TRANSCRIBED FROM THE ASHLEY COUNTY EAGLE OCTOBER 25, 1917 P. 4
Camp Pike, Oct. 16, 1917.
Dear Father:
I received your letter yesterday, was glad to hear from you, and am glad you are all well. I am feeling very good now. My arm is still sore from the sprain, but is much better.
You ask me if I had called a drafted man a slacker, which resulted in a fight and a ten days sentence in the guard house. No! There never was a greater lie started. Not one word of truth in it, and I can prove it. Furthermore, I’d make any one a present of a $100.00 Liberty Bond to prove that there was one word of truth in it.
There is no one in the army who has a greater respect for the men in the National Army than I have. In fact we are all the same. The only difference is in name, and we will soon be the same, since as you know most of the first 40 per cent will be transferred to us, and we all look forward to that time. No such idea has ever come into my mind. And if I had been guilty, how could I have received my promotion? I am proud a record is kept of every soldier and after the war clouds have faded away, I hope you can find mine clean. If not, you will forgive me? For it will be an error of the head and not of the heart. May God help me to do my duty for my country and ever hold up the blood stained Banner of Christ as I go, and prove true to every expectation of you and mother.
Do not believe such reports. I dare say the same one who started such is a craven coward, who will neither volunteer nor give a cent for the poor, suffering European soldiers and the American boys, but turns people off by saying: “the Government provides,” and its “a poor man’s fight and a rich man’s war,” etc. just to keep from giving and it may be that he had escaped the draft in some way. Don’t insult me by telling me who it is, if you happen to know; for surely my faith in his loyalty would be shaken. Now understand, I do not care so much on my own account, but do not want you and mother to even think of such. My only desire is to do my duty in every way. You support the Liberty Loan and every other issue of the Government. For I consider this just as patriotic as anything you can do. You and all laboring men and all those who contribute to the maintenance of an army to win the great war are just as patriotic as any one in the “Khaki.” We must have this support so help us win in this way.
I am your loving son,
Henry L. Boykin,
Co. K., 153rd Inf. U. S. N. G.
Camp Pike, Ark.
NOTES: Henry Leonidas Boykin was born on January 22, 1893 in Hamburg, Arkansas and died on February 23, 1967 in Mer Rouge, Louisiana. He is buried in the Pine Grove Cemetery in Bastrop, Louisiana. His military headstone identifies him as an Arkansas 2nd Lieut. in the 153rd Infantry. He was living in Hamburg at the time of his enlistment. His father and mother were Zack S. and Sarah C. Boykin. He departed for France from Hoboken, New Jersey onboard the Rijndam on September 23, 1918. He departed France on July 5, 1919 onboard the Prinz Friedrich Wilhelm and arrived in Hoboken on July 14, 1919.
TRANSCRIBED BY LINDA MATTHEWS
Camp Pike, Oct. 16, 1917.
Dear Father:
I received your letter yesterday, was glad to hear from you, and am glad you are all well. I am feeling very good now. My arm is still sore from the sprain, but is much better.
You ask me if I had called a drafted man a slacker, which resulted in a fight and a ten days sentence in the guard house. No! There never was a greater lie started. Not one word of truth in it, and I can prove it. Furthermore, I’d make any one a present of a $100.00 Liberty Bond to prove that there was one word of truth in it.
There is no one in the army who has a greater respect for the men in the National Army than I have. In fact we are all the same. The only difference is in name, and we will soon be the same, since as you know most of the first 40 per cent will be transferred to us, and we all look forward to that time. No such idea has ever come into my mind. And if I had been guilty, how could I have received my promotion? I am proud a record is kept of every soldier and after the war clouds have faded away, I hope you can find mine clean. If not, you will forgive me? For it will be an error of the head and not of the heart. May God help me to do my duty for my country and ever hold up the blood stained Banner of Christ as I go, and prove true to every expectation of you and mother.
Do not believe such reports. I dare say the same one who started such is a craven coward, who will neither volunteer nor give a cent for the poor, suffering European soldiers and the American boys, but turns people off by saying: “the Government provides,” and its “a poor man’s fight and a rich man’s war,” etc. just to keep from giving and it may be that he had escaped the draft in some way. Don’t insult me by telling me who it is, if you happen to know; for surely my faith in his loyalty would be shaken. Now understand, I do not care so much on my own account, but do not want you and mother to even think of such. My only desire is to do my duty in every way. You support the Liberty Loan and every other issue of the Government. For I consider this just as patriotic as anything you can do. You and all laboring men and all those who contribute to the maintenance of an army to win the great war are just as patriotic as any one in the “Khaki.” We must have this support so help us win in this way.
I am your loving son,
Henry L. Boykin,
Co. K., 153rd Inf. U. S. N. G.
Camp Pike, Ark.
NOTES: Henry Leonidas Boykin was born on January 22, 1893 in Hamburg, Arkansas and died on February 23, 1967 in Mer Rouge, Louisiana. He is buried in the Pine Grove Cemetery in Bastrop, Louisiana. His military headstone identifies him as an Arkansas 2nd Lieut. in the 153rd Infantry. He was living in Hamburg at the time of his enlistment. His father and mother were Zack S. and Sarah C. Boykin. He departed for France from Hoboken, New Jersey onboard the Rijndam on September 23, 1918. He departed France on July 5, 1919 onboard the Prinz Friedrich Wilhelm and arrived in Hoboken on July 14, 1919.
TRANSCRIBED BY LINDA MATTHEWS