TRANSCRIBED FROM THE NEVADA COUNTY PICAYUNE JANUARY 9, 1919 P. 5
Camp Merritt, N. J.
December 31, 1918
Miss May Johnson
Dear Sister:
How are you all now? Well, I hope. For myself, I am just fine.
It sure was bad about papa getting his arm broken. I guess it will be a long time before he can use it. It will hurt him as bad to have to sit around the house as his broken arm.
Well, May, I have gotten two letters from you since I came back to the good old U.S.A. They were dated the 17 and 21. It sure did me good to get a letter from you all so soon after it was written. I sent you all a telegram just before we landed or it was to be sent as soon as we landed. I did not know whether I would get a chance to send one or write you soon, and they would not let me pay it but I knew you all would not mind paying.
We made it in eight days coming back. Did not have to look for subs. I came back on the George Washington. It was different to the one we went over on. The President went over on it and we came back on it. I saw him when he landede. I was at work down at the dock, about four miles from the camp.
We stayed in Brest two weeks and I fell off about two pounds a day but since we got back I have gotten back to what I weighed before I went across 181. If I stay here a weeek or two longer I will go 185 but we will get to Indiana soon. I think maybe I will be home by the 1st of February.
Brest was just a mudhole. Mud came about halfway over our shoes any where we went. We had to go nearly half a mile for our eats and no one ever got foundered. When I got there I did not think anyone could live over two or three days but I am in hog-heaven now.
May, I was lucky not to go to the front but if it had lasted a few days longer I would have witnessed some of it. We heard that our dough-boys got shot up terribly but don’t know how true it is. They crossed before we did and we have never seen them since.
I have handled some kind of a large gun. Our guns were the French 75. About the same as the American 3-inch. They would tear a hole in the ground you could bury a wagon an team in.
Tell mamma I got her letter but did not get my Xmas package or the registered letter. I know you all have failed to get some of my letters. Tell Willie hello for me and that I got his letter and will answer it as soon as I get a chance.
This is the best camp I have ever been in yet. It is just like going thru a town. Good barracks, two stories to them, good stoves and plenty of coal to burn.
I have been to New York since I got back but won’t go any more I don’t guess. It is getting old to me. You see that made my third trip.
May, we had our battery pictures made the other day and I started mine home today. I sure am a bird in there. I had my cap pulled down in my eyes to keep the sun out. Anyway I got the picture for the rest of the boys. One of my old chums is not on there. We had them made with our overcoats on. I’d rather we’d just been in our uniforms. I look like I weigh 200 pounds.
May, you sent me some paper. The soldiers don’t have to want for writing paper. We can get Y.M.C.A. paper anywhere we go. I got a Red Cross package Xmas. ‘Twas fine to. They must have given me the wrong package for there was a deck of cards in it, nevertheless I think I shall take them home with me.
I made the round trip and never saw anyone I knew before I left home. I don’t know where any of the boys are that I came to the Army with. Idon’t think it will be long before I see somebody I know. I felt curious the other day when we were about half way cross coming back, the band began playing “Home Sweet Home,” and I began walking the deck. A fellow will learn to love a band and when they began playing that I thought of things back there that I never thought of before. That was the first time our band had played that where I could hear it.
I don’t have to eat a sandwich and hike on it a half day now. If I should fail to get enough to eat I could just walk about 100 yards and buy anything I want but I am getting plenty.
May, have any of the boys come home yet that live around there. A good many are leaving here every day.
Well May, I will close for this time. Answer soon. Address my letters here and I will get them just the same.
Tomorrow is New Years, maybe I will get to write two or three more letters. Tell Vivian and William hello for me. By by. Love to all from
Eldry Johnson,
Battery B, 137 F.A. Camp Merritt, New Jersey.
NOTES: Eldry Bink Johnson was born in Cale, Arkansas on December 16, 1896 and died in Prescott, Arkansas on June 24, 1986. He is buried in the Bluff City Cemetery in Bluff, Arkansas. He enlisted on August 5,1918 and was discharged on January 13, 1919. He departed New York, NY on October 6,1918 onboard the Empress of Great Britain. He was listed as a Private serving in Batter B 137th Field Artillery.
TRANSCRIBED BY MIKE POLSTON
Camp Merritt, N. J.
December 31, 1918
Miss May Johnson
Dear Sister:
How are you all now? Well, I hope. For myself, I am just fine.
It sure was bad about papa getting his arm broken. I guess it will be a long time before he can use it. It will hurt him as bad to have to sit around the house as his broken arm.
Well, May, I have gotten two letters from you since I came back to the good old U.S.A. They were dated the 17 and 21. It sure did me good to get a letter from you all so soon after it was written. I sent you all a telegram just before we landed or it was to be sent as soon as we landed. I did not know whether I would get a chance to send one or write you soon, and they would not let me pay it but I knew you all would not mind paying.
We made it in eight days coming back. Did not have to look for subs. I came back on the George Washington. It was different to the one we went over on. The President went over on it and we came back on it. I saw him when he landede. I was at work down at the dock, about four miles from the camp.
We stayed in Brest two weeks and I fell off about two pounds a day but since we got back I have gotten back to what I weighed before I went across 181. If I stay here a weeek or two longer I will go 185 but we will get to Indiana soon. I think maybe I will be home by the 1st of February.
Brest was just a mudhole. Mud came about halfway over our shoes any where we went. We had to go nearly half a mile for our eats and no one ever got foundered. When I got there I did not think anyone could live over two or three days but I am in hog-heaven now.
May, I was lucky not to go to the front but if it had lasted a few days longer I would have witnessed some of it. We heard that our dough-boys got shot up terribly but don’t know how true it is. They crossed before we did and we have never seen them since.
I have handled some kind of a large gun. Our guns were the French 75. About the same as the American 3-inch. They would tear a hole in the ground you could bury a wagon an team in.
Tell mamma I got her letter but did not get my Xmas package or the registered letter. I know you all have failed to get some of my letters. Tell Willie hello for me and that I got his letter and will answer it as soon as I get a chance.
This is the best camp I have ever been in yet. It is just like going thru a town. Good barracks, two stories to them, good stoves and plenty of coal to burn.
I have been to New York since I got back but won’t go any more I don’t guess. It is getting old to me. You see that made my third trip.
May, we had our battery pictures made the other day and I started mine home today. I sure am a bird in there. I had my cap pulled down in my eyes to keep the sun out. Anyway I got the picture for the rest of the boys. One of my old chums is not on there. We had them made with our overcoats on. I’d rather we’d just been in our uniforms. I look like I weigh 200 pounds.
May, you sent me some paper. The soldiers don’t have to want for writing paper. We can get Y.M.C.A. paper anywhere we go. I got a Red Cross package Xmas. ‘Twas fine to. They must have given me the wrong package for there was a deck of cards in it, nevertheless I think I shall take them home with me.
I made the round trip and never saw anyone I knew before I left home. I don’t know where any of the boys are that I came to the Army with. Idon’t think it will be long before I see somebody I know. I felt curious the other day when we were about half way cross coming back, the band began playing “Home Sweet Home,” and I began walking the deck. A fellow will learn to love a band and when they began playing that I thought of things back there that I never thought of before. That was the first time our band had played that where I could hear it.
I don’t have to eat a sandwich and hike on it a half day now. If I should fail to get enough to eat I could just walk about 100 yards and buy anything I want but I am getting plenty.
May, have any of the boys come home yet that live around there. A good many are leaving here every day.
Well May, I will close for this time. Answer soon. Address my letters here and I will get them just the same.
Tomorrow is New Years, maybe I will get to write two or three more letters. Tell Vivian and William hello for me. By by. Love to all from
Eldry Johnson,
Battery B, 137 F.A. Camp Merritt, New Jersey.
NOTES: Eldry Bink Johnson was born in Cale, Arkansas on December 16, 1896 and died in Prescott, Arkansas on June 24, 1986. He is buried in the Bluff City Cemetery in Bluff, Arkansas. He enlisted on August 5,1918 and was discharged on January 13, 1919. He departed New York, NY on October 6,1918 onboard the Empress of Great Britain. He was listed as a Private serving in Batter B 137th Field Artillery.
TRANSCRIBED BY MIKE POLSTON