TRANSCRIBED FROM THE MELBOURNE TIMES APRIL 4, 1919 P. 4
Luxemburg, France, 2/18/19.
Miss Fannie Johns.
My Dear Sis:
Again I have the time and pleasure of writing you a few lines. This leaves me fine and dandy and I hope it will find you the same.
Well, Sis, what are you doing these days? I am not doing much today, only cleaning my equipment and washing some clothes, getting ready for an inspection. I will tell you how I am washing my clothes. I boil them in a syrup can one piece at a time. You may think that is would take some time but it does not.
I am having a very good time, getting plenty to eat now, but have been short at times. I am as fat as a little pig and in good health now, but have been lean at times. You ought to have seen the boys when they came out of the lines. I will give you a little sketch of it and you can imagine what war is like. They never had their shoes off for three weeks and did not shave and had to sleep in the trenches and it rained some every day and mud was from 6 to 10 inches deep. The longest they went without food was 72 hours and you know that seemed a long time and to make it more pleasant the Germans were sending over all kinds of big explosive stuff but the most dreaded were the gass shells and it sure did get some of them but it did not kill very many of them—just had to send them to the hospital and they were alright in a few weeks. The company that I came with came out with 21 men out of something over 200 and you can imagine how one feels when he sees his comrades fall right beside him. I sure will have something to tell when I get back home but on the 11 hour on the 11 day and the 11 month the news came to cease firing and it did and I cannot express my feeling in words. The Germans came over and smoked cigaretts. I thought then that I would be home by now but I am not. I have just eat supper and had beef steak and salman bread.
I have not had any mail from you all yet and you know I am getting homesick. I think that will buy me a farm and get me a Dutch girl and stay over here. I do not like this country and I cannot talk to these madamsells, if that is the correct name for a girl over here. There are some nice looking girls over here but there are also pretty ones back home.
Well, sis, I guess I had better close for this time. With love and best wishes,
Your loving bud,
Pvt. Louis S. Johns,
Co. B., 130 U. S. Inf. E. E. F., A. P. O. 750.
NOTES: Johns was born in Zion Arkansas on March 19, 1893 and died on November 7, 1935. He is buried in the Antioch Cemetery in Zion, Arkansas His military headstone identifies him as an Arkansas soldier serving in the 130 Infantry, 33rd Division.
TRANSCRIBED BY LINDA MATTHEWS
Luxemburg, France, 2/18/19.
Miss Fannie Johns.
My Dear Sis:
Again I have the time and pleasure of writing you a few lines. This leaves me fine and dandy and I hope it will find you the same.
Well, Sis, what are you doing these days? I am not doing much today, only cleaning my equipment and washing some clothes, getting ready for an inspection. I will tell you how I am washing my clothes. I boil them in a syrup can one piece at a time. You may think that is would take some time but it does not.
I am having a very good time, getting plenty to eat now, but have been short at times. I am as fat as a little pig and in good health now, but have been lean at times. You ought to have seen the boys when they came out of the lines. I will give you a little sketch of it and you can imagine what war is like. They never had their shoes off for three weeks and did not shave and had to sleep in the trenches and it rained some every day and mud was from 6 to 10 inches deep. The longest they went without food was 72 hours and you know that seemed a long time and to make it more pleasant the Germans were sending over all kinds of big explosive stuff but the most dreaded were the gass shells and it sure did get some of them but it did not kill very many of them—just had to send them to the hospital and they were alright in a few weeks. The company that I came with came out with 21 men out of something over 200 and you can imagine how one feels when he sees his comrades fall right beside him. I sure will have something to tell when I get back home but on the 11 hour on the 11 day and the 11 month the news came to cease firing and it did and I cannot express my feeling in words. The Germans came over and smoked cigaretts. I thought then that I would be home by now but I am not. I have just eat supper and had beef steak and salman bread.
I have not had any mail from you all yet and you know I am getting homesick. I think that will buy me a farm and get me a Dutch girl and stay over here. I do not like this country and I cannot talk to these madamsells, if that is the correct name for a girl over here. There are some nice looking girls over here but there are also pretty ones back home.
Well, sis, I guess I had better close for this time. With love and best wishes,
Your loving bud,
Pvt. Louis S. Johns,
Co. B., 130 U. S. Inf. E. E. F., A. P. O. 750.
NOTES: Johns was born in Zion Arkansas on March 19, 1893 and died on November 7, 1935. He is buried in the Antioch Cemetery in Zion, Arkansas His military headstone identifies him as an Arkansas soldier serving in the 130 Infantry, 33rd Division.
TRANSCRIBED BY LINDA MATTHEWS