SECTION 3
1918 Correspondence
1918 LETTER #2:
LETTER SUMMARY:
(Information from attached white index card:)
"Doulancourt & Freville -- building hospital"
-- Not getting Mail
-- Soldier's Insurance
-- Best little War we were ever in
-- BASEBALL CONTENT +++
-- Proud to be a Volunteer
SOME EXCERPTS FROM THIS LETTER:
3 pages, pencil
Priv. H. W. Chapman
Co D 101 U.S. ENG.
AEF
Via N.Y.
Jan. 20/18
Dear Ma & Steve,
Mil and I have received no news from you since Christmas . . . Are you writing regular?
Mill and I have taken out Soldier's Insurance. The Gov't automatically insures us for $4000 up to Feb 12 and then we have to insure ourself.
[...]
Mil and I never felt better. At
first, I had a small case of distemper due to the change in climate I guess but we are both getting fat. This is the best little war we were ever in. When we get back Mil and I will have to sleep under the bed for awhile to get used to it. In regard to eats you won't have to mind the sweetness or quality, it will be nothing but quantity. Even the Army hasn't succeeded in making me like vegetables yet though.
Its a scream to watch Bob Woods try to talk to these French people. He doesn't know any French so he changes his English around thinking they will understand him better. In the stores its "me no lika this" or "too much, me no money, me broke."
The last four or five days it has been like late spring here and also some muddy. We all have rubber boots and they aren't any too long for this mud soaked country.
**********
[ AN INTERESTING BASEBALL-RELATED COMMENT FOLLOWS: ]
**********
This weather makes me think of GOING SOUTH FOR SPRING TRAINING.
I may not be able to go south this Spring but don't need to as I HAVE MY BATTING EYE WITH ME and if I don't knock a few Germans over the Hindenburg Fence it will be because they are running too fast.
Where are the rest of our much talked of ball players, over in the Navy Yard?
I WAS THE FIRST VOLUNTEER BALL PLAYER IN FRANCE, WHO WAS ON THE PAYROLL OF ORGANIZED BALL THIS LAST YEAR.
There isn't enough Yankee in most of the ball players.
I wouldn't change places with the best man in the States. The longer I stay here the prouder I am of the fact that I was a volunteer and amongst the first over here and I know you feel the same. We haven't any use for the conscripts and am glad Pete sent application to Ft. Monroe where if he is accepted he surely will make good. Impress on him that he can't know too much to come over here and to above all, get in good physical condition. Make him try to get ahead as he is liable to drift along as a majority do in the Army.
Either Mil or I have written to you at least once a week. We haven't been separated as yet and the chances look good for our sticking together till the end of this battle. And believe me its going to be one battle. The publishers will have to get out new maps very shortly and there will be one country missing on the new edition.
With love to you both,
Bootus
Write more often whether there is any news to tell or not.
[Censor's script passing letter]
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