TRANSCRIBED FROM THE COLUMBIA BANNER JANUARY 8, 1919 P. 1
Cauddes, Cher France.
Nov. 24, 1918.
Dearest Father and Mother:
Will write you another letter today it is “Fathers Day” with all the American troops in France. We observed “Mothers Day,” and I wrote you but I do not know whether you ever received it or not. This letter is known by all as “Dads Xmas Letter,” I try to write often anyway, but everyone is forced to write this Sunday. I hope sincerely that both of you will enjoy a very, very merry Christmas and I wish I could be there you, but I will be there sometime very soon after Xmas. That is one good consolution to us all.
We left Camp Beauregard on Jul 30 and went through many states to Newport News, Va. we were three days and nights making the trip. We stayed at Newport News from Sunday morning tell Tuesday morning, Aug. 6, when we hiked down to the docks and embarked for France. We looded on the ship “Zeelandia” and sailed that afternoon. We went through the “Chaesapeake Bay and through the Atlantic ocean, then through the “Biscay Bay,” and landed at “Brest, France.” We came close enough to the English channel to see it. We landed at Brest, (or out in the bay, about 2 o’clock on Aug 18. We sighted land three or four hours before we got to it. And believe me every one was certainly glad to see it after being on the ship so long. We had an American crew of sailors but still we did not get much to eat. There surely were lots of sick boys too. I was put on watch and in charge of 39 men and lots of guards who were watching for submarines. We had to report everything that we saw on the water by telephone to another part of the ship to the naval authorities. We had three days and nights of real bad weather and the boat surely did rock too. We stayed on board the ship from the time we anchored out in the harbor until the next morning (Aug. 19, 1918.) We hiked there for about four miles to what they called a rest camp. We pitched our dog tents and stayed there three days. We then hiked back to Brest and caught a little French train and moved to a nice town, (pretty good sized) named, (Mehunsur Yeure,) Cher France. These trains and their coaches are very small. The coaches are partitioned off in little compartments for 8 men which are about 10 x 5 feet. Hardly room to lie down.
After we got to Mehum we had good billits and plenty to eat. We were drilled every day. There were lots of grapes there and therefore we had plenty of good fruit to eat. We stayed there until after we had sent all of our privates to the front and then we packed up and went to a little town called, “Faecy.” Then we loaded on good box cars and came to St. Aignon, Cher France. There we went through a classification corps and were separated. Some of them sent to one place and some to another. We then hiked over to where we are now. We belong to the 162nd. Inf. or 41st. Div. over about four miles to a little town called “Cemt. We still get our mail the same way as we used to. Where we are now we do not get much to eat so we go out and get these French ladies to cook us chickens and potatoes and things. Surely do charge lots too. We have not had any stoves since it turned cold and it is rather chilly to get up every morning. We only drill 5 hours a day as the days are so short we have to drill from daylight until dark. I don’t think you can hurt me with hard work when I get back as I am used to eating anything, working hard and sleeping anywhere. I have not been to church but twice since I left the States and that was a Catholic church. There is not much sickness among the soldiers as they get plenty of fresh air and not too much to eat. Well there is lots more to tell but I will save that until I come home, which I don’t think will be very long after you receive this letter. I would love to go to Paris but I guess that will be impossible because you can’t go unless on business. I have been to some of the larger towns, Bourges, Veoizan and have been through Laurs, at Mehun where we were stationed was the Statue of Joanne D. Arc. She was captured there and burned in a town close by, by the name of Orleans. She was captured in King Charles’ castle which part of it is still standing.
Well must close for this time. Much love to both of you and a very, very merry Christmas to both of you.
Stg. Curtis Taylor.
Hdqu. Co. 154 Regt of American
Exp. Forces. A. P. O. No. 727
NOTES: John Curtis Taylor was born on October 21, 1896. By 1900 the family was living in Columbia County, Arkansas. He died in October 1972 at De Queen, Sevier County, Arkansas.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT.
