TRANSCRIBED FROM THE BAXTER BULLETIN JULY 19, 1918 P. 2
Somewhere in France.
May 19, 1918.
Mrs. Grant Bridgman,
Cotter, Ark., U. S. A.
My dear Mother:
I received all of your letters up to the present date, also received Stanly’s and Carrie’s letters. Please except this as an answer for them all. It takes about six weeks for your letters to reach me. If you put Army Post Office No. 735, A. P. O. 735, they will reach me in less time.
Well, for myself, I will say that I am O. K. At the present time I am not with the Regiment, in other words I am on detached service. I rather like it better than being in the regiment, altho on detached service, we have too much canned eats.
I have already copped a medal for bravery. I saved a boy’s life and the authorities have awarded me a medal. These French are great for medals. Now you can tell the neighbors that your boy is wearing a medal.
You will find enclosed an order approved by my officer of this detachment for things which you wish to send me. I wish to ask you whether the premium on my insurance has been paid also if you received my Boilermaker’s card and book which I sent home from Camp Grant. I meet lots of new soldiers every few days.
We sure have got many over here, more than any one in the States can imagine and we have got the Germans guessing. When the American guns shoot, something generally falls. We have American soldiers building railroads, cars, running locomotives, building docks, and putting this country into shape so the war can be won. The French are very slow and the Americans can complete a job while the average Frenchman is making up his mind. I can readily see the cause of the war lasting as it has. These people have slept on their rights and Germany has taken advantage of their commercial facilities and shipped manufactured products into France, thereby keeping down manufacture. At the beginning of this war Germany landed many boats at ports with cargoes to be loaded into cars and transported over rail to Germany. The scheme worked very well, when the war was declared, Germany had 50,000 French cars in Germany. Just many of such things were pulled off in front of these sleepy French. But they have woke up, and we are on the job with our up to date American ideas. The only thing I regret is that we were not prepared and did not enter this war sooner. I am contented by doing my little bit and have not much respect for the American boy who stays at home, although I am losing lots of money by being here. But when I stop to consider that we are fighting a nation that will stop at nothing, I am willing to sacrifice.
Take my advice, raise all the food stuff possible on the 40 acres out of town, try to raise enough for the family, any way. By doing so you will not have to buy, and some soldier will probably consume that which you would have bought, and I think things are going to be rather high next winter.
Some of the people over here think that the La Guerre (war) will end in 7 or 8 months but I do not think so. I think it will finish the winter of 1920 or 21 as we have a hard path ahead of us yet. Russia quiting was a hard blow, and now Germany has massed her entire forces on our front.
In the last fight Germany used 85 divisions and when you think, that is some men. The entire Camp Travis is only one division, imagine 85 divisions. But all they gain is very little, compared to the vast sacrifice of men. Imagine men lying six feet deep trying to advance and being killed with the machine guns. The Germans are very conspicuous in their drives. They advance in masses, while our military tactics are not so. We use the old Indian tactics, when our ammunition has finished is the only time that very great gains are accomplished.
Well, there are lots of things I should like to tell you but can not. Your letters are not censored, while mine are. I am receiving good treatment and working very hard. We have plenty to eat. So, tell all my friends hello for me. Will get some photos made some day and send you one. Well, dear Mother, will close. Best wishes to all from:
Your Son,
Frank,
F. E. Bridgman,
Co. G. 25th Engrs.,
A.E.F. A. P. O. 735.
NOTES: Frank Elliott Bridgman was born in Larkin, Kansas on April 5, 1893 and died on September 24, 1965. He is buried in the Burning Bush Cemetery in Catoosa County, Georgia. He departed Hoboken, NJ on February 17, 1918. He was living in Cotter, Arkansas at the time. He was serving as a Private in Co. E, 35th Engineers. He returned to the Hoboken from Bassens, France on April 18, 1919 aboard the Orizaba. He arrived in Hoboken on April 27, 1919. He was listed as a Private in the 98th Transportation Corps. Company.
TRANSCRIBED BY LINDA MATTHEWS
Somewhere in France.
May 19, 1918.
Mrs. Grant Bridgman,
Cotter, Ark., U. S. A.
My dear Mother:
I received all of your letters up to the present date, also received Stanly’s and Carrie’s letters. Please except this as an answer for them all. It takes about six weeks for your letters to reach me. If you put Army Post Office No. 735, A. P. O. 735, they will reach me in less time.
Well, for myself, I will say that I am O. K. At the present time I am not with the Regiment, in other words I am on detached service. I rather like it better than being in the regiment, altho on detached service, we have too much canned eats.
I have already copped a medal for bravery. I saved a boy’s life and the authorities have awarded me a medal. These French are great for medals. Now you can tell the neighbors that your boy is wearing a medal.
You will find enclosed an order approved by my officer of this detachment for things which you wish to send me. I wish to ask you whether the premium on my insurance has been paid also if you received my Boilermaker’s card and book which I sent home from Camp Grant. I meet lots of new soldiers every few days.
We sure have got many over here, more than any one in the States can imagine and we have got the Germans guessing. When the American guns shoot, something generally falls. We have American soldiers building railroads, cars, running locomotives, building docks, and putting this country into shape so the war can be won. The French are very slow and the Americans can complete a job while the average Frenchman is making up his mind. I can readily see the cause of the war lasting as it has. These people have slept on their rights and Germany has taken advantage of their commercial facilities and shipped manufactured products into France, thereby keeping down manufacture. At the beginning of this war Germany landed many boats at ports with cargoes to be loaded into cars and transported over rail to Germany. The scheme worked very well, when the war was declared, Germany had 50,000 French cars in Germany. Just many of such things were pulled off in front of these sleepy French. But they have woke up, and we are on the job with our up to date American ideas. The only thing I regret is that we were not prepared and did not enter this war sooner. I am contented by doing my little bit and have not much respect for the American boy who stays at home, although I am losing lots of money by being here. But when I stop to consider that we are fighting a nation that will stop at nothing, I am willing to sacrifice.
Take my advice, raise all the food stuff possible on the 40 acres out of town, try to raise enough for the family, any way. By doing so you will not have to buy, and some soldier will probably consume that which you would have bought, and I think things are going to be rather high next winter.
Some of the people over here think that the La Guerre (war) will end in 7 or 8 months but I do not think so. I think it will finish the winter of 1920 or 21 as we have a hard path ahead of us yet. Russia quiting was a hard blow, and now Germany has massed her entire forces on our front.
In the last fight Germany used 85 divisions and when you think, that is some men. The entire Camp Travis is only one division, imagine 85 divisions. But all they gain is very little, compared to the vast sacrifice of men. Imagine men lying six feet deep trying to advance and being killed with the machine guns. The Germans are very conspicuous in their drives. They advance in masses, while our military tactics are not so. We use the old Indian tactics, when our ammunition has finished is the only time that very great gains are accomplished.
Well, there are lots of things I should like to tell you but can not. Your letters are not censored, while mine are. I am receiving good treatment and working very hard. We have plenty to eat. So, tell all my friends hello for me. Will get some photos made some day and send you one. Well, dear Mother, will close. Best wishes to all from:
Your Son,
Frank,
F. E. Bridgman,
Co. G. 25th Engrs.,
A.E.F. A. P. O. 735.
NOTES: Frank Elliott Bridgman was born in Larkin, Kansas on April 5, 1893 and died on September 24, 1965. He is buried in the Burning Bush Cemetery in Catoosa County, Georgia. He departed Hoboken, NJ on February 17, 1918. He was living in Cotter, Arkansas at the time. He was serving as a Private in Co. E, 35th Engineers. He returned to the Hoboken from Bassens, France on April 18, 1919 aboard the Orizaba. He arrived in Hoboken on April 27, 1919. He was listed as a Private in the 98th Transportation Corps. Company.
TRANSCRIBED BY LINDA MATTHEWS