TRANSCRIBED FROM THE NEWPORT DAILY INDEPENDENT AUGUST 1, 1918 P. 1
Dear Brother:
I will answer your very kind and welcome letter which I received today. This leaves me well, and I hope it finds you and all the folks in good health and spirits.
Well, Jeff, you ought to be with me. We would have a time drilling. I have gotten out of detention camp and feel as if I had been released from jail. I can now go anywhere about the camp, which is ten miles square, and have been given my gun and everything.
Jeff, if you ever join the army do everything your captain tells you, and you will get along fine. He will do everything he can to help you. I have never yet received a cross word. You have to forget everything but the army, then it is easy--you cannot think of home and what you are trying to do at the same time. You will have to take a bath every day, keep your clothes clean and have your gun shining all the time. Never go out without your leggings, and when you are called to attention, come to attention as quick as you can bat an eye. Never move, and look straight to the front. You must keep your shoes shining all the time too. If you do these things people will say “there goes a good soldier.” but if you neglect to do these things you will be punished, and you will be looked down on as a lazy soldier, and nobody will have anything to do with you.
Goodbye until I see you. From your brother.
William Daniels.
NOTES: John William Daniels was born in Arkansas on December 17, 1892 and died in Blytheville, Arkansas on December 6, 1962. He is buried in the Shady Ridge Cemetery in Burdette, Arkansas. His military headstone identifies him as an Arkansas Private serving in Co. K 163rd Infantry in World War I. he enlisted on July 5, 1918 and was discharged on March 1, 1919. He departed New York, NY on October 2, 1918 onboard the Aquitania. He was listed as a Private serving in Co. B. 149th Infantry. He departed Brest, France on February 4, 1919 onboard the Huntington. He arrived in Hoboken, NJ on February 16, 1919. He was serving as a Private in Co. K. 163rd Infantry. That was in the 41st Division. He was writing to his brother Jeff from Camp Shelby, Mississippi.
TRANSCRIBED BY ADIN TYGART
Dear Brother:
I will answer your very kind and welcome letter which I received today. This leaves me well, and I hope it finds you and all the folks in good health and spirits.
Well, Jeff, you ought to be with me. We would have a time drilling. I have gotten out of detention camp and feel as if I had been released from jail. I can now go anywhere about the camp, which is ten miles square, and have been given my gun and everything.
Jeff, if you ever join the army do everything your captain tells you, and you will get along fine. He will do everything he can to help you. I have never yet received a cross word. You have to forget everything but the army, then it is easy--you cannot think of home and what you are trying to do at the same time. You will have to take a bath every day, keep your clothes clean and have your gun shining all the time. Never go out without your leggings, and when you are called to attention, come to attention as quick as you can bat an eye. Never move, and look straight to the front. You must keep your shoes shining all the time too. If you do these things people will say “there goes a good soldier.” but if you neglect to do these things you will be punished, and you will be looked down on as a lazy soldier, and nobody will have anything to do with you.
Goodbye until I see you. From your brother.
William Daniels.
NOTES: John William Daniels was born in Arkansas on December 17, 1892 and died in Blytheville, Arkansas on December 6, 1962. He is buried in the Shady Ridge Cemetery in Burdette, Arkansas. His military headstone identifies him as an Arkansas Private serving in Co. K 163rd Infantry in World War I. he enlisted on July 5, 1918 and was discharged on March 1, 1919. He departed New York, NY on October 2, 1918 onboard the Aquitania. He was listed as a Private serving in Co. B. 149th Infantry. He departed Brest, France on February 4, 1919 onboard the Huntington. He arrived in Hoboken, NJ on February 16, 1919. He was serving as a Private in Co. K. 163rd Infantry. That was in the 41st Division. He was writing to his brother Jeff from Camp Shelby, Mississippi.
TRANSCRIBED BY ADIN TYGART