TRANSCRIBED FROM THE COLUMBIA BANNER MAY 8, 1918 P. 4
France, April 7, 1918;
I shall write a short letter today because I cannot write much that would be of interest to you.
On coming here, I accidently ran upon Horace. You can imagine how proud we were both of us.
We are not very far apart now, so I am going to try to go down to see him next Sunday. I have had one letter from him. I can go to his place in about two hours and a half, but visiting is not permitted too often.
We are both in good service and the kind which will be pleasant work so far as war is concerned. Horace, I think, has been fortunate in his service. So tell all the folks not to worry, because we are both coming back fine and dandy.
I am having lots of work, and as you may know the war game is most all work and not much play. But we think the Germans are playing their last time and of course they wish to play loudly.
We are located in a fine country, crops looks well. These people are fine workers and the kind one would say would be fine neighbors.
We are in two country villages and are living among the people. The solders get on fine with them. Of course soldiers are worth lots to any community, because American soldiers spend like princes while they have money. Among the neighbors, when a hen cackles, a soldier is here ready to buy the egg.
The population is very polite and accommodating, so we encourage our men to cultivate the same good manners. Every body works. It is nothing to see a big husky girl out driving a bull team. Unlike our American girls they are not ashamed to do such work. They all wear wooden shoes with a kind of felt slipper beneath over their stockings. As they enter the house they leave their wooden shoes at the door. Although in this section the land is fertile, still every particle of manure is saved and prepared for the fields. Their cattle are very fine and large and I have never seen even one that is in poor order. There are also sheep. They look well too. These people build very substantially. Many of the houses here are at least 200 years old and in good order, so they are not builded just for today, but for the days to come, even the generations which are to come. The public roads are very fine and substantial. If only our people there would build such highways, I believe the good roads have been an important factor in saving the country. Big trucks, carrying immense loads, can go from one end of the country to the other. Wish I could write about the war, but I can’t. Am going to have some pictures taken and will send some. Letters take a long time, so I am writing for the whole family. Send this to Carrie.
Love to all.
Wiley,
Address,
Lieut. Wiley R. Buffington, 5th Field Battalion, Sig. Corps.
A.E, F. France.
NOTES: Wiley Ross Buffington was born on August 23, 1875 in Illinois. He was living in Columbia County, Arkansas by 1900. He died on November 30, 1950 in New Orleans, Louisiana. He is buried in the Metarie Cemetery in New Orleans. He attended pre-med classes at the University of Arkansas and graduated from med school at Tulane in 1899. He entered the military in 1916.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT
France, April 7, 1918;
I shall write a short letter today because I cannot write much that would be of interest to you.
On coming here, I accidently ran upon Horace. You can imagine how proud we were both of us.
We are not very far apart now, so I am going to try to go down to see him next Sunday. I have had one letter from him. I can go to his place in about two hours and a half, but visiting is not permitted too often.
We are both in good service and the kind which will be pleasant work so far as war is concerned. Horace, I think, has been fortunate in his service. So tell all the folks not to worry, because we are both coming back fine and dandy.
I am having lots of work, and as you may know the war game is most all work and not much play. But we think the Germans are playing their last time and of course they wish to play loudly.
We are located in a fine country, crops looks well. These people are fine workers and the kind one would say would be fine neighbors.
We are in two country villages and are living among the people. The solders get on fine with them. Of course soldiers are worth lots to any community, because American soldiers spend like princes while they have money. Among the neighbors, when a hen cackles, a soldier is here ready to buy the egg.
The population is very polite and accommodating, so we encourage our men to cultivate the same good manners. Every body works. It is nothing to see a big husky girl out driving a bull team. Unlike our American girls they are not ashamed to do such work. They all wear wooden shoes with a kind of felt slipper beneath over their stockings. As they enter the house they leave their wooden shoes at the door. Although in this section the land is fertile, still every particle of manure is saved and prepared for the fields. Their cattle are very fine and large and I have never seen even one that is in poor order. There are also sheep. They look well too. These people build very substantially. Many of the houses here are at least 200 years old and in good order, so they are not builded just for today, but for the days to come, even the generations which are to come. The public roads are very fine and substantial. If only our people there would build such highways, I believe the good roads have been an important factor in saving the country. Big trucks, carrying immense loads, can go from one end of the country to the other. Wish I could write about the war, but I can’t. Am going to have some pictures taken and will send some. Letters take a long time, so I am writing for the whole family. Send this to Carrie.
Love to all.
Wiley,
Address,
Lieut. Wiley R. Buffington, 5th Field Battalion, Sig. Corps.
A.E, F. France.
NOTES: Wiley Ross Buffington was born on August 23, 1875 in Illinois. He was living in Columbia County, Arkansas by 1900. He died on November 30, 1950 in New Orleans, Louisiana. He is buried in the Metarie Cemetery in New Orleans. He attended pre-med classes at the University of Arkansas and graduated from med school at Tulane in 1899. He entered the military in 1916.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT