TRANSCRIBED FROM THE SPECTATOR FEBRUARY 28, 1919 P. 1
Saint-Malo, France. Jan. 12, 1919
Mr. J. W. Stewart:
Dear Father and Mother and all at home:
I will try to write you all a few lines this morning and hope they find you all well and enjoying life. This leoves me OK and having a big time. I am in Saint Malo now on a furlough and sure am having a wonderful time too. I got here 4 days ago and will stay till the 17th when I go back to the battery. There are 24 of the boys with me here. We have been going out sight-seeing every day. I went out to St. Michel and saw that place, and it sure was worth my trip out there too. They took us all through it, and I saw one room that was built in 700, and was the first Knights' hall that was ever built. It was a place where the monks lived in early days. They ran a special train to take us boys all out there. Then yesterday they had a special boat to take us over to St. Sovan. We landed at the old Roman fort which was built in the early days. After I got off the boat I went out and went through a tower that Duke St. Hohn built in 1382. It was a fine place. They used it for a prison in those days. I then went to see the old Roman Wall which was built in 17 A.D. That was quite a sight for me. We went to see other things, but I will tell you about them when I get home and explain it all to you. I have got pictures of all the places that I have been to see and will bring them home with me. This town is built on the English Channel. I am staying in a big French hotel and get lots of good grub to eat and a big old goose hair bed to sleep on and I over-sleep myself every morning, for I sure do sleep good on them, and can't hear any bugle blow "First call" to wake me. Tad McGehee and myself are rooming together.
I don't know just when I will be home, but sometime in the near future I think. I would love to see you all, but I'm not worrying about going home for I know it wont do any good, so I can take life easy and don't worry about anything for it wont do any good to. I think that I will go to church this morning and see what I can learn new.
Say, there sure are lots of girls here at this town and I could get me one every day or night either, but I am not out hunting me a girl; I am out sight seeing and I just pass all of them up. They don't suit me at present. If I could see you I could tell you more in a few minutes than I could write you all day.
I have not seen Virgil yet, nor Nealy either.
Well, I guess you are getting tired trying to read this so I will close for this time. Tell everybody hello for me and give them my best regards. Answer soon, and all of the news. I am as ever,
Your son,
Pvt. Edd W. Stewart,
Bat. C, 142 F.A., A.E.F.
NOTES: Edward "Edd" William Stewart was born in Yale, Arkansas on December 18, 1889 and died on April 24, 1948. He is buried in the Kendall Cemetery in Hartman, Arkansas. His military headstone identifies him as a Arkansas Pvt. serving in 142nd FA, 39th Division during World War 1. He enlisted on May 14, 1917 and was discharged on June 26, 1919. He departed from Hoboken, NJ on August 31, 1918 onboard the Leviathan. He was listed as a Pvt. serving in Bat. C 142nd FA. He departed St. Nazaire, France on June 3, 1919 onboard the Amphion. He was writing to his father John and mother Mary.
TRANSCRIBED BY LAEL HARROD
Saint-Malo, France. Jan. 12, 1919
Mr. J. W. Stewart:
Dear Father and Mother and all at home:
I will try to write you all a few lines this morning and hope they find you all well and enjoying life. This leoves me OK and having a big time. I am in Saint Malo now on a furlough and sure am having a wonderful time too. I got here 4 days ago and will stay till the 17th when I go back to the battery. There are 24 of the boys with me here. We have been going out sight-seeing every day. I went out to St. Michel and saw that place, and it sure was worth my trip out there too. They took us all through it, and I saw one room that was built in 700, and was the first Knights' hall that was ever built. It was a place where the monks lived in early days. They ran a special train to take us boys all out there. Then yesterday they had a special boat to take us over to St. Sovan. We landed at the old Roman fort which was built in the early days. After I got off the boat I went out and went through a tower that Duke St. Hohn built in 1382. It was a fine place. They used it for a prison in those days. I then went to see the old Roman Wall which was built in 17 A.D. That was quite a sight for me. We went to see other things, but I will tell you about them when I get home and explain it all to you. I have got pictures of all the places that I have been to see and will bring them home with me. This town is built on the English Channel. I am staying in a big French hotel and get lots of good grub to eat and a big old goose hair bed to sleep on and I over-sleep myself every morning, for I sure do sleep good on them, and can't hear any bugle blow "First call" to wake me. Tad McGehee and myself are rooming together.
I don't know just when I will be home, but sometime in the near future I think. I would love to see you all, but I'm not worrying about going home for I know it wont do any good, so I can take life easy and don't worry about anything for it wont do any good to. I think that I will go to church this morning and see what I can learn new.
Say, there sure are lots of girls here at this town and I could get me one every day or night either, but I am not out hunting me a girl; I am out sight seeing and I just pass all of them up. They don't suit me at present. If I could see you I could tell you more in a few minutes than I could write you all day.
I have not seen Virgil yet, nor Nealy either.
Well, I guess you are getting tired trying to read this so I will close for this time. Tell everybody hello for me and give them my best regards. Answer soon, and all of the news. I am as ever,
Your son,
Pvt. Edd W. Stewart,
Bat. C, 142 F.A., A.E.F.
NOTES: Edward "Edd" William Stewart was born in Yale, Arkansas on December 18, 1889 and died on April 24, 1948. He is buried in the Kendall Cemetery in Hartman, Arkansas. His military headstone identifies him as a Arkansas Pvt. serving in 142nd FA, 39th Division during World War 1. He enlisted on May 14, 1917 and was discharged on June 26, 1919. He departed from Hoboken, NJ on August 31, 1918 onboard the Leviathan. He was listed as a Pvt. serving in Bat. C 142nd FA. He departed St. Nazaire, France on June 3, 1919 onboard the Amphion. He was writing to his father John and mother Mary.
TRANSCRIBED BY LAEL HARROD