TRANSCRIBED FROM THE ARKANSAS GAZETTE SEPTEMBER 15, 1918 P. 15
Somewhere in France
How’s the hot biscuit and coffee tonight? It’s a long way to dear old Little Rock, and we don’t have any hot biscuits here—no, siree!
And they only use water for washing purposes. But, oh, the wine! This is some country around my present location. Grapes, nuts and wheat in abundance. The farms are odd little affairs, surrounded by earth fences, with a pass-way between them. The fences would suggest barriers against invasions in time of war. They also give an idea of the entrenching system as used in the present war. While marching through a certain section a stone wall was pointed out to me which was built by the great Napoleon. We are walking over ground every day on which that old gent made much of our world history, the kind of history for which you had to stay in after school and have drilled into your noodle! Tell Ceylon he doesn’t know what he is missing, not to be over here with me. Well, it’s getting dark in my little pup tent. It is rather cold these nights. Blankets and overcoats are very comfortable, but it is hot during the day.
NOTES: This is a partial letter written by Corporal Mark L Hardin of Little Rock, Arkansas to his family. He was of medium height and slender build with blue eyes and brown hair. He was born August 25, 1893.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT
Somewhere in France
How’s the hot biscuit and coffee tonight? It’s a long way to dear old Little Rock, and we don’t have any hot biscuits here—no, siree!
And they only use water for washing purposes. But, oh, the wine! This is some country around my present location. Grapes, nuts and wheat in abundance. The farms are odd little affairs, surrounded by earth fences, with a pass-way between them. The fences would suggest barriers against invasions in time of war. They also give an idea of the entrenching system as used in the present war. While marching through a certain section a stone wall was pointed out to me which was built by the great Napoleon. We are walking over ground every day on which that old gent made much of our world history, the kind of history for which you had to stay in after school and have drilled into your noodle! Tell Ceylon he doesn’t know what he is missing, not to be over here with me. Well, it’s getting dark in my little pup tent. It is rather cold these nights. Blankets and overcoats are very comfortable, but it is hot during the day.
NOTES: This is a partial letter written by Corporal Mark L Hardin of Little Rock, Arkansas to his family. He was of medium height and slender build with blue eyes and brown hair. He was born August 25, 1893.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT