TRANSCRIBED FROM ARKANSAS GAZETTE SEPTEMBER 16, 1917 p 13
This certainly is a beautiful country, as far as I have seen. I like it much better than England. The French people are very nice to us, but we can’t talk to them, though we try very hard.
Sunday night I had a swell supper downtown, and they served us champagne and wine; the meal cost us only 60 cents apiece. Everybody over here drinks champagne, wine and beer; but I don’t bother with it much—honest I don’t.
Well, we are going to have another parade here in the city tomorrow; they are issuing us new shoes and shirts today. Everything is tan and brown.
I am in good health and feeling fine. It won’t be long now till we’ll be railroading. Our band is outside playing, the regiment is standing at parade—rest on their arms. It’s pretty; they are having what you call “retreat”—think we are going to turn in our rifles in a couple of days and get 45 automatics. The men are standing to present arms –that’s a salute with your gun –and the band is playing the Star-Spangled Banner.
NOTES: This is a partial letter written by Louis P. Robkins to his mother Mrs. N. E. Bringle. He was born March 5, 1893 in Little Rock, Arkansas. He died October 10, 1954 and is buried in the Little Rock National Cemetery. He volunteered for Co. B of the 13th Regiment Engineers (Railroad) in the spring of 1917. After the United States declared war on Germany, France requested experienced railroad men and several railroads began recruiting men. In Arkansas, the men were from the Rock Island line. Eleven men from Little Rock joined the regiment including Robkins/Robken. They went to Chicago in June for training. They were in France by August 4, 1917, making them among the first American troops to reach France.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT
This certainly is a beautiful country, as far as I have seen. I like it much better than England. The French people are very nice to us, but we can’t talk to them, though we try very hard.
Sunday night I had a swell supper downtown, and they served us champagne and wine; the meal cost us only 60 cents apiece. Everybody over here drinks champagne, wine and beer; but I don’t bother with it much—honest I don’t.
Well, we are going to have another parade here in the city tomorrow; they are issuing us new shoes and shirts today. Everything is tan and brown.
I am in good health and feeling fine. It won’t be long now till we’ll be railroading. Our band is outside playing, the regiment is standing at parade—rest on their arms. It’s pretty; they are having what you call “retreat”—think we are going to turn in our rifles in a couple of days and get 45 automatics. The men are standing to present arms –that’s a salute with your gun –and the band is playing the Star-Spangled Banner.
NOTES: This is a partial letter written by Louis P. Robkins to his mother Mrs. N. E. Bringle. He was born March 5, 1893 in Little Rock, Arkansas. He died October 10, 1954 and is buried in the Little Rock National Cemetery. He volunteered for Co. B of the 13th Regiment Engineers (Railroad) in the spring of 1917. After the United States declared war on Germany, France requested experienced railroad men and several railroads began recruiting men. In Arkansas, the men were from the Rock Island line. Eleven men from Little Rock joined the regiment including Robkins/Robken. They went to Chicago in June for training. They were in France by August 4, 1917, making them among the first American troops to reach France.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT