out. When he gets to us he gos right on by without even looking at our stuff. Then we fold up our shirt and our socks and a lot of other stuff and beat if back to our billets, eh, its a great old life! Your last letter to me was date October 23. That picture of Dorothy was sent home because I was afraid of break it. I have had it so long that it would certainly be too bad if I should bust it up. The bronze tablet I sent you was French property - I found it some place - I have forgotten where - in a town formerly occupied by Germans. That funny fork and spoon I used for a long time. I lost all my stuff and had to use it or eat with my fingers. That General Bamford is sure one swell fellow. You may remember that I had dinner with hime when he was a [colonel] and later when he was a brigadier-general and he is just about the best army officer I have ever tackled. Maurice certainly has justification for any statements he might make about the General. I wrote to Dorothy Nelson and to Helen, too, but it has been a long time since I have heard from them. I will just about stop in on them some time in the near future when they are expecting a letter instead of ME. It will certainly be fine if you will sned a wreath to the cemetery - possibly at Easter one of us will be there to take care of it as we really want it handled. Work is piling up and I must get under way right now, so I will have to stop for I don
Details
| Title | Charles Stevenson letter to Folks - November 22, 1918 |
| Creator | Stevenson, Charles |
| Source | Stevenson, Charles. Letter to Folks. 22 November 1918. Stevenson, Charles S. Collection. 1979.24; 1982.202. National World War I Museum, Kansas City, Missouri. |
| Description | Charles Stevenson wrote to his parents that he didn't think he would be home soon, but his brother Maurice should be sent home shortly. 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; Distinguished Service Cross (U.S.) |
| 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 | November 22, 1918 |
| Language | English |