TRANSCRIBED FROM THE JONESBORO DAILY TRIBUNE JANUARY 30, 1919 P. 2
St. Louis re Montferrand, France,
December 24th, 1918.
Dear Guy:
Some different place from where I spent last Christmas eve—but I have spent Christmases in worse places then this. Just how much longer we will lay in this place is all guess work so far as I am concerned, but I have set the 2nd day of February as the day of landing at an American port. The soldiers are beginning to move out of here in good shape now and I see no reason why we should not be on the move within a couple of weeks. You can rest assured that I am getting some anxious to be back in the States for I am very anxious to be in Jonesboro at work by the middle of March. The army does not appeal to me very strongly, now that all of it is over except the shouting. Our company is doing stevedore work at the American docks, about a half mile from here at the present time will probably continue on that kind of work until we go into quarantine at a delousing camp. The work that the Americans have done over here in the way of constructing docks and railroads is almost unbelievable---but they are here to show for themselves and the amount of freight, etc., that is handled by the A. E. F. is almost inconceivable. They have yet a very valuable cargo to load before I am satisfied---that is the 312 th Engineers.
How are the prospects for business this year? Hope everything is looking good for we want to be on the move all of this next year to make up for the lost time in 1918. I will be with you in a very short time after I am mustered out. Mrs. Lee will probably have to finish the school that she is now teaching, but as soon as that is over I want to find a house somewhere in the city and settle down as a citizen once more. If you know of any desirable places make a note of them so that I can make a tour of inspection when I get there and get settled as soon as possible. I am a little afraid that business will not pick up as fast as it might, but even at that I feel sure that there will be plenty going on to keep us in bread and meat---and you can tell the world that will beat putting in the time working for some one else. Keep the old wheel turning for a few more months and then I will arrive and help push her over a bit faster.
Have not run in to any of the boys from Jonesboro over here. K. J. Boyd almost kicked the bucket when he first arrived here---appendicitis, but at present he is all to the good and holding down some kind of a figure-head job at base headquarters. Will tell you more when I see you. Scotty is probably still up in the interior somewhere. Hickey came over on the same boat that I did---he is in the band of one of the infantry regiments of this division.
Our outfit came over on an English boat—the Coronia of the Cunard Line. We landed in Liverpool spending a day there and then moved on to Winchester for a 48-hour rest. Here I left the regiment to spend a few weeks in the various schools of the army in France. There were only six officers from this regiment sent to these schools at that particular time. From Winchester we went to Southampton, boarding a boat for Cherbourg, France. And if any of your friends ever intimate to you that there is a tougher bit of water in the world than the English Channel just tell him he lied—I know—I crossed the thing at some 25 knots per hour. I hope I never spend another night in as rough a sea. Fortunately I proved to be enough of a sailor to keep from getting sea sick---but I was just free from sickness and that is all. Practically every one on the boat---including half of the crew were sick. From Cherbourg we went to Chatillon sur Seine, spending about 60 hours on the way---some trip. Seven weeks at this school and then another school at Langres and my education was complete except for a trip to Paris, so I had to complete it. Paris is some village. I was there just a week before the signing of the armistice and everything was pretty well closed up and dark---but even at that you could tell you were in Paris. And the Americans are numerous enough that one can get along without much trouble. Would like to spend a month in that place provided I had my pocket filled with francs. It is no place for a man with just a few ten spots to spend. From Paris I made a trip to Bordeaux to Regimental Headquarters. Form there to La Rochelle where the company was working in an immense yard for handling the output of American freight cars---some 2000 a week if the plant had ever been completed, but now that the armistice is on and peace in sight; I suppose that it will be completed by some private firm---at any rate we left there for this place on the 29th day of November for transportation to the States on the available transport. That transport has not arrived as yet---but she will be shoving in some day and then it will be good night France.
Saw some transports slipping out to sea this morning with the bands playing “Way Down on the Swanee River” and other American melodies. Sure did make me want to wade out in the river and grab hold some where and ride with them. I hardy think we will have a band with us when we start back, unless some other organization is loaded on with us, for our band was considered to be the very best in the army and was transferred to the first engineers in the army of occupation. That is what comes of letting people know just how good an outfit you have.
Will be closing this letter before I begin to tell some tales about how I helped killed the Huns on the front---fear the papers back home have ruined my chances of telling lies by publishing that the 87th was never on the firing line. Just the same I was in some terrible struggles of which I will tell you more when I arrive in Jonesboro. Do not misunderstand me---these battles were not fought with arms of any brand.
Will let you know when I arrive in the State. The outfit will probably be mustered out at Camp Dix---but as for me there is no telling. I may have to take a bunch of soldiers some where in the middle west---but just as soon as I can get my hands on an honorable discharge it is back to Arkansas for me.
Best regards to the family and all my friends in Jonesboro.
Yours truly,
SHELLEY.
NOTES: Lieut. Shelley Hewen Lee was writing to his business partner Guy W. Cobb. The firm was Cobb and Lee, engineers of Jonesboro. Lee was born July 20, 1889. He had been a non-com for five years in the reserves through the University of Arkansas. He was medium height and weight with gray eyes and light hair. He died December 25, 1966 and is buried in the Holy Cross Cemetery at Jonesboro, Arkansas.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT
St. Louis re Montferrand, France,
December 24th, 1918.
