SECTION 4
1919 Correspondence
1919 LETTER #7:
LETTER SUMMARY:
In this LONG letter, Bootus covers a variety of topics including: a military Inspection, INOCULATION FOR TYPHOID FEVER, Robinson Crusoe, and misunderstandings over VISITING PARIS and the treatment of German prisoners!
Bootus sends a personal message to Massachusetts Governor CALVIN COOLIDGE about trying to "contain" the Yankee Division once they reach home.
Also, there is a long section discussing the envy generated by the superior wartime performance of the Yankee Division and her "Comrades in Arms" the 42ND DIVISION [the famous "RAINBOW" Division]
SOME EXCERPTS FROM THIS LETTER:
12 pages, pencil
Priv H. W. Chapman
Co D 101 US Eng
AEF
Mulsanne, France
Mar 17 [1919]
Dear Ma and Pa,
We rolled our pack and paraded before some SOS Inspectors from the debarkation area and laid our wares for them to see what part of our equipment we have thrown away.
[...]
How many days they will keep us on the shore in the same attitude Robinson Crusoe waited for a ship to hove into sight, I don't know.
[...]
We found out that there are and have been soldiers who visit Paris, a thing which the Y.D. thought was impossible except by writing the pass out themselves. We also notice that . . . the German Prisoners we captured on the line eating better than we ever expect to get fed.
[...]
Make a personal call on Gov. Coolidge and tell him that I want to give him the tip in regard to the policy of the pier at which we land . . . Don't have any M.P.'s stationed there as the best M.P. in the A.E.F. has not be able to outguess YD yet when that YD had his mind made up to go somewhere. Also tell him not to think of building a high wall to keep us from getting out as the wall around Paris didn't appear to be high enough once the boys got headed that way. My suggestion is to anchor us out in the harbor and transfer us to those ferry boats that have the trains already on them and then I think they'll have us right.
[...]
This Division has caused considerable envy, both way up and way down but we
do not stand alone. We stand arm in arm with the American Rainbow, the 42nd Division. I would term them "Comrades in Arms".
I know of no two other Divisions who stick together as close, arm in arm whenever we meet. Their history is parallel to ours and their griefs also. But even then we two do not stand alone. We stand before the admiration of the entire French Republic (exclusively, we two) a thing of which we are rightly proud and proud to think that we have reason to make New England feel proud.
We two, the 42nd and 26th don't say we won the War and we take off our hats to the 1st & 2nd Divisions but will say this much, if it were not for these four Divisions the War would still be going yet and the front line would be around the Spanish Border.
[...]
I had just been inoculated (typhoid) under French directions and medicine and believe me the whole town was sick abed.
[...]
With Love,
Bootus
[Censor's script passing letter]
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