Charles Stevenson letter to Folks - October 12, 1918
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France [October 12, 1918] Dear Folks: Just 414 years ago today Columbus discovered America - four months ago today we sailed from America and today we are in a
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pitch dark, pouring down rain - and carrying a big umbrella! It sure was funny - but it kept the rain off of me x About one-fourth of the way on the road I turned my right ankle (my good ankle). It didn
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[page 2] lost and found themselves at some cross roads with a French M. P. in charge.
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Well -
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[page 3] a motorcycle with a side car - and the side car was empty. it picked me up and took me to just the place I wished to go. In this town, we lived in a brewery - and one in working order, too. We stayed only one night and pulled out again - under more desirable conditions - to where we now are. My ankle is all right now and doesn
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No telling what our future holds. Probably we will go to another front. I hope the above story of experience don
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[page 4] place for this coming winter. Last winter he was in the trenches most of the time. I
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you have done for me! I saw a clipping of a little incident about my meeting Maurice from the Kansas City Star. Good enough. I imagine I
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[page 5] a pen be sure to send one that writes rather heavily. I like to see what I am putting down when I write. A recent letter from Helen Nelson told me of the Olathe girls who have gone to Washington, D.C. to work. That is certainly fine. They are only a short ways from New York City, Atlantic City, Philadelphia, Long Island and such and can see any of those towns between Saturday evening and Monday morning. Helen told me that Helen Betts was to teach in the Olathe high school. I think you will find Helen Betts a much more agreeable and desirable girl than you imagine; and I also believe she will be in with the very best of Olathe
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Every one in a while I send you a copy of some of the newspapers we get over here. I imagine they are interesting to those who have never seen any of them. They would make a good display. Now - as to my scrap book - I wish you would cut some big headlines out of various papers that come to you about big advances, rumors of surrender, abdications and deaths of big men in the war, and put
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[page 6] some novel style - shunt
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These letters of yours were replies to the one I wrote telling of seeing Maurice for the first time. It has been over a month since I last saw him - and judging from the letter I got last night from him it will be some time before we meet again x So far I have received no copies of the Register (yes, I got one); I hope some come so that I can keep up on Olathe activities. No furlough is due me for a long time, but [Maurice] has one coming, which, he says, he will spend in England. That pass Maurice wrote me can be pasted in my book some time - along with the clipping of our meeting. Any time any clippings about [Maurice] or me or you appear - send
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[page 7] are such that it is impossible to send out more than a handkerchief. I was luck y to be able to send you that scarf! I
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decided to sleep along. About two a.m. he got cold and hopped out of his bed into mine - and never brought any covers with him. You should have seen me chase him back for a couple of blankets he left on his cot. Phil is still here - supply sergeant - feeling and looking fine. Well - temporarily - I must quite. This gets me caught up on all my letters - the first time in months. Now - I
Details
| Title | Charles Stevenson letter to Folks - October 12, 1918 |
| Creator | Stevenson, Charles |
| Source | Stevenson, Charles. Letter to Folks. 12 October 1918. Stevenson, Charles S. Collection. 1979.24; 1982.202. National World War I Museum, Kansas City, Missouri. |
| Description | Charles Stevenson wrote this letter to his grandparents about a recent march to a rest camp. 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; United States. Army. Infantry Division, 89th |
| 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 | October 12, 1918 |
| Language | English |