TRANSCRIBED FROM THE NEWPORT DAILY INDEPENDENT APRIL 1, 1919 P. 2
France
March 4th,
1919, P.W.E. Co. No. 99, A.P.O. 717, Amer. Exp. Forces
Mr. S. D. Burton, Auvergne, Ark.
Dear Cos. and all:
I received your letter the last day of February, and believe me, I sure was glad to hear from you and to know that mother and all the family were well.
I got a leave of absences for a few days some time ago and visited one of the French towns near where I am stationed. I saw quite a bit and enjoyed the trip very much.
When I left the states I weighed about 195 pounds and now I weigh 215 pounds, so you can see that uncle Sam is taking pretty good care of his boys and giving them plenty to eat. However, I will be mighty glad when I can get some more of the good old “home eats.”
I don’t know of anything much to write so will try and give you a little of my history since I left Camp Merritt, N.J.
On August 31, 1918, our company hiked from Camp Merritt to the Hudson river, where we took a boat for New York. When we arrived in New York we boarded a ship, but remained in the harbor that night. The next morning, September 1, we sailed for England, landing the 13th of the same month. After a short time we entrained for South Hampton, England. After reaching this place we marched out to a rest camp, but only stayed there eight hours, when we began marching toward the English Channel, where we boarded a ship and sailed for France. This was on September 14th and on the 15th we landed at Cour Burg, France. From there we went out to what they called a rest camp, however, I have another name for it.
We remained at the above mentioned rest camp until the 17th of September and were entrained for Le Mons, France. The next day September 18th, we marched to Le Gurre, a distance of about 10 miles.
We stayed at Le Gurre and were drilled for three weeks. Here our company was divided and I was one of the eighty-four men that was transferred to the prisoner of war Escort Company, which I am still with.
We were then returned to Le Mons and after a short stay there were shipped to Tours, France. We stayed in Tours six weeks and were on guard duty most of the time. From here we were sent to Souilly, France, to get a bunch of German prisoners--some four hundred and fifty--We took the prisoners back with us to Tours, and remained there about a week.
We left our prisoners in Tours and went back to Souilly to take charge of another bunch of prisoners, about the same amount we had the first time. We worked there for about two months at Souilly, then we were moved to another town some twelve miles from Souilly, where we are still located.
We work the prisoners on the roads and believe me, we certainly have built some roads since we have been here.
I don’t think I will get to come home til they turn all the prisoners of war loose, and of course that will be after peace is declared. So I suppose I will be over here for quite a while yet.
Don’t know of anything more to write. Let me hear from you often for I am always glad to get more news from the good old U.S.A. and especially Arkansas.
Your Cousin,
P. H. Burton
NOTES: This letter was written by P. H. Burton.
TRANSCRIBED BY SHANNON SOUTHARD
France
March 4th,
1919, P.W.E. Co. No. 99, A.P.O. 717, Amer. Exp. Forces
Mr. S. D. Burton, Auvergne, Ark.
Dear Cos. and all:
I received your letter the last day of February, and believe me, I sure was glad to hear from you and to know that mother and all the family were well.
I got a leave of absences for a few days some time ago and visited one of the French towns near where I am stationed. I saw quite a bit and enjoyed the trip very much.
When I left the states I weighed about 195 pounds and now I weigh 215 pounds, so you can see that uncle Sam is taking pretty good care of his boys and giving them plenty to eat. However, I will be mighty glad when I can get some more of the good old “home eats.”
I don’t know of anything much to write so will try and give you a little of my history since I left Camp Merritt, N.J.
On August 31, 1918, our company hiked from Camp Merritt to the Hudson river, where we took a boat for New York. When we arrived in New York we boarded a ship, but remained in the harbor that night. The next morning, September 1, we sailed for England, landing the 13th of the same month. After a short time we entrained for South Hampton, England. After reaching this place we marched out to a rest camp, but only stayed there eight hours, when we began marching toward the English Channel, where we boarded a ship and sailed for France. This was on September 14th and on the 15th we landed at Cour Burg, France. From there we went out to what they called a rest camp, however, I have another name for it.
We remained at the above mentioned rest camp until the 17th of September and were entrained for Le Mons, France. The next day September 18th, we marched to Le Gurre, a distance of about 10 miles.
We stayed at Le Gurre and were drilled for three weeks. Here our company was divided and I was one of the eighty-four men that was transferred to the prisoner of war Escort Company, which I am still with.
We were then returned to Le Mons and after a short stay there were shipped to Tours, France. We stayed in Tours six weeks and were on guard duty most of the time. From here we were sent to Souilly, France, to get a bunch of German prisoners--some four hundred and fifty--We took the prisoners back with us to Tours, and remained there about a week.
We left our prisoners in Tours and went back to Souilly to take charge of another bunch of prisoners, about the same amount we had the first time. We worked there for about two months at Souilly, then we were moved to another town some twelve miles from Souilly, where we are still located.
We work the prisoners on the roads and believe me, we certainly have built some roads since we have been here.
I don’t think I will get to come home til they turn all the prisoners of war loose, and of course that will be after peace is declared. So I suppose I will be over here for quite a while yet.
Don’t know of anything more to write. Let me hear from you often for I am always glad to get more news from the good old U.S.A. and especially Arkansas.
Your Cousin,
P. H. Burton
NOTES: This letter was written by P. H. Burton.
TRANSCRIBED BY SHANNON SOUTHARD