TRANSCRIBED FROM THE SPRINGDALE NEWS OCTOBER 26, 1918 P. 3
Somewhere in France,
Dear Father:
I received your letter yesterday, you said you had received my card. Your letter had been one month on the way. I had a letter from Willie yesterday which was written Aug. 8, and one from mother about a week ago. I sure was glad to hear from home. I also got letters from two North Carolina girls and one from Ollie.
We are having nice weather here now it is quiet a little cooler now than it was when we first came, but no frost yet.
I am in a mountain country, and have been doing quiet a little hiking. I hiked 18 miles the other night and carried eighty-five pounds on my back. It rained on us the last four or five miles, but didn't hurt me any.
This is a pretty country, lots of tall spruce timber, like it is in Colorado. The water is good and we are having plenty of good grub. We are close enough to the front to hear the big guns and could see the fighting if it wasn't for the mountains.
There are several buildings around here that have been destroyed by bombs.
I haven't seen any of the U.S. soldiers since I came across, except the boys of this Division. There isn't much chance of my ever seeing any of the boys from home, there are none of the home boys in this Division. Of course I might see some of them, and I hope I will.
I got Lieut. V.E. Davis' address mama sent,but he isn't any ways near where I am.
We were out hiking the other day and I saw some of the largest Jack Rabbits I ever saw, and we run on to a wild hog, I didn't get to see him myself, some of the officers shot at him with their revolvers, but didn't kill him. They said it was a big one and would weigh two or three hundred pounds.
There was a girl here the other day from Paris, who could talk English, a girl talking English is something we don't often hear.
It is almost eleven a.m. now, but you are still in bed. The sun rises six hours earlier here than there.
Well I certainly have seen some queer things since I have been over here. In one place where I was for a few days the people worked oxen to their wagons and they yoked them so they pulled all the load with their heads. I saw one steer that looked like he would weigh fifteen hundred pounds, pulling a load of wood which would have been a good load for two horses.
Well I will close for this time hoping it won't be long until I can see you again.
Your son,
Corp. Roger J. Reed
Co. H, 324 Int. 81st Division
NOTES: Roger John Reed was one of the first recruits to be selected from Benton County, Arkansas. He was writing from North Carolina to his father Ralph Bennett Reed who lived north of Springdale, Arkansas. Reed was born on January 6, 1895 in Springdale, Arkansas and died on August 17, 1979 in Springfield, Missouri. He is buried in the Bluff Cemetery in Sprngdale. His military headstone identifies him as a Sgt. serving in the US Army during WWI. He departed for France from New York on August 5, 1918 onboard the Aquitania. He was serving as a Corp. in Co. H, 324th Infantry. He returned from St. Nazaire onboard the George Washington on June 7, 1919.
TRANSCRIBED BY LAEL HARROD
Somewhere in France,
Dear Father:
I received your letter yesterday, you said you had received my card. Your letter had been one month on the way. I had a letter from Willie yesterday which was written Aug. 8, and one from mother about a week ago. I sure was glad to hear from home. I also got letters from two North Carolina girls and one from Ollie.
We are having nice weather here now it is quiet a little cooler now than it was when we first came, but no frost yet.
I am in a mountain country, and have been doing quiet a little hiking. I hiked 18 miles the other night and carried eighty-five pounds on my back. It rained on us the last four or five miles, but didn't hurt me any.
This is a pretty country, lots of tall spruce timber, like it is in Colorado. The water is good and we are having plenty of good grub. We are close enough to the front to hear the big guns and could see the fighting if it wasn't for the mountains.
There are several buildings around here that have been destroyed by bombs.
I haven't seen any of the U.S. soldiers since I came across, except the boys of this Division. There isn't much chance of my ever seeing any of the boys from home, there are none of the home boys in this Division. Of course I might see some of them, and I hope I will.
I got Lieut. V.E. Davis' address mama sent,but he isn't any ways near where I am.
We were out hiking the other day and I saw some of the largest Jack Rabbits I ever saw, and we run on to a wild hog, I didn't get to see him myself, some of the officers shot at him with their revolvers, but didn't kill him. They said it was a big one and would weigh two or three hundred pounds.
There was a girl here the other day from Paris, who could talk English, a girl talking English is something we don't often hear.
It is almost eleven a.m. now, but you are still in bed. The sun rises six hours earlier here than there.
Well I certainly have seen some queer things since I have been over here. In one place where I was for a few days the people worked oxen to their wagons and they yoked them so they pulled all the load with their heads. I saw one steer that looked like he would weigh fifteen hundred pounds, pulling a load of wood which would have been a good load for two horses.
Well I will close for this time hoping it won't be long until I can see you again.
Your son,
Corp. Roger J. Reed
Co. H, 324 Int. 81st Division
NOTES: Roger John Reed was one of the first recruits to be selected from Benton County, Arkansas. He was writing from North Carolina to his father Ralph Bennett Reed who lived north of Springdale, Arkansas. Reed was born on January 6, 1895 in Springdale, Arkansas and died on August 17, 1979 in Springfield, Missouri. He is buried in the Bluff Cemetery in Sprngdale. His military headstone identifies him as a Sgt. serving in the US Army during WWI. He departed for France from New York on August 5, 1918 onboard the Aquitania. He was serving as a Corp. in Co. H, 324th Infantry. He returned from St. Nazaire onboard the George Washington on June 7, 1919.
TRANSCRIBED BY LAEL HARROD