TRANSCRIBED FROM THE ROGERS DEMOCRAT MAY 19, 1919 P. 1
April 24th, 1919:
Dear Homefolks:
I am pretty tired tonight, and I know that if I go out I will not get in and I want to get a good night’s sleep. I had to get up at 4:45 this morning for today was the big day of the 90th Division. We were inspected and reviewed by Gen. Pershing. The review was held at Wengewer, about eighteen kilometers from here. We went up in trucks and it was pretty chilly for we did not wear our coats. It was not an ideal day by any means. It rained several light showers and sleeted some. The worst part of it was we had to stand with our packs on for five hours. Believe me, my shoulders were tired. This was the Division’s last review and probably the last time we will ever be all together again. Aproximately there were 15,000 men there today.
The field was a long meadow and it was saturated. It was just like walking on a sponge and after standing in one place awhile it was necessary to move a little to keep from miring clear down.
We hope to have it a little easier from now on. We have been working for this inspection for three months. We have a new battalion commander, and I think he is going to be fine.
We expect to leave here on or about May 17th, or probably sooner, and hope to sail for home about the 26th of May. We may have our hopes built a little high, but let’s hope not. I believe I will go back to my old home here for a little while. Every time I see any of the family, they insist on me coming up. The old lady is fine and like a mother, but the younger ones are not so agreeable. I had to threaten to clear the house the other night in order to have peace. I sleep in the boy’s room and bed and he had to find a bed elsewhere, and consequently he did not love me any too well, and he insisted that I leave the kaiser’s picture on the wall. It isn’t there now and won’t be as long as I am there.
Well, I must close. Love to all
Charles
NOTES: This letter was written by Charles Elmer Burnham from Barncastle, Germany. Burnham was born on March 1, 1895 in Rogers, Arkansas and died on February 24, 1942. He is buried in the Sutter Cemetery in Sutter, California. His military headstone identifies him as a Oklahoma Sgt. serving in Co. C, 315th Field Signal Bn, 90th division. He enlisted on October 17, 19?? and was discharged on June 26, 1919.
TRANSCRIBED BY SHANNON SOUTHARD
April 24th, 1919:
Dear Homefolks:
I am pretty tired tonight, and I know that if I go out I will not get in and I want to get a good night’s sleep. I had to get up at 4:45 this morning for today was the big day of the 90th Division. We were inspected and reviewed by Gen. Pershing. The review was held at Wengewer, about eighteen kilometers from here. We went up in trucks and it was pretty chilly for we did not wear our coats. It was not an ideal day by any means. It rained several light showers and sleeted some. The worst part of it was we had to stand with our packs on for five hours. Believe me, my shoulders were tired. This was the Division’s last review and probably the last time we will ever be all together again. Aproximately there were 15,000 men there today.
The field was a long meadow and it was saturated. It was just like walking on a sponge and after standing in one place awhile it was necessary to move a little to keep from miring clear down.
We hope to have it a little easier from now on. We have been working for this inspection for three months. We have a new battalion commander, and I think he is going to be fine.
We expect to leave here on or about May 17th, or probably sooner, and hope to sail for home about the 26th of May. We may have our hopes built a little high, but let’s hope not. I believe I will go back to my old home here for a little while. Every time I see any of the family, they insist on me coming up. The old lady is fine and like a mother, but the younger ones are not so agreeable. I had to threaten to clear the house the other night in order to have peace. I sleep in the boy’s room and bed and he had to find a bed elsewhere, and consequently he did not love me any too well, and he insisted that I leave the kaiser’s picture on the wall. It isn’t there now and won’t be as long as I am there.
Well, I must close. Love to all
Charles
NOTES: This letter was written by Charles Elmer Burnham from Barncastle, Germany. Burnham was born on March 1, 1895 in Rogers, Arkansas and died on February 24, 1942. He is buried in the Sutter Cemetery in Sutter, California. His military headstone identifies him as a Oklahoma Sgt. serving in Co. C, 315th Field Signal Bn, 90th division. He enlisted on October 17, 19?? and was discharged on June 26, 1919.
TRANSCRIBED BY SHANNON SOUTHARD