From Em, Charlestown Mass. 7/21/1916

Dear Sam.

 

Recieved your nice long letter and had Bert sharpen my pencil to ans. it with. I have sent you a few papers but now I’ll only send you the Malitia news. I was up to the pictures last night as I stated in my letter and the picture was good. It showed Gen. Cole telephonning and stated that the fellows were all in their armories in 48 hours. It showed the malitia marching through Haymarket Square. It showed the fellow in Co. C. getting married in the rain. It then showed them taking down the tents and marching away. There was the rookies marching and doing exercises and they looked funny.

 

Little Mary got home and came up with me and when they were showing the review parade Mary kept saying “Is Sam gone by yet?” I was explaining to her about it and I told her I was down there. Meaning Framingham. And then she wanted me to take her to see you next Sun. But of course I told her I couldn’t. When it showed the fellows marching over the field to the train I told her they were going to Mexico. And she hollered out, “And did they have to march all the way?” Then it showed them loading the trains and she said, “If they walked they’d be tired wouldn’t they?” You can imagine the fun I had.

 

Yes I understand your letter all right and when you tell about your drills and guard duty ets it makes the letter very interesting. Tell Corp. Marks I was asking for him and glad he is feeling well. Also give Walter Kingsman my best regards. I hope you enjoyed your trip to M. and also glad you took no time in tripping back again. Your some busy guy alright but still its better to be over some one than to have them all over you.

 

I hope you get your picture all right and be sure and send it home because you know it will be saved here. I’ll send Henry’s picture as soon as I get it and also one of Mary’s. When you go to El Paso sent home some sort of a souvernier if you can. Anything at all will be excepted. I glad you had a chance to dress up and Im also glad your wise enough to can all unnecessary work such as base-ball.

 

I took your post cards in the shop to show the girls and they thought it was good of you to send them home. Mary is very anxious for me to stop writing so she can write, too, but I going to fill up this paper anyway. Pa recieved a postcard from Bill’s son who is in Fort Bliss. It was good of him wasn’t it? Pa is feeling good and when he got through reading your letter he said it was a fine composition. Of course we read your letters before we sit down to supper and then talk it over.

 

You are certainly doing fine in writing and when I don’t have to wait for and ans. from my last and you don’t either it keeps us close together and I don’t relize even yet that you’re so far away. As long as we have something to say every day to each other we will be all right.

 

Will have to close now wishing you the best of health. I am going to help Mary with her letter now but will only spell the big words for her.

 

With Love from all

Em.

 

 

© Copyright 2009 by Richard Landers, All Rights Reserved. No reproduction without permission.

Camp Cotton, Texas 7/21/1916

Dear Em

 

Have just come in from a hard four hour drill, and take it from me your letter came in just right. I am glad you gave me a little scoulding for writing the way I have been writing, for it seems right after I sent that letter, I have been getting mail from some one of you every day. I got a letter from Mary Higgins, and I intend to answer it. I wrote a letter to Little Mary last week so I guess she has got it by this time. I have not yet received the candy or the letter from Henry, and I will be expecting them anytime now. As for the girl nuf ced. She is a good kid, and dancer and you know that is just my style. She writes very cheering letters and she writes them often too! If you are thinking of me, and you sertainly show it in your letters, what must I be doing away down here of you.

 

You said it, when you spoke of my taking care of my self. I did think I was going to be sick at first but I took things easy and now, if it was not for the heat of the day, I wouldn’t mind it at all. It is just as you say about answering to quickly, but I have to keep cool with the recruits for it has been my job ever since we struck here to handle these fellows. And say it is some job. Some of them try to get in right with me, (and they are good fellows too) but I have to hold them off, and to do this I howl at them more than the others. This is a fine job isn’t it? Well the sooner I make soldiers of them the sooner I’m done with it so I am working like the devil to accomplish this. I’ve got to go out tonight again to teach them how to shoot. OH what a job, but it is part of the game, so what is the use of thinking of it.

 

Tell the Studdley girls that I am feeling fine and return my regards them. I sent Mrs. Holland, (and the family) a letter and I hope they have received it by this time.

 

Tell pa to enjoy himself this week and I am going to try from now on to make this work down here, just play a far a fatigue is conserned.

 

Well I’ll close in the best of health and spirits. Tell Henry to be sure and write.

 

With love

Sam.

 

© Copyright 2008 by Richard Landers, All Rights Reserved. No reproduction without permission.

From Em, Charlestown Mass. 7/20/1916

Dear Samakel

 

Recieved your letter and send a card saying a letter would follow and here it is. Gee, you’re a funny guy. Why don’t you get in the first row when you see them taking your picture? The picture of the “City of Tents” looks fine through the glass we have. I showed Henry your mail, he was over last night. We asked him if he was coming over Sun and he said “Sure, and don’t forget to have some biscuits.” There is no bread eating here now except 1 slice by me in the morning. I guess Lena will have to stop buying bread & butter altogether.

 

I was over to Molly’s with Henry last Sun and Henry was talking about cooking. He must be some cook himself. We stayed to supper and Molly said she was sorry she didn’t have something nice for him. He said, “If you want to have something for me next time make me some of your potato cakes and plenty of it.” You would think some one gave her $100. to see how pleased she was. I was glad he sprung it. Oh Henry is some boy now but don’t worry I won’t let him cut you out.

 

Nora and the kids are well. Madge feels alright sometimes and then again she don’t. If you write her a nice long letter she will feel pleased I know, because she loves to have me bring down all the letters and read them to her. I’m saving them all and intend to keep them for you to read.

 

Bert, Lena, and little Mary have gone down to Nantasket Beach today and I got the supper. I’m going up to Peason’s tonight because they had it advertised that there would be moving pictures of the boys at Framingham. I going up to see if I can see you and will tell you all about it in my next letter.

 

I have to close because I have to wash the dishes & meet Sadie Mack at 7.30. By the way she told me to tell you she was asking for you and to tell you to try and not get sun burnt. Hoping this finds you well and happy I will close.

 

With Love from all & everybody

Emily Jane.

 

P.S. Pa is fine and he starts on his vacation next Tues. Lena wasn’t here to address the envelope and I did it myself. How does it look?

 

 

© Copyright 2009 by Richard Landers, All Rights Reserved. No reproduction without permission.

 

From Em, Charlestown Mass. 7/18/1916

Dear Sam.

 

I have just got your letter and I’m glad mine cheered you up. When I first read your other letter I thought something was the matter with the mail but when I looked it up on the calender I knew it would be all right. Little Mary had just written to you and put it in the box when she got yours. I just wish you could see how glad she was. She is staying over with us now. Lena plays the graphanola while she dances. Isadore Duncan has nothing on her.

 

Well to tell the truth Sam I couldn’t blame you for getting nervous in not receiving mail and I hope now it never stops coming. Seeing that you are writing so much, Lena thought you ought to have more stamps. I saw in the paper this morning about your out post duty. It told about some of the boys seeing the horsemen shot down and I’m just sending that much.

 

Mrs Holland received your letter today and Catherine showed it to me. She said it was real nice of you. Henry told Molly that if she moved to Charlestown he would, too. And if he did it would be to stay. He was telling us that last Sat. night Nora asked him what to get for Sun. dinner and he told he didn’t care what she got for herself because he was coming of here for dinner.

 

The Hollands are putting in a bathroom down stairs and ours is beginning to get lonesome now for you. Hurry up home and you can have it all afternoon without them chasing you out. Napolean is the same old scout and Maggie is doing fine. I told her about you writing home but I was afraid if I told her you was asking for her she would tell me to buy some butts to send down to you.

 

The little birds are still there across the way. Your thoughts are certainly around here alright when you thought of them. Pa is feeling fine and working every day. I haven’t got Henry’s picture yet but when there developed I’ll send it.

 

They have Mary playing statue and I can almost write. Well I guess I better close now as my paper is all used up. Hoping this letter finds you in the best of health I will close.

 

With Love from all

Em.

 

 

© Copyright 2009 by Richard Landers, All Rights Reserved. No reproduction without permission.

Camp Cotton, Texas 7/18/1916

Dear Em,

 

Here is one right back at you, and if it has the punch that I feel like giving, I think we will come out even. We have just come in from out post, a job we have been on for the last twenty four hours. I suppose this telling you of our out post duty is getting to be old stuff with you. Well if it is, old stuff to you, believe me it is sertainly getting to be very, very stail stuff for us. It is the third time we have furnished out post, besides, twice interior guard, and twice acting as reserve. Of coarse this will be all Dutch to you unless I discribe it to you.

 

We are using two companies for out post every night. This is a position taken up as near the boundary as is possible, but at the same time to allow safe cover and observation. I don’t want you to think I am fore flushing when I say that last night, the corporal of sentry squad no. one, and I, jumped through the barb wire fence into Mexico, but we jumped right back again.

 

My duty was to take charge of two sentry squads. Now a sentry squad is one squad (eight men). Two men from each of these are sent out; the rest are held back to rest, and to releave those already out at sertain intervales. I have to post these men to the best advantage and see that they under stand their special orders, which were last night to arrest any and all persons found crossing our chain of sentinels, to search them for arms and amunition, and to look out for the smuggling of Chinamen into this country. This is all out post work.

 

The reserve means nothing more than the word itself. It consists of two or more companies held about one hundred yards in rear, ready to go up into action should the out post be attacked. Interior gaurd is tacken care of by one other company. Their duty is to keep order in camp such as, see that all lights are out at taps, arrest any one that is found outside of camp with out a pass, and to take care of prisoners. All this is just a brief outline of the different classes of guard duty but I guess even this much is plenty enough, for you to say, (Well Now I Don’t Know).

 

This morning two privates from one of the Michigan regiments wanted to take pictures of one of the boundary monuments. Seargeant Smith and I had the sentry hold them until we had time, and then we marched them down and made them take our pictures. We took a chance in doing this but we got away with it and if we get the result of the experience, (the picture) why it will be well worth the chance. Of coarse home it goes if I am lucky enough to get it. I thank Lena for the writing paper, and I am going to see how quick I can use it up, by writing to you. The stamps were just the thing I neaded for I haven’t been to El Paso for over a week, on account of the recruits and all the gaurd we had to stand. I expect to get a pass tomorrow, for I nead a hair cut, and a little change of scenery. If you could see me writing this letter you would wonder how I do it, but I guess I will be better off pretty soon, for the tent squad is talking of making a table to overcome this difficulty.

 

I got Berts postal from Providence and I thank him for the same. By the way John Marks sends his regards; he is doing fine. As for pulling down my pants, we have got our new uniforms now, and maybe I’m not sorry class. And the ball games. I put the fellows that play this game down in a climate like this, in the same class as those that run in the Marathon every year, nuts. Some of the boys just got a water mellon somewhere and gee what a mess we have made. There is some of it on this sheet of paper, but you should worry. I hope Henry is well and do show him these letters. Also send the picture you promised in your last. I hope Molly finds a good place in the old town if she moves. I hope I hear from Renney, he’s a good kid.

 

There is no need of sending news papers unless there is something very interesting in them for the boys here have papers come to them. You said in this letter you haven’t much news. Well let me tell you, even an envelope from you is news. I am very glad to hear that pa is feeling all right. It is half the letter. That was a good one you pulled at the band concert, and I guess you hit the nail on the head too as far as the other fellows are concerned anyway. I sure do wish I was walking Bunker Hill St. instead of this desert.

 

As for being good, well you can’t last long down here unless you do, so don’t worry on that score. I haven’t heard from the shop as yet, but I have sent the boss a letter and I hope to hear from him any day now. I am glad to say we get enough to eat, but sorry to say that I can’t eat much at any time, Ill make up for it when I get home.

 

Well I guess Ill close now and go to sleep after twenty four hours of continual patroling and instructing. Me for El Paso tomorrow, and I think the change will do me good. I will close now by saying Good Night.

 

Your loving brother
Sam.

© Copyright 2008 by Richard Landers, All Rights Reserved. No reproduction without permission.

Postcard from El Paso, 7/17/1916

Only 112 here today in shade. Sand storms all afternoon. Expect to leave here soon for border duty. Camped just outside Fort Bliss. Nothing but sand and sage brush. Stray shots along border every little while. Feeding fine and all are well.

 

 

 

 © Copyright 2008 by Richard Landers, All Rights Reserved. No reproduction without permission.