Letters From Our Soldiers
Letter from James Inman to his father, of Mount Airy
Somewhere in France
Oct. 18, 1918
Dear Father:
Just a few lines to let you hear from me. I am enjoying life and health just fine and I am proud to hear that you all are enjoying health so well and only hope you all will continue.
I am not allowed to say anything about the war. I am going to say this much, we have the Hun on the run, and he is liable to stay on the run. And I am sure all are rejoicing over what we are doing for the Germans, and I am thankful that I came over here. This war will soon be over and all of us boys that are coming home and soon be at home.
When I get home I want to work on the farm. I have seen enough of this world. Only wish I could tell you lots of what I have seen. I am sure you would be surprised, we all thought that this war was bad enough to be at home and reading about it. You can’t tell anything about it, not by reading the papers. I am thankful that I have been so much help to my country. And you can be thankful more so than I. I am sitting in a dug out writing and it has been raining and believe me, it is some muddy.
Jim Baldwin and Bob Midkiff are the only ones that are with me from Mount Airy. They are getting along fine. I am not a bit chicken hearted, for it will not do to get that way. I have got my nerve and will have it till I die. We have lots of fun. We make things funny when they are not, for we have got to have some amusement, and we never see anything that is funny, only prisoners, and that is lots of fun. I often think of home, but never get home sick. I have not heard any thing except guns for a month or more. I suppose I will get real lonesome when I get where I can’t hear them, any way I won’t kick on being where I can’t hear them. I have got $100 I could send home but I am afraid to start it. Lots of the boys have sent money and haven’t ever heard from it. I am going to see my commanding officer about sending it.
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Somewhere in France
Octo. 28, 1918
Dear Mother:
Will take great pleasure in writing you to night. Am feeling fine and enjoying myself the best I have since I arrived over seas. Am having plenty to eat and extra good place to sleep. Sergeant Yates and myself have a nice room, costs us one franc a night or 20 cents. Have been here 10 days, can’t tell how long we will stay here. The longest we have stayed in any place is three weeks. I went to town yesterday, saw Walter Kidd, told him about you seeing his father. He had a letter from ___ since he arrived overseas. Was glad to hear of Brady. Was getting along fine with his work. Hope he will get to stay with it. Write me all the news.
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Dear Mother:
I will write a few lines to let you hear from me. I am well at this time. I have not heard a word from you yet, but I am in hopes will soon. You don’t know how much good it would do me to get a few lines from home. I heard from Bro. Billie the other day. Said he was well and having a fine time. I have seen no corn growing since left the states, they don’t raise corn over here, they raise wheat and potatoes. Say Mama, you must not study about me, for I am alright. The Lord is with me. I have put all my trust in the Lord. He will look after me and I feel he will stay with me. There are eight of us boys together and you bet we are having a fine time. We have the best Lieutenant you ever saw. He is just a little fellow, his name is Mr. Browning. You bet he is a good one.
You must sow a big crop of wheat. You can raise that better than you can corn. Have you got both mules yet? I want you to keep them, for I am coming back and farm. So here I go to bed, sweet dreams to you all.
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Oct. 19, 1918
Dear sister:
I am well and getting on all right, but our work is rather hard. I have just returned from the front. I have been over the top four times, and am living yet, but it is a horrible place to go, but I trust in God to bring me home some day. I hope it won’t be long now, but it is hard to tell when the end will come.
I hope you are all well and enjoying life. There is no pleasure here, we never know when Sunday comes except by looking at the calendar, but I hope some day to be out where I can rest on the Sabbath day.
I am in a town where we drove the Germans from a few days ago, and the happiest people I ever saw were the French people that were here. They didn’t even know that America was helping them until we came into the town. They just held to us and cried for joy. You can imagine how I felt to see them free. I thought if it were you people over here how it would be. When we told them that they could write their people, they jumped for joy for they had not heard from home in four years. Well, I will close for this time, will write soon if nothing happens, goodbye with lots of love to all.
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Letter from Sgt. E.S. Jones to his mother, Mrs. M.A. Jones of Mount Airy
Nov. 12, 1918
Dearest Mother:
Well I certainly am enjoying myself this week, way down in southern France on a seven day leave. It sure is a great place here, was a famous health resort before the war, lots of hotels here. The U.S. has taken them and fixed up for the boys. They sure do treat us fine here, nice beds, meals and hot baths any time you want them. Wish you all could be here with me. We come done where from the lines a couple of days ago. There was a great time here yesterday when they heard the Huns had agreed to the Allies’ peace. Lots of flags flying, bands playing, people all out in street and lots of U.S. soldiers here also. I was close to Albert the other day, but didn’t know it at the time.
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A.E.F. Sept. 28, 1918
Dear Papa:
Received your letter today and was more than glad to hear from you. I guess you all have been hearing of the good work we are doing over here now. All you have to do is turn a bunch of “Sammies” loose and the Germans are gone. I had a letter from Bob a few days ago, he is somewhere over here, but I don’t know just where. I have lots to tell you all when I get back and I don’t think that will be such a long time. I went to the front night before last and didn’t get back until last night about 10 o’clock. If I could only tell you that I wanted to I would be writing until tomorrow night this time, and then there would be a few things left out. I wish you could see our billets in which we sleep, they are not quite as nice as the Blue Ridge Inn but they certainly do sleep good to a soldier.
Well as it is getting about bed time I will close.
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