TRANSCRIBED FROM THE SPECTATOR JANUARY 14, 1919 P. 2
Stenay, France, Nov. 24, 1918.
Dear Mother:
As today is "Father's Day" I will write you and hope this finds you all well. This leaves me O.K.
As the censorship is not quite so strict as it was we are now free to write what we have been doing. We landed in England July 2nd and paraded Liverpool July 4th, and started for France July 5th where we took first place Aug. 22nd and started our drive Syor. I guess you read of the St. Mihiel drive. We left that front about Aug. 9th and went to the Verdun or the Argonne front Oct. 12th and was still driving Nov. 11th at 11:o'clock when the armistice was signed.
Stenay is a town we had just captured when the armistice was signed. It is not far from the Rhine and I guess by the time you see this we will be "somewhere in Germany."
There are nine divisions of us called the "Army of Occupation", troops that will go through Germany. So you can see that most of the time we have spent in France was on the front. Seems like I have been all over France and have seen most of it but have never been to Paris or any good towns. About all the town I have seen are all shot down. You seldom see a farm house over here. All little villages and all buildings are of stone. I have seen good sized towns and not a whole wall left standing. We have all seen things and had experiences that we would not take anything for, but we are ready to come back home without seeing any more. I kinder believe Easter Sunday will find me at home, at least back in the States.
Well, Mother, as this is all the time I have I must close for this time. Love to all.
Your son,
Jesse Hopkins.
Sup. Co. 358 U.S. Inf. A.E.F. P.O. 770.
NOTES: Jesse Hopkins was born on August 26, 1894 and died on December 28, 1972. He is buried in the Houston Cemetery in Alix, Arkansas. His military headstone identifies hi as a Pvt. serving in the US Army during World War I. He was writing to his parents James and Sarah Hopkins.
TRANSCRIBED BY LAEL HARROD
Stenay, France, Nov. 24, 1918.
Dear Mother:
As today is "Father's Day" I will write you and hope this finds you all well. This leaves me O.K.
As the censorship is not quite so strict as it was we are now free to write what we have been doing. We landed in England July 2nd and paraded Liverpool July 4th, and started for France July 5th where we took first place Aug. 22nd and started our drive Syor. I guess you read of the St. Mihiel drive. We left that front about Aug. 9th and went to the Verdun or the Argonne front Oct. 12th and was still driving Nov. 11th at 11:o'clock when the armistice was signed.
Stenay is a town we had just captured when the armistice was signed. It is not far from the Rhine and I guess by the time you see this we will be "somewhere in Germany."
There are nine divisions of us called the "Army of Occupation", troops that will go through Germany. So you can see that most of the time we have spent in France was on the front. Seems like I have been all over France and have seen most of it but have never been to Paris or any good towns. About all the town I have seen are all shot down. You seldom see a farm house over here. All little villages and all buildings are of stone. I have seen good sized towns and not a whole wall left standing. We have all seen things and had experiences that we would not take anything for, but we are ready to come back home without seeing any more. I kinder believe Easter Sunday will find me at home, at least back in the States.
Well, Mother, as this is all the time I have I must close for this time. Love to all.
Your son,
Jesse Hopkins.
Sup. Co. 358 U.S. Inf. A.E.F. P.O. 770.
NOTES: Jesse Hopkins was born on August 26, 1894 and died on December 28, 1972. He is buried in the Houston Cemetery in Alix, Arkansas. His military headstone identifies hi as a Pvt. serving in the US Army during World War I. He was writing to his parents James and Sarah Hopkins.
TRANSCRIBED BY LAEL HARROD