King Harrigan letter to Dr. Henry Milton Whelpley - November 26, 1918
Transcript
Camp Funston [Kansas] [November 26, 1918] Tuesday 525 Pm Hello Doctor Whepley How are you and How is the Drug Business getting along and Doctor I want to Thank you a thousand Times for your kindness in sending me out the Good old “Meyer [Brothers] Druggist” Because It just Brings Every Thing Back to me and it also keeps me up on Prices & Doings of some of my old Pals: So far I havent Received this months But am anxiously Waiting for it, Well army has Become awful dull since The Whistle Blew on Hostilities over There, and the old Cry out in Camp Here Now is when are we going home, while last Month at this Time it was when are “going over” and Beleive Me, we were all set ready to go on 2 Different occasions But It sure looked like the jinx Was in and I’ll tell you it sure was a disappointed Bunch When finally They Were told they Wouldnt go over, you see a man’s whole ambition when He gets through a hard
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[page 2] Training is to get in the Big Game, Even when you Train for Boxing or swimming or Baseball your only thought is on the game and if By chance it is Postponed on acct of Bad Weather or something Else you Naturally are dissappointed and it was the Same way out here, our 1st Disappointment came on account of that influenza Quarantine Being Put on the Camp and that held us up and our 2nd one was Due to the signing of the Armistice and Now of course all the Excitement and Novelty is gone from Army Life and the sooner We get home Now the Better We Will all like It, Well Doctor I must say I enjoyed everything in the service and They sure treat you fine, I have gained in Health, Weight, Experience in a thousand things and a great Many other Things and I am Perfectly satisfied and I was Proud to be able To be a soldier of the Good old USA But of course I regret it a Thousand Ways that I was only able to go to a training Camp While so Many of My chums and old Pals had a chance to get over and get in the Big show, and Im sorry to say quite a few Wont Be Back, But Doctor I guess Ill have to Be satisfied and take a
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[page 3] a Back seat and listen to the Lads stories who have Been over There, Doctor all We Been doing the last 2 weeks is Playing footBall or Playing some kind of game Really our work is all done and the Men are only Drilling 2 or 3 hours in the Morning and light Drilling at that and they have the Whole afternoon off for sports of any kind, I am hoping We are home for Xmas or New Years But Ill have to Be Patient and Take my Turn with the Rest of the boys They are sending the Men from the Depot Brigade and the Developing Battalions home 1st as they werent classified as a combatant organization and Most of them did not pass the over sea Examination so they are the 1st to go, But our Company is a Part of the 10th Division and We are classed as a fighting Company So We Probably Will Be out here a Little Longer Than the Rest But I Beleive We Will Be Out of here in 3 or 4 weeks any how, I hope so as I am anxious to get Back on the job and I Beleive
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[page 4] Im going To Be able To sell a great Deal More goods than I ever did as Ill Be Just Like a Wild animal getting Loose and I Cant hardly Wait until I spring this on some one “How do you do, Harrigan is My name I am Representing Meyer [Brothers] Drug Co & Exe Gee It seems Wonderful and I will also Be Tickled To see my old Customers again as if I must say it, I never Met such a nice Pleasant Class of People in all my Life as they Were and They were all Real Pals of mines, and I am longing to Be with them all again, How is all My old friends at the Good old house I had a Dandy letter From Mr C.F.G. Meyer Last Week and It Sure made Me feel Good, and As hard as I always Worked for him Im going to Work That much harder when I do get Back on the Job Beleive Me, Doctor I guess My Trade Was all Pretty Well filled up with subscriptions on the Druggist and Maybe some of them will Run out Before Im Back if they do I wish you would Be sure and follow Them up, Well Thanksgiving Day is on us Thursday and We are making swell Preperations For a Big feed and entertainment, our Mess Hall is Decorated Beautiful and We are going to have a couple Good singers & Entertainers and one Big Feed, of Turkey, Cranberry sauce
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[page 5] Mince Pie, Ice Cream, Cake, Coffee and a Bunch of Other Good Things Pretty Good feed Eh Doctor, Oh this Army life isnt Bad after all, and Doctor This Will Be the first thanksgiving Dinner I ate away from home and It seems funny But you Cant get lonesome out here any more as We sure have a fine Bunch of Lads in Our Company and full of Pep and you know I Never Was a Person To feel Blue about any thing, Well Doctor Whelpley I hope this Reaches you when you are feeling well and give My Regards To all and Doctor Dont forget My “Old Pal” The [Meyers Brothers] Druggist as Im Lost With out it out here and I hope To see you Real soon again and I hope My Next Trip To St. Louis Will Be one To stay, Well I wish you a very Pleasant thanksgiving and all the Rest of My Friends at [Meyers Brothers Drug] Co. I am your old Friend Sgt. King Harrigan
Details
| Title | King Harrigan letter to Dr. Henry Milton Whelpley - November 26, 1918 |
| Creator | Harrigan, King |
| Source | Harrigan, King. Letter to Dr. Henry Milton Whelpley. 26 November 1918. Dr. Henry Milton Whelpley Collection, 1826-1929. A1737. Missouri History Museum, St. Louis, Missouri. |
| Description | King Harrigan sent this letter to Dr. Henry Milton Whelpley. Dr. Whelpley was the dean of the St. Louis College of Pharmacy and editor of the Meyer Brothers Druggist magazine. Harrigan described what was going on in the camp since the war ended. Harrigan also shared his disappointment about not being be able to go “over there” during the war. This letter was written on Knights of Columbus letterhead. |
| Subject LCSH | World War, 1914-1918; Camp Funston (Kan.) |
| Subject Local | WWI; World War I |
| Site Accession Number | A1737 |
| 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 | November 26, 1918 |
| Language | English |