TRANSCRIBED FROM THE PRESCOTT DAILY NEWS OCTOBER 1, 1918 P. 2
Somewhere in France,
Sept. 7th, 1918.
Dearest Ones at Home:
Just a few lines to tell you that I am well and happy as possible to be so far from home and loved ones.
We are very comfortably located in this little French village; everything is antique about here. We see walls and buildings that Caesar and Napoleon built in their day. I particularly noticed while out this afternoon an old wall about 8 feet high all along the top of the wall broken bottles were put before the cement had dried this serving the purpose of barbed wire, I suppose. Most of the houses are built of white cement of some kind. Everything white; looks quite picturesque. The little farms are separated by either a stone or dirt fence about four feet high. I was surprised to find France so far behind the United States in their customs. Am storing away much to tell you at some future time. The women all wear black and most of them wooden shoes. I see very few leather shoes. It is sad to see the women work so hard. They do practically all the work. As soon as the boys are large enough to work they are sent away to war.
The women make quite a bit of money washing for the soldiers. They also sell nuts, grapes, milk, vegetables, etc., to we soldiers who are passing all the time. So after all they don't make a very bad living.
At a nearby town last week we had the opportunity and pleasure of going into an old Catholic church said to be over 800 years old; the interior was magnificent; old mosaic windows most beautiful. As you approach the altal you think it is wood, but it is all stone. On one side of the altar is a carved picture, you might say, in tiny statues. It is Christ talking to or teaching the wise men. Each statue is separate, each one about a foot tall. On the other side is a sculpture of Jesus feeding the 5,000 with bread and fish. One big statue (to the left) of Christ after the crucifixion. There He sands, His face, hands, robes, all tinted in color, in the palm of one hand you see a red wound where the nail had been drawn drawn through; on the back of his other hand is the same, the scene is vivild. When a person looks on, no wonder he bows down in repentance. I wonder why the Catholics always keep such scenes before the people. There were many other statues and paintings of minor importance.
It rained yesterday for the first time since we arrived in France. Haven't had a payday since July 3rd so today I'm broke, and a long, long way from home, but Uncle Sam will take care of me.
As a bit of information and to keep you from worrying about me, will say that I have been told by the adjutant of the regiment that it is possible but notprobable that our band will ever see the front. Very likely we are permanently located; lots to do here in our line.
Everything looks good at the front. We are about to take St. Quentin and Cambrai. When we get those, look out, you Huns. Would like to be close up in the final push. Sure enough, we don't believe this war will last ten months longer; in other words, I expect to be home in a year. That's quite long enough, isn't it.
My "Francais lingo" is coming slowly. Maybe I will be able to say "good morning" in French when I get back.
Our band is doing nicely; we hope to improve it by the time we return to the States.
The people here are brave and courageous and seem overjoyed to see the U.S. soldiers still coming to help them. Their morale is high; they know 'twill not be long till the dirty Boche will be crushed.
Pass this letter on to Howard, Sister and Marshall after you in Prescott have read it. I shall not be able to write to each separately for a while.
Serg. Floid (Lump) P. Powell,
153 Inf. Band, A.E.F.
NOTES: Floyd (MISSPELLED IN LETTER) Pittman Powell was born in Prescott, Arkansas on September 29, 1895 and died on June 25, 1978. He is buried in the Roseburg Memorial Gardens in Roseburg, Oregon. He departed for France on August 6,1918 from Newport News, Virginia onboard the Huron. He was listed as a Sgt. serving in HQ, 153rd Infantry, 39th Division. He returned to the US leaving St. Nazaire, France on June 2, 1919 onboard the Alaskan. He was listed as a Sgt. Bugler serving with HQ Detachment, 315th Engineers.
TRANSCRIBED BY LAEL HARROD
Somewhere in France,
Sept. 7th, 1918.
Dearest Ones at Home:
Just a few lines to tell you that I am well and happy as possible to be so far from home and loved ones.
We are very comfortably located in this little French village; everything is antique about here. We see walls and buildings that Caesar and Napoleon built in their day. I particularly noticed while out this afternoon an old wall about 8 feet high all along the top of the wall broken bottles were put before the cement had dried this serving the purpose of barbed wire, I suppose. Most of the houses are built of white cement of some kind. Everything white; looks quite picturesque. The little farms are separated by either a stone or dirt fence about four feet high. I was surprised to find France so far behind the United States in their customs. Am storing away much to tell you at some future time. The women all wear black and most of them wooden shoes. I see very few leather shoes. It is sad to see the women work so hard. They do practically all the work. As soon as the boys are large enough to work they are sent away to war.
The women make quite a bit of money washing for the soldiers. They also sell nuts, grapes, milk, vegetables, etc., to we soldiers who are passing all the time. So after all they don't make a very bad living.
At a nearby town last week we had the opportunity and pleasure of going into an old Catholic church said to be over 800 years old; the interior was magnificent; old mosaic windows most beautiful. As you approach the altal you think it is wood, but it is all stone. On one side of the altar is a carved picture, you might say, in tiny statues. It is Christ talking to or teaching the wise men. Each statue is separate, each one about a foot tall. On the other side is a sculpture of Jesus feeding the 5,000 with bread and fish. One big statue (to the left) of Christ after the crucifixion. There He sands, His face, hands, robes, all tinted in color, in the palm of one hand you see a red wound where the nail had been drawn drawn through; on the back of his other hand is the same, the scene is vivild. When a person looks on, no wonder he bows down in repentance. I wonder why the Catholics always keep such scenes before the people. There were many other statues and paintings of minor importance.
It rained yesterday for the first time since we arrived in France. Haven't had a payday since July 3rd so today I'm broke, and a long, long way from home, but Uncle Sam will take care of me.
As a bit of information and to keep you from worrying about me, will say that I have been told by the adjutant of the regiment that it is possible but notprobable that our band will ever see the front. Very likely we are permanently located; lots to do here in our line.
Everything looks good at the front. We are about to take St. Quentin and Cambrai. When we get those, look out, you Huns. Would like to be close up in the final push. Sure enough, we don't believe this war will last ten months longer; in other words, I expect to be home in a year. That's quite long enough, isn't it.
My "Francais lingo" is coming slowly. Maybe I will be able to say "good morning" in French when I get back.
Our band is doing nicely; we hope to improve it by the time we return to the States.
The people here are brave and courageous and seem overjoyed to see the U.S. soldiers still coming to help them. Their morale is high; they know 'twill not be long till the dirty Boche will be crushed.
Pass this letter on to Howard, Sister and Marshall after you in Prescott have read it. I shall not be able to write to each separately for a while.
Serg. Floid (Lump) P. Powell,
153 Inf. Band, A.E.F.
NOTES: Floyd (MISSPELLED IN LETTER) Pittman Powell was born in Prescott, Arkansas on September 29, 1895 and died on June 25, 1978. He is buried in the Roseburg Memorial Gardens in Roseburg, Oregon. He departed for France on August 6,1918 from Newport News, Virginia onboard the Huron. He was listed as a Sgt. serving in HQ, 153rd Infantry, 39th Division. He returned to the US leaving St. Nazaire, France on June 2, 1919 onboard the Alaskan. He was listed as a Sgt. Bugler serving with HQ Detachment, 315th Engineers.
TRANSCRIBED BY LAEL HARROD