March 16, 1919 -- Consigned to the Flames & Prairie Division

Echternach, Luxembourg

March 16, 1919

To All the Dear Ones at Home:

            Sometimes I wonder if you don’t get rather tired of these letters sent to you all collectively, but there isn’t news or time to write each one separately, and after all I presume it is as much joy or sorrow to read my poor attempt at correspondence all together as it would to write short missives to each.

            This is Sunday and as I’m sitting on the bed in my room with a book as a writing pad, instead of being in the office.  Just went thru a bunch of the old letters for home, dating back as far as Nov and reluctantly consigned all but two to the flames as it is impossible to keep much of that sort of thing around when it comes to a move.  While no moves seem to be contemplated for awhile, I would much rather go thru them (the letters) at leisure and treasure up their messages in my heart and pick out a few to keep a little longer, than to have to throw them to the fire in an impersonal bundle when orders do come.  I hope they come soon as I think I need a change of scene. I feel like a bird in a cage.

            The ankle is getting along as well as can be expected under the circumstances.  Now use only our cane and while it is very sore and pains while walking or using it, it seems to be slowly improving.

            There is a little rumor now that we may go home via Germany & Holland.  Wouldn’t that be a proper and fitting sequence of events and windup for the career of the Fighting Yellow Cross Div in Europe.  Am sending a little write up one of the divisions men got up.  [A transcribed version I had done almost ten years ago can be more easily read there]

            We have had some wonderful weather the past week but today is cloudy and cool and not so pleasant.  Expect to go to the cinema this evening as there is a continuance of the show we saw there last week which is pretty good.  Don’t you want to go along?
            Worked over at the office all of the morning and ought to be there this P.M. but don’t propose to do it as my system is crying for relaxation.  Someway, they can’t seem to be able to let us office force get away from it holidays or Sundays any more than they did in campaign times.  I wonder what they think mere men are made of.  It isn’t making me any thinner but never had my nerves as raw or felt so keyed up as I have the last two months.  But the old German saying applies very well. “So geht es im krieg.”  Will I know how to act on a Sunday back in civilian times I wonder?

By now I hear you all worrying and saying “poor overworked boy.” So I’ll hasten to add that there is probably no need for worry, and I guess what ails me most is “I want to go home.” Now we are stared in the face with the proposition that our files do not meet the Gov’t requirements, so the general upheaval for the next month won’t probably leave me much time for lengthy or interesting letters. Expect Johnnie and Willets back from leave this week which will make us less short handed, tho.
The enclosed service stripe is my very first one, and was worn on my overcoat till we got some new ones at Aix-les-Baines. The ticket took me to the top of Mt. Revard and back while we were at Aix on the cogwheel railroad. The yellow slip is a check from a ticket to the local cinema. May have sent one of those before. Now I’ve got to ring off and shave.
Love again and again to all.
George Sherwood
108th Engineers, Amer. E. F.
Censored: P.S. Thompson
Captain U.S.A.

 

End of letter -

Enclosed is mass produced report on The Prairie Division by William Lewis Judy

 

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May 29, 1918 -- Camp? -- Somewhere in France

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mr. Wm. Sherwood                                                                                       

   May 29, 1918

Kendall, Wisconsin

USA 

My dear Home Folks:

            As it is rapidly getting dark I will rather have to hurry this epistle up some if I am to finish before it is too dark to see.  I only wish I might paint you even a slight word sketch of my surroundings at this instant and some of the events which have transpired since I last wrote you.  But as that is impossible, I can only say that while the heading on this letter is the same as in the last, the scene has shifted greatly. 

            I have received no mail since we embarked, so I am quite a ways behind the times in Wisconsin and in fact all of the good old U. S. A.  But please write as regular as possible, as I still live in hopes of receiving some of my mail sometime. 

            I hope you will excuse the pencil this time as I have not access to any table…. * (36 hrs later).  I have already had the pleasure of riding on one of those odd French trains.    They look like toys compared with such American trains as the 20^th Century Limited[1], etc. 

            Do not worry about me, as I am well billeted very comfortably, and the weather is ideal here. Warm, sunny days with cool, fresh nights to put snap and vigor into us.

            I have been wondering if you have received my insurance papers yet, or at least an official notice of the fact that I had taken out insurance. If not, please let me know by return mail as I will try to get it straightened out from this end. And if perchance I should shuffle off this mundane sphere before you get the papers, please get after the matter as soon as possible after you get the official notice of my death, as the records showing that I took out the insurance and that it has been deducted from my pay regularly might become lost or destroyed. 

            Do not think from this that I am either in grave danger, morbid, or avaricious, but the insurance has been paid and in case of accident you should get the $57.00 each month for 240 months (20 years). 

            Now I think I had better close for this time.  Will enclose the last three numbers of the “Hatchet” with this [None with letter]. 

            Love once more to you all, and always my regards to my friends,

            Your loving son and brother,

                                              George

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[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/20th_Century_Limited The 20th Century Limited was an express passenger train operated by the New York Central Railroad from 1902 to 1967, during which time it would become known as a "National Institution" and the "Most Famous Train in the World." In the year of its last run, The New York Times said that it "...was known to railroad buffs for 65 years as the world's greatest train."^[1] The train traveled between Grand Central Terminal in New York City and LaSalle Street Station in Chicago, Illinois along the railroad's famed "Water Level Route". Photo of train as part of article.