August 31, 1918 -- George Post Script Hints That Things Have Been Moving Along

Aunt Nellie was George's youngest great aunt and he was related to her then as he is to me now. Nellie (born Evalina Irene Richardson) was the youngest sister of his grandmother Rosina Jane Richardson Stevens. Nellie had been married twice. First to Alfred Thomas whom she divorced apparently due to domestic violence and later to widower and Yankee Civil War veteran George Thompson. After his death in Palouse country of Washington Territory where they lived for many years she moved to Wisconsin where her sister and extended family lived. She is buried with her extended family in the cemetery at Kendall, Wisconsin. Many current family members have had no idea who Nellie was or why she was buried in the same plot as the Stevens and the Sherwoods families. She was born in Topsham, Vermont on June 26,1847 and passed away in Glendale, Wisconsin on December 8, 1926. The full scans of the letter is at the end.

I love this letter from George. While it tells "nothing" due to censorship, his wording does hint to the speed and conditions in which the 108th engineers have been traveling!

Somewhere in France

“Droppin Dugout”

8-17-‘18

Mrs. Nellie Thompson

            Glendale, Wisconsin

Dear Aunt and All:

            As I now owe you two letters and Dura one, I think it high time to let work and other correspondence wait a few minutes while I try to show my appreciation of your messages with a few lines from France.

            As it is against censorship rules to name places & locations in France I have never tried in any way to let you know where we are, but I often wonder where you imagine we are and how close you come to the truth.  We are in no doubt of where we want to be as soon as “Bill” admits he is properly licked.

            We are getting better eats and clothes than you folks back in the states, if the reports from over there are correct.  So you see, life in a hole in France has its compensations.  Catch me ever buying a house or bungalow when I get back.  All I’ve got to do is get a spade, pick and a few sandbags and I can get along fine.

*Two weeks later

            Well, this has traveled a long way on my back Auntie, and now my pen has been lost so we will have to scribble just an additional line in pencil to let you know I am still well.
                                    With love to all
                                                George