Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-01-22

/ for a bath in the city. l Will ten
YOU more OF those days when l get
! home.
! We left Brest and came directly
| here and in two weeks got our nrst
| convoy of patients. Our hospital was
| built to accommodate two thousand
but we have had about three thousand
most of the time. Five miles out IN
the country we have had con-
yalescent camp Tor five hundred.
| We have had a good many conveys
and have had some terrible cases ana
! have seen some very sad sights. VI
all the thousands that have been here
! don't think we have lost over MY.
| Two of the boys in our unit nave
died from pneumonia.
, Today we have left eighteen hun
dred patients. 4 big L. S. hospital
train came through here last night
and we sent away on it around four
hundred patients | think. Each da!
we send away several hundred.
We have gotten rid of all our worst
cases and il is only matter OF few
| weeks when they will all be gone. we
expect to close one hospital this week.
OF course we don't know how mucn
longer we will be here, but we are not
going to have any more conveys so as
soon as we get rid Of our patients we
will be on our way somewhere. we
may be sent to Neise or somewhere
else for a time. but it is the general
opinion we will start for home soon
and may be back with YOU by the
middle Of January. We are all hop
ing so any way. for think the good
old L. S. \. is good enough for the
most OF us.
| We have seventeen German pris-
oners here and they are anxious to
! get home also.
l am sending home little Christ
mas box tomorrow and hope it reach
es YOU safely.
As this will probably be the last
letter that reaches YOU before Christ
mas | will wish YOU all a Very merry
I Christmas and know if ! am not with
Won in person I Will he with YOU in
thought
I am feeling the best / ever did in
all my life and just waiting patiently
for the day to come when ! hear tn"
old gang plank being pulled aboard
and am on my way home.
Z Until that day comes may Cod
bless and keep YOU all for me.
With oceans Of love TO al. am Your
! loving son. COfEl.
This letter is sent to the Journal by
Mr. Richardson's sister. Mrs. Chas. l..
I Barker OF Fast Nassaihoro.
The following letter was received
8 srny
her son, Private Knapp Is. Whitaker.
! Battery u, SD Artillery. c. A. &.
France Dec. 1918.
Dear Mother and Kenneth:
just :, line in answer 70 yours Of
! Nov % which | received last sunday.
! also got one moro Of Your letters,
! one written Sept. 90 that was with
Madeline's. | am still we'll and hope
YOU are the same at home. There
must be a good deal Of sickness at
home for what papers We get from
the States are full of it. Now take
the best care Of yourselves and cont
get sick by being neglectful of your
health. l was hoping a short time
ago we would get home for Christmas
but have given up the idea for ii is
getting almost Christmas now. We
! are some where about ~ miles from
the coast now by all can find ont. on
q river and on the opposite side from
a good sized town. Nantes ! believe il
is called. There are some steamers
that come up as far as here but
/ haven't seen any large liners yet We
! thought when We came here we would
get started for home before this, but
II doesn't look any more like it than
a week ago. We got here a week ago
I sunday. II isn't a bad place at all
! for it is the best we have been in
since we left the States in regard to
quarters. and right in village where
we can go out while in the evenings