TRANSCRIBED FROM THE POCAHONTAS STAR HERALD FEBRUARY 28, 1919 P. 3
A.E.F. France, Jan. 3, 1919
Mr. H. L. Swan
Pocahontas, Ark.
Dear Brother-in-law and Family:
I will answer your letter which I received today. Glad you are well, but sorry to learn that Thesea and Jane have been sick. You should all be proud you have had as good health as you have had.
Well, Swan, you boys certainly backed us up with men and money. Liberty Bonds helped, but this war has cost lots of men. A war can’t be won though, without the loss of lives. I am thankful that I have been blest, for I have never had to go to the front.
I landed in Liverpool, England the 6th of September and stayed in England about two weeks. We sailed across the English Channel in France and it only took us one night for it was such a short distance. We marched to a rest camp and stayed a day or two, and from there we took a train and rode about two days and nights. When we stopped, our old company that I came across with, was split up and I was attached to the 161st Infantry. We were given a gas mask, and were ordered to drill and get ready for the front any time we should receive orders to go. But some officers came around picking out men to go to G.H.Q. t do guard duty, and I was selected as one. I arrived at G.H.Q. the 30th of September. The name of this town is Chaumont.
I consider that I have been lucky. We boys will be starting home soon, but we don’t know just when. We will have to wait our turn.
Swan, if you had a bunch of us backy soldiers in your cotton patch, there would be some cotton picking take place. We wouldn’t even leave a stalk.
Has Ewin’s experience in married life got him down very much? Ha! Ha! Is he going to farm with you this year? I guess he will though.
Well, I will close, hoping to see you by spring anyway. With best love to all of you, I am your bother in law.
Ed Sutton,
Co. G.H.Q., A.P.O. 706 France, Jan. 3 1919
NOTES: Edgar Edward Sutton was born in Pocahontas, Arkansas on September 8, 1895 in Randolph County, Arkansas and died on December 28, 1973. He is buried in the Sutton Cemetery in Pocahontas. His military headstone identifies him as an Arkansas PFC serving in the US Army during World War I. He enlisted on May 25, 1918 and was discharged on July 9, 1919. He departed New York, NY on August 25, 1918 onboard the Cedric. He was serving as a Private in the August Automatic Replacement Draft #6 Infantry. He departed Brest, France on June 22, 1919 onboard the Von Steuben. He arrived in Hoboken, NJ on June 30. He was serving as a PFC in Co. G.H.Q. Infantry.
TRANSCRIBED BY LINDA MATTHEWS
A.E.F. France, Jan. 3, 1919
Mr. H. L. Swan
Pocahontas, Ark.
Dear Brother-in-law and Family:
I will answer your letter which I received today. Glad you are well, but sorry to learn that Thesea and Jane have been sick. You should all be proud you have had as good health as you have had.
Well, Swan, you boys certainly backed us up with men and money. Liberty Bonds helped, but this war has cost lots of men. A war can’t be won though, without the loss of lives. I am thankful that I have been blest, for I have never had to go to the front.
I landed in Liverpool, England the 6th of September and stayed in England about two weeks. We sailed across the English Channel in France and it only took us one night for it was such a short distance. We marched to a rest camp and stayed a day or two, and from there we took a train and rode about two days and nights. When we stopped, our old company that I came across with, was split up and I was attached to the 161st Infantry. We were given a gas mask, and were ordered to drill and get ready for the front any time we should receive orders to go. But some officers came around picking out men to go to G.H.Q. t do guard duty, and I was selected as one. I arrived at G.H.Q. the 30th of September. The name of this town is Chaumont.
I consider that I have been lucky. We boys will be starting home soon, but we don’t know just when. We will have to wait our turn.
Swan, if you had a bunch of us backy soldiers in your cotton patch, there would be some cotton picking take place. We wouldn’t even leave a stalk.
Has Ewin’s experience in married life got him down very much? Ha! Ha! Is he going to farm with you this year? I guess he will though.
Well, I will close, hoping to see you by spring anyway. With best love to all of you, I am your bother in law.
Ed Sutton,
Co. G.H.Q., A.P.O. 706 France, Jan. 3 1919
NOTES: Edgar Edward Sutton was born in Pocahontas, Arkansas on September 8, 1895 in Randolph County, Arkansas and died on December 28, 1973. He is buried in the Sutton Cemetery in Pocahontas. His military headstone identifies him as an Arkansas PFC serving in the US Army during World War I. He enlisted on May 25, 1918 and was discharged on July 9, 1919. He departed New York, NY on August 25, 1918 onboard the Cedric. He was serving as a Private in the August Automatic Replacement Draft #6 Infantry. He departed Brest, France on June 22, 1919 onboard the Von Steuben. He arrived in Hoboken, NJ on June 30. He was serving as a PFC in Co. G.H.Q. Infantry.
TRANSCRIBED BY LINDA MATTHEWS