TRANSCRIBED FROM THE SPECTATOR FEBRUARY 17, 1919 P. 1
France
December 25, 1918.
The Spectator.
Mr. Editor:
Please find space in your paper for a few lines from France. I am well and enjoying a real soldier's life and good health. I often wonder how all the good people of Franklin county are. I am sure you good people thought of us boys today, while you were enjoying Xmas. I will tell you how we spent Xmas here at Sampigny, France, where the 35th division is located. The good Y.M.C.A. gave us an Xmas tree, and all of us boys got a present. I helped to get the tree, something I will not forget--the cold, rainy day before Xmas eve of 1918 that I and a boy by the name of Foke going out on an old battlefield near Sampigny, France, to get an Xmas tree. We got back about 3:30 o'clock in the evening with the tree and a detail was sent to put it up and decorate it. Then about four o'clock Xmas Eve evening our commanders marched us down to the town hall to render the program and receive our presents. We had some good quartettes, and some good talks from our officers and then the French children sang the National anthem, while the French colors and Old Glory waved over their heads. Then one of our boys sang The Star Spangled Banner and then the "Y" man blew a whistle and old Santa Claus appeared on the stage and gave a nice talk and began giving out the presents, and all of boys and all of the officers received a package given by the Y.M.C.A. ______the box was a present from the folks at home by the Y.M.C.A. Old Santa Clause also had a package for each one of the little French children. We all then went back to our billets, which is an old building that was blown up by the Boche, and there we had a short program given by our company, then we went to bed and fought "cooties" which is our dreaded foe just now. The next day (Ymas Day) the cooks fixed us a good dinner. We had country ham, mashed potatoes, peach cobbler, corn, and butter, and also a pound of candy. We all sat down, ate our Xmas dinner and talked about how we would think about this Xmas in years to come, when we all got home; then we all decided that Sherman was wrong when he said what war was. I hope that you folks all enjoyed a merry Xmas. Our next joy is "The Coming Home Day," which will soon be here, and then we can tell you of our soldier's life in France, of how we bearded the old lion in his den, and woke the echoes of the old French hills by the roar of our canon and the shouts of our triumps.
Wishing you all good luck and a happy New Year, I will close.
From a Franklin county lad,
Pvt. Henry H. Stewart.
Co. C. 137 Inf.
NOTES: Henry Hopkins Stewart was born in Lone Elm, Arkansas on February 2, 1895 and died on October 9, 1961. He is buried in the Lower Creek Cemetery in Peter Pender, Arkansas in Franklin County. His military headstone identifies him as a Private serving in Co. C 137th Inf. 35th Division. He enlisted on May 26, 1918 and was discharged on May 9, 1919. He departed Brest, France on April 12, 1919 onboard he Manchuria. He arrived in Hoboken, NJ on April 23. He was listed as Private serving in Co. C. 137th Infantry.
TRANSCRIBED BY LAEL HARROD
France
December 25, 1918.
The Spectator.
Mr. Editor:
Please find space in your paper for a few lines from France. I am well and enjoying a real soldier's life and good health. I often wonder how all the good people of Franklin county are. I am sure you good people thought of us boys today, while you were enjoying Xmas. I will tell you how we spent Xmas here at Sampigny, France, where the 35th division is located. The good Y.M.C.A. gave us an Xmas tree, and all of us boys got a present. I helped to get the tree, something I will not forget--the cold, rainy day before Xmas eve of 1918 that I and a boy by the name of Foke going out on an old battlefield near Sampigny, France, to get an Xmas tree. We got back about 3:30 o'clock in the evening with the tree and a detail was sent to put it up and decorate it. Then about four o'clock Xmas Eve evening our commanders marched us down to the town hall to render the program and receive our presents. We had some good quartettes, and some good talks from our officers and then the French children sang the National anthem, while the French colors and Old Glory waved over their heads. Then one of our boys sang The Star Spangled Banner and then the "Y" man blew a whistle and old Santa Claus appeared on the stage and gave a nice talk and began giving out the presents, and all of boys and all of the officers received a package given by the Y.M.C.A. ______the box was a present from the folks at home by the Y.M.C.A. Old Santa Clause also had a package for each one of the little French children. We all then went back to our billets, which is an old building that was blown up by the Boche, and there we had a short program given by our company, then we went to bed and fought "cooties" which is our dreaded foe just now. The next day (Ymas Day) the cooks fixed us a good dinner. We had country ham, mashed potatoes, peach cobbler, corn, and butter, and also a pound of candy. We all sat down, ate our Xmas dinner and talked about how we would think about this Xmas in years to come, when we all got home; then we all decided that Sherman was wrong when he said what war was. I hope that you folks all enjoyed a merry Xmas. Our next joy is "The Coming Home Day," which will soon be here, and then we can tell you of our soldier's life in France, of how we bearded the old lion in his den, and woke the echoes of the old French hills by the roar of our canon and the shouts of our triumps.
Wishing you all good luck and a happy New Year, I will close.
From a Franklin county lad,
Pvt. Henry H. Stewart.
Co. C. 137 Inf.
NOTES: Henry Hopkins Stewart was born in Lone Elm, Arkansas on February 2, 1895 and died on October 9, 1961. He is buried in the Lower Creek Cemetery in Peter Pender, Arkansas in Franklin County. His military headstone identifies him as a Private serving in Co. C 137th Inf. 35th Division. He enlisted on May 26, 1918 and was discharged on May 9, 1919. He departed Brest, France on April 12, 1919 onboard he Manchuria. He arrived in Hoboken, NJ on April 23. He was listed as Private serving in Co. C. 137th Infantry.
TRANSCRIBED BY LAEL HARROD