TRANSCRIBED FROM THE COLUMBIA BANNER DECEMBER 4, 1918 P. 2
Fort Monroe, Va.
Sunday Nov. 10, 1918.
Mrs. Laura Sheperd,
Dear Mother:
The war seems about over with, or at least the outlook is promising. All of course should be exceedingly happy to see it come to a victorious close. There is no pleasure in spending a winter in the trenches. It is bad enough in the camps, so we can imagine the horrors of the trenches. There is only one thing all of us can do, and that is, hope for the best.
The boys here have all they possibly can do. This is practically a school and a person sent here is supposed to have a pretty good education in advance. We go to school at 8:00 a. m. back to dinner at 12:00, school again 1:00 to 4:30 p. m. Drill from 5:00 to 6:00, supper 6:15 school again from 7:00 to 9:00 and the spare time write letters. When one goes through that each day their time is taken up entirely. This is no place for a person if he does not care to make the most of his opportunity. The instructors are good and if one tries, when he leaves here he will have an excellent rating. Something to be proud of through life.
There are a few historical places in and around this fort which I have not mentioned before so will try to describe them to you. As you know this is one of the oldest forts in the U. S., and was quite extensively used as a defense during the Civil war. There is an enclosure here in the fort which covers about six acres and is enclosed by a concrete wall and embankment. Inside the wall are rooms, one of which was used as a prisoner for Jefferson Davis shortly after his capture at the fall of the Confederacy.
Close to this room is an especially arranged place in the wall where prisoners that were sentenced to execution were shot. The bullet holes in the concrete still show.
Near here is the small town of Hampton which can boast of having the third oldest church in the U. S. It was built in 1610. Of course it has been remodeled but the main structure still stands. Some of the fixtures on the inside are over 300 years old. The outside is all covered in vines and it all presents a holy aspect.
You should see the camouflaged ships that come into port here. Some are freakish looking. I have never seen two of the same design. This is one of the large ports of embarkation so there are always, convoys, battleships, sub chasers, destroyers, cruisers, a plenty to be seen here. There are many other things of more interest here to be told but they will have to remain untold until the cloud of war has passed.
I received a notice a day or two past of the death of Arthur Whitfield, a fellow I have known and worked with for several years past. He was a close friend to me as we went through the Masonic and Elk lodges together. And sorry indeed to hear of his death but there is One that knows better than we here below.
Do not worry about me for I am always all right. Take good care of yourself and keep well.
Love to you.
Wade Shepperd.
NOTES: Wade Shepherd’s name was spelled Shepperd in error by the newspaper. He was born in McNeil, Columbia County, Arkansas on June 10, 1893 and died at Hatfield, Polk, County, Arkansas in August 1970. He was described as being tall and of medium build with gray eyes and light brown hair. Wade’s brother William was also in the service and has a letter on this web-site.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT
Fort Monroe, Va.
Sunday Nov. 10, 1918.
Mrs. Laura Sheperd,
Dear Mother:
The war seems about over with, or at least the outlook is promising. All of course should be exceedingly happy to see it come to a victorious close. There is no pleasure in spending a winter in the trenches. It is bad enough in the camps, so we can imagine the horrors of the trenches. There is only one thing all of us can do, and that is, hope for the best.
The boys here have all they possibly can do. This is practically a school and a person sent here is supposed to have a pretty good education in advance. We go to school at 8:00 a. m. back to dinner at 12:00, school again 1:00 to 4:30 p. m. Drill from 5:00 to 6:00, supper 6:15 school again from 7:00 to 9:00 and the spare time write letters. When one goes through that each day their time is taken up entirely. This is no place for a person if he does not care to make the most of his opportunity. The instructors are good and if one tries, when he leaves here he will have an excellent rating. Something to be proud of through life.
There are a few historical places in and around this fort which I have not mentioned before so will try to describe them to you. As you know this is one of the oldest forts in the U. S., and was quite extensively used as a defense during the Civil war. There is an enclosure here in the fort which covers about six acres and is enclosed by a concrete wall and embankment. Inside the wall are rooms, one of which was used as a prisoner for Jefferson Davis shortly after his capture at the fall of the Confederacy.
Close to this room is an especially arranged place in the wall where prisoners that were sentenced to execution were shot. The bullet holes in the concrete still show.
Near here is the small town of Hampton which can boast of having the third oldest church in the U. S. It was built in 1610. Of course it has been remodeled but the main structure still stands. Some of the fixtures on the inside are over 300 years old. The outside is all covered in vines and it all presents a holy aspect.
You should see the camouflaged ships that come into port here. Some are freakish looking. I have never seen two of the same design. This is one of the large ports of embarkation so there are always, convoys, battleships, sub chasers, destroyers, cruisers, a plenty to be seen here. There are many other things of more interest here to be told but they will have to remain untold until the cloud of war has passed.
I received a notice a day or two past of the death of Arthur Whitfield, a fellow I have known and worked with for several years past. He was a close friend to me as we went through the Masonic and Elk lodges together. And sorry indeed to hear of his death but there is One that knows better than we here below.
Do not worry about me for I am always all right. Take good care of yourself and keep well.
Love to you.
Wade Shepperd.
NOTES: Wade Shepherd’s name was spelled Shepperd in error by the newspaper. He was born in McNeil, Columbia County, Arkansas on June 10, 1893 and died at Hatfield, Polk, County, Arkansas in August 1970. He was described as being tall and of medium build with gray eyes and light brown hair. Wade’s brother William was also in the service and has a letter on this web-site.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT