TRANSCRIBED FROM THE MELBOURNE TIMES MAY 23, 1919 P. 1
Nieder-Lutzingen, Germany.
April 19, 1919.
Mr. and Mrs. R. E. Jeffery,
Mt. Olive, Arkansas,
Dear Parents:
Your letter just received and read with much pleasure, for it has been nearly a week since I heard from you.
How is everything today? I am still working at battalion headquarters. Am an orderly for the adjutant and sergeant major. It’s a wearisome job but it beats “squads east and west.” I prefer to hold it rather than to drill for I believe I have had enough of that.
I was somewhat tickeled at what ‘Spoot” said about my bravery, but as to the fact of the business its about that way but the Dutchmen don’t know any better. They know if I get scared that I am more dangerous than I would be if they don’t say anything, so in order to keep peace in the house they do as I say and everything goes well. Just no longer than a few hours ago four of us were sleeping in the same room. We decided we wanted another room, so we went down and ordered them to vacate that room. At first they didn’t want to, but I went in and put on my belt and gun, and I know I looked so scarry that they decided to obey. So as I said everything works well when they do what we say, but when they don’t woe be unto them.
In other words, to make a short answer, we (us Sammies) are running this part of Germany. We have the right name—the army of occupation. We occupy everything we take a notion, especially all the stables and hay barns until we come to Germany, then we felt that we were better and deserved better treatment than what we had to put up with all through the war, and if we couldn’t get it by asking for it we took it any how. This I know seems cruel to you and to all who never witnessed what we have, and we want them to know that we are boss until peace is signed, then we’ll vacate and come home. We don’t mean to be cruel but we are going to have justice, and while we stay here we must have shelter and we are going to have it. Will tell you more about it later.
We, rs the boys who represent the U. S. A. are a peaceable people when we are treated half right. We don’t want any trouble, but if nothing else will do a squarehead but a little trouble, we happen to be able to interest him at any time, for we never sleep, all of us at once, at any time. We are always on the alert, especially while over here.
We have good rooms, good goose hair beds, electric lights and plenty of heat, so why should we worry. We want to come home but not until Sam says “I need you no longer.” We have driven the filthy Hun back and we intend to keep him back until he says he will stay and then we are not going to trust him very far. The motto we are living up to is, “He can’t put anything over us.”
Most any kind of work would do me good. I haven’t done any real work in several weeks but I get enough occasionally that I don’t forget how it is done.
I want to get back on the farm where I can exercise my arms as well as my legs and feet. My muscles are soft and not near so strong as they were according to my weight and height. I am about 15 pounds heavier than I was and I suess a little taller, but not enough to hardly notice. I am much healthier than I use to be; can’t tell how real home life would agree with me, but I would like to try it pop once more. Write soon.
Your son,
Fred E. Jeffery,
NOTES: Fred Edward Jeffery was born in Lacrosse, Arkansas on October 22, 1895 and died on February 5, 1974. He enlisted on September 18, 1917 and was discharged on September 2, 1919. He departed for France from Hoboken, NJ on June 7, 1918 onboard the Manchuria. He was listed as a Private in the 153rd Infantry, Co. 4, Camp Beauregard June Automatic Replacement Draft Infantry.
TRANSCRIBED BY LINDA MATTHEWS
Nieder-Lutzingen, Germany.
April 19, 1919.
Mr. and Mrs. R. E. Jeffery,
Mt. Olive, Arkansas,
Dear Parents:
Your letter just received and read with much pleasure, for it has been nearly a week since I heard from you.
How is everything today? I am still working at battalion headquarters. Am an orderly for the adjutant and sergeant major. It’s a wearisome job but it beats “squads east and west.” I prefer to hold it rather than to drill for I believe I have had enough of that.
I was somewhat tickeled at what ‘Spoot” said about my bravery, but as to the fact of the business its about that way but the Dutchmen don’t know any better. They know if I get scared that I am more dangerous than I would be if they don’t say anything, so in order to keep peace in the house they do as I say and everything goes well. Just no longer than a few hours ago four of us were sleeping in the same room. We decided we wanted another room, so we went down and ordered them to vacate that room. At first they didn’t want to, but I went in and put on my belt and gun, and I know I looked so scarry that they decided to obey. So as I said everything works well when they do what we say, but when they don’t woe be unto them.
In other words, to make a short answer, we (us Sammies) are running this part of Germany. We have the right name—the army of occupation. We occupy everything we take a notion, especially all the stables and hay barns until we come to Germany, then we felt that we were better and deserved better treatment than what we had to put up with all through the war, and if we couldn’t get it by asking for it we took it any how. This I know seems cruel to you and to all who never witnessed what we have, and we want them to know that we are boss until peace is signed, then we’ll vacate and come home. We don’t mean to be cruel but we are going to have justice, and while we stay here we must have shelter and we are going to have it. Will tell you more about it later.
We, rs the boys who represent the U. S. A. are a peaceable people when we are treated half right. We don’t want any trouble, but if nothing else will do a squarehead but a little trouble, we happen to be able to interest him at any time, for we never sleep, all of us at once, at any time. We are always on the alert, especially while over here.
We have good rooms, good goose hair beds, electric lights and plenty of heat, so why should we worry. We want to come home but not until Sam says “I need you no longer.” We have driven the filthy Hun back and we intend to keep him back until he says he will stay and then we are not going to trust him very far. The motto we are living up to is, “He can’t put anything over us.”
Most any kind of work would do me good. I haven’t done any real work in several weeks but I get enough occasionally that I don’t forget how it is done.
I want to get back on the farm where I can exercise my arms as well as my legs and feet. My muscles are soft and not near so strong as they were according to my weight and height. I am about 15 pounds heavier than I was and I suess a little taller, but not enough to hardly notice. I am much healthier than I use to be; can’t tell how real home life would agree with me, but I would like to try it pop once more. Write soon.
Your son,
Fred E. Jeffery,
NOTES: Fred Edward Jeffery was born in Lacrosse, Arkansas on October 22, 1895 and died on February 5, 1974. He enlisted on September 18, 1917 and was discharged on September 2, 1919. He departed for France from Hoboken, NJ on June 7, 1918 onboard the Manchuria. He was listed as a Private in the 153rd Infantry, Co. 4, Camp Beauregard June Automatic Replacement Draft Infantry.
TRANSCRIBED BY LINDA MATTHEWS