Cauddes, Cher France.
Nov. 24, 1918.
Dearest Father and Mother:
Will write you another letter today it is “Fathers Day” with all the American troops in France. We observed “Mothers Day,” and I wrote you but I do not know whether you ever received it or not. This letter is known by all as “Dads Xmas Letter,” I try to write often anyway, but everyone is forced to write this Sunday. I hope sincerely that both of you will enjoy a very, very merry Christmas and I wish I could be there you, but I will be there sometime very soon after Xmas. That is one good consolution to us all.
We left Camp Beauregard on Jul 30 and went through many states to Newport News, Va. we were three days and nights making the trip. We stayed at Newport News from Sunday morning tell Tuesday morning, Aug. 6, when we hiked down to the docks and embarked for France. We looded on the ship “Zeelandia” and sailed that afternoon. We went through the “Chaesapeake Bay and through the Atlantic ocean, then through the “Biscay Bay,” and landed at “Brest, France.” We came close enough to the English channel to see it. We landed at Brest, (or out in the bay, about 2 o’clock on Aug 18. We sighted land three or four hours before we got to it. And believe me every one was certainly glad to see it after being on the ship so long. We had an American crew of sailors but still we did not get much to eat. There surely were lots of sick boys too. I was put on watch and in charge of 39 men and lots of guards who were watching for submarines. We had to report everything that we saw on the water by telephone to another part of the ship to the naval authorities. We had three days and nights of real bad weather and the boat surely did rock too. We stayed on board the ship from the time we anchored out in the harbor until the next morning (Aug. 19, 1918.) We hiked there for about four miles to what they called a rest camp. We pitched our dog tents and stayed there three days. We then hiked back to Brest and caught a little French train and moved to a nice town, (pretty good sized) named, (Mehunsur Yeure,) Cher France. These trains and their coaches are very small. The coaches are partitioned off in little compartments for 8 men which are about 10 x 5 feet. Hardly room to lie down.
After we got to Mehum we had good billits and plenty to eat. We were drilled every day. There were lots of grapes there and therefore we had plenty of good fruit to eat. We stayed there until after we had sent all of our privates to the front and then we packed up and went to a little town called, “Faecy.” Then we loaded on good box cars and came to St. Aignon, Cher France. There we went through a classification corps and were separated. Some of them sent to one place and some to another. We then hiked over to where we are now. We belong to the 162nd. Inf. or 41st. Div. over about four miles to a little town called “Cemt. We still get our mail the same way as we used to. Where we are now we do not get much to eat so we go out and get these French ladies to cook us chickens and potatoes and things. Surely do charge lots too. We have not had any stoves since it turned cold and it is rather chilly to get up every morning. We only drill 5 hours a day as the days are so short we have to drill from daylight until dark. I don’t think you can hurt me with hard work when I get back as I am used to eating anything, working hard and sleeping anywhere. I have not been to church but twice since I left the States and that was a Catholic church. There is not much sickness among the soldiers as they get plenty of fresh air and not too much to eat. Well there is lots more to tell but I will save that until I come home, which I don’t think will be very long after you receive this letter. I would love to go to Paris but I guess that will be impossible because you can’t go unless on business. I have been to some of the larger towns, Bourges, Veoizan and have been through Laurs, at Mehun where we were stationed was the Statue of Joanne D. Arc. She was captured there and burned in a town close by, by the name of Orleans. She was captured in King Charles’ castle which part of it is still standing.
Well must close for this time. Much love to both of you and a very, very merry Christmas to both of you.
Stg. Curtis Taylor.
Hdqu. Co. 154 Regt of American
Exp. Forces. A. P. O. No. 727
NOTES: John Curtis Taylor was born on October 21, 1896. By 1900 the family was living in Columbia County, Arkansas. He died in October 1972 at De Queen, Sevier County, Arkansas.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT.