TRANSCRIBED FROM THE MODERN NEWS OCTOBER 18, 1918 P. 6
Camp Sheridan, Ala., Oct. 5
J. B. Stone and family, Waldenburg, Ark.
Dear ones at home:
I received your letter some time ago and very glad to hear from you. I used the address of M. P. Watkins you sent me and wrote to him and the very next day after I wrote him I was made 1st Lieutenant but I have never heard from him yet, we learned lately that our commissions date back to Aug. 23rd so that makes us out rank many of the later promoted officers. I accepted it Sept. 21st and just liked one day having been in army one year. I am assigned to the Company I helped train and am now second in command of same. I rank next to captain and that is my next ambition is to wear two silver bars instead of one.
We had a big banquet for our company Wednesday night. I was Toastmaster and we sure had a good time. I wish you could have seen me introducing the guest of honor. I felt a little a little shaky when I introduced the command offiicer of regiment our colonel but no one knew it but me. Never the less I carried out my post o. k. and it was a good success. Well if the Spanish influenza dos’t retard us we will soon be on the move. We are sure speeding up all drills. I hope Jake doesn’t have to go but if he does then he will never regret the teaching if it’s a year or more before the war is over. I don’t think it will take much longer to finish the job. Am afraid I wont get much service overseas if success continues at present rate.
I haven’t much news to write as my head is nothing but military work all day and hardly able to think of other things. Please write me a few lines soon.
Lots of love to one and all.
Your nephew,
1st Lieut. Jacob E. Pickett.
P. S. Will not promise how soon I will wear captains insigna but you can bet its Captain Pickett soon if war lasts much longer.
NOTES: Jacob Edgar Pickett was born on June 10, 1895 and died on April 25, 1975. He went into the service on June 1, 1918. He is buried in the Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio, Texas.
TRANSCRIBED BY LINDA MATTHEWS
Camp Sheridan, Ala., Oct. 5
J. B. Stone and family, Waldenburg, Ark.
Dear ones at home:
I received your letter some time ago and very glad to hear from you. I used the address of M. P. Watkins you sent me and wrote to him and the very next day after I wrote him I was made 1st Lieutenant but I have never heard from him yet, we learned lately that our commissions date back to Aug. 23rd so that makes us out rank many of the later promoted officers. I accepted it Sept. 21st and just liked one day having been in army one year. I am assigned to the Company I helped train and am now second in command of same. I rank next to captain and that is my next ambition is to wear two silver bars instead of one.
We had a big banquet for our company Wednesday night. I was Toastmaster and we sure had a good time. I wish you could have seen me introducing the guest of honor. I felt a little a little shaky when I introduced the command offiicer of regiment our colonel but no one knew it but me. Never the less I carried out my post o. k. and it was a good success. Well if the Spanish influenza dos’t retard us we will soon be on the move. We are sure speeding up all drills. I hope Jake doesn’t have to go but if he does then he will never regret the teaching if it’s a year or more before the war is over. I don’t think it will take much longer to finish the job. Am afraid I wont get much service overseas if success continues at present rate.
I haven’t much news to write as my head is nothing but military work all day and hardly able to think of other things. Please write me a few lines soon.
Lots of love to one and all.
Your nephew,
1st Lieut. Jacob E. Pickett.
P. S. Will not promise how soon I will wear captains insigna but you can bet its Captain Pickett soon if war lasts much longer.
NOTES: Jacob Edgar Pickett was born on June 10, 1895 and died on April 25, 1975. He went into the service on June 1, 1918. He is buried in the Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio, Texas.
TRANSCRIBED BY LINDA MATTHEWS