TRANSCRIBED FROM THE DARDANELLE POST-DISPATCH DECEMBER 12, 1918 P. 1
Everyone in camp was celebrating last night to know the Kaiser is whipped, and whipped badly, and the United States is going to make him pay, and pay dearly, for all he has done, and God knows he has done enough.
We are all glad, but are sore because we don’t think we will get to swat him much, if any. The terms of peace which Germany has accepted are something fierce. I did not think they would ever humble themselves. You may not know it, but these Americans and French are “whipping the fire” out of the Huns. I visited Rheims last Saturday. It is an ancient city of 50,000 people in peace times. I also visited the Palace of Justice and the Museum. Stayed at the Hotel de France and came back across country in an army truck and saw some of the prettiest country I believe I ever saw. Not many of the fields are in cultivation, due to the fact that everyone is in the army except the women and children and old men.
Lots of German prisoners are here, mostly kids, 15, 16 and 17 years old. Shows what shape the Germans were getting in. There is no “flu” over here to amount to anything, so you can rest easy on that matter. From all indications they won’t need any men over here. Uncle Sam’s army boys are some wildcats in a battle; they just go right on over and you can’t stop them.
NOTES: This partial letter was written by First Lieut. Oscar Ervin French on November 12 to his parents Mr. and Mrs. E. S. French. He was a member of the Arkansas National Guard for 16 years and at one time was the Captain of the Dardanelle company. Before the war he served during the Mexican Borders troubles. He reported for federal service on August 5, 1917 and was discharged on January 21, 1919. He served in Battery C, 142nd Field Artillery, 39th Division. He was born on January 28, 1882 and died on March 12, 1949. He is buried in the Brearley Cemetery at Dardanelle, Arkansas. His military headstone identifies him as an Arkansas Lieut. serving in 142nd Field Artillery, 39th Division in WWI.
TRANSCRIBED BY LINDA MATTHEWS
Everyone in camp was celebrating last night to know the Kaiser is whipped, and whipped badly, and the United States is going to make him pay, and pay dearly, for all he has done, and God knows he has done enough.
We are all glad, but are sore because we don’t think we will get to swat him much, if any. The terms of peace which Germany has accepted are something fierce. I did not think they would ever humble themselves. You may not know it, but these Americans and French are “whipping the fire” out of the Huns. I visited Rheims last Saturday. It is an ancient city of 50,000 people in peace times. I also visited the Palace of Justice and the Museum. Stayed at the Hotel de France and came back across country in an army truck and saw some of the prettiest country I believe I ever saw. Not many of the fields are in cultivation, due to the fact that everyone is in the army except the women and children and old men.
Lots of German prisoners are here, mostly kids, 15, 16 and 17 years old. Shows what shape the Germans were getting in. There is no “flu” over here to amount to anything, so you can rest easy on that matter. From all indications they won’t need any men over here. Uncle Sam’s army boys are some wildcats in a battle; they just go right on over and you can’t stop them.
NOTES: This partial letter was written by First Lieut. Oscar Ervin French on November 12 to his parents Mr. and Mrs. E. S. French. He was a member of the Arkansas National Guard for 16 years and at one time was the Captain of the Dardanelle company. Before the war he served during the Mexican Borders troubles. He reported for federal service on August 5, 1917 and was discharged on January 21, 1919. He served in Battery C, 142nd Field Artillery, 39th Division. He was born on January 28, 1882 and died on March 12, 1949. He is buried in the Brearley Cemetery at Dardanelle, Arkansas. His military headstone identifies him as an Arkansas Lieut. serving in 142nd Field Artillery, 39th Division in WWI.
TRANSCRIBED BY LINDA MATTHEWS