Dear Guy:
Some different place from where I spent last Christmas eve—but I have spent Christmases in worse places then this. Just how much longer we will lay in this place is all guess work so far as I am concerned, but I have set the 2nd day of February as the day of landing at an American port. The soldiers are beginning to move out of here in good shape now and I see no reason why we should not be on the move within a couple of weeks. You can rest assured that I am getting some anxious to be back in the States for I am very anxious to be in Jonesboro at work by the middle of March. The army does not appeal to me very strongly, now that all of it is over except the shouting. Our company is doing stevedore work at the American docks, about a half mile from here at the present time will probably continue on that kind of work until we go into quarantine at a delousing camp. The work that the Americans have done over here in the way of constructing docks and railroads is almost unbelievable---but they are here to show for themselves and the amount of freight, etc., that is handled by the A. E. F. is almost inconceivable. They have yet a very valuable cargo to load before I am satisfied---that is the 312 th Engineers.
How are the prospects for business this year? Hope everything is looking good for we want to be on the move all of this next year to make up for the lost time in 1918. I will be with you in a very short time after I am mustered out. Mrs. Lee will probably have to finish the school that she is now teaching, but as soon as that is over I want to find a house somewhere in the city and settle down as a citizen once more. If you know of any desirable places make a note of them so that I can make a tour of inspection when I get there and get settled as soon as possible. I am a little afraid that business will not pick up as fast as it might, but even at that I feel sure that there will be plenty going on to keep us in bread and meat---and you can tell the world that will beat putting in the time working for some one else. Keep the old wheel turning for a few more months and then I will arrive and help push her over a bit faster.
Have not run in to any of the boys from Jonesboro over here. K. J. Boyd almost kicked the bucket when he first arrived here---appendicitis, but at present he is all to the good and holding down some kind of a figure-head job at base headquarters. Will tell you more when I see you. Scotty is probably still up in the interior somewhere. Hickey came over on the same boat that I did---he is in the band of one of the infantry regiments of this division.
Our outfit came over on an English boat—the Coronia of the Cunard Line. We landed in Liverpool spending a day there and then moved on to Winchester for a 48-hour rest. Here I left the regiment to spend a few weeks in the various schools of the army in France. There were only six officers from this regiment sent to these schools at that particular time. From Winchester we went to Southampton, boarding a boat for Cherbourg, France. And if any of your friends ever intimate to you that there is a tougher bit of water in the world than the English Channel just tell him he lied—I know—I crossed the thing at some 25 knots per hour. I hope I never spend another night in as rough a sea. Fortunately I proved to be enough of a sailor to keep from getting sea sick---but I was just free from sickness and that is all. Practically every one on the boat---including half of the crew were sick. From Cherbourg we went to Chatillon sur Seine, spending about 60 hours on the way---some trip. Seven weeks at this school and then another school at Langres and my education was complete except for a trip to Paris, so I had to complete it. Paris is some village. I was there just a week before the signing of the armistice and everything was pretty well closed up and dark---but even at that you could tell you were in Paris. And the Americans are numerous enough that one can get along without much trouble. Would like to spend a month in that place provided I had my pocket filled with francs. It is no place for a man with just a few ten spots to spend. From Paris I made a trip to Bordeaux to Regimental Headquarters. Form there to La Rochelle where the company was working in an immense yard for handling the output of American freight cars---some 2000 a week if the plant had ever been completed, but now that the armistice is on and peace in sight; I suppose that it will be completed by some private firm---at any rate we left there for this place on the 29th day of November for transportation to the States on the available transport. That transport has not arrived as yet---but she will be shoving in some day and then it will be good night France.
Saw some transports slipping out to sea this morning with the bands playing “Way Down on the Swanee River” and other American melodies. Sure did make me want to wade out in the river and grab hold some where and ride with them. I hardy think we will have a band with us when we start back, unless some other organization is loaded on with us, for our band was considered to be the very best in the army and was transferred to the first engineers in the army of occupation. That is what comes of letting people know just how good an outfit you have.
Will be closing this letter before I begin to tell some tales about how I helped killed the Huns on the front---fear the papers back home have ruined my chances of telling lies by publishing that the 87th was never on the firing line. Just the same I was in some terrible struggles of which I will tell you more when I arrive in Jonesboro. Do not misunderstand me---these battles were not fought with arms of any brand.
Will let you know when I arrive in the State. The outfit will probably be mustered out at Camp Dix---but as for me there is no telling. I may have to take a bunch of soldiers some where in the middle west---but just as soon as I can get my hands on an honorable discharge it is back to Arkansas for me.
Best regards to the family and all my friends in Jonesboro.
Yours truly,
SHELLEY.
NOTES: Lieut. Shelley Hewen Lee was writing to his business partner Guy W. Cobb. The firm was Cobb and Lee, engineers of Jonesboro. Lee was born July 20, 1889. He had been a non-com for five years in the reserves through the University of Arkansas. He was medium height and weight with gray eyes and light hair. He died December 25, 1966 and is buried in the Holy Cross Cemetery at Jonesboro, Arkansas.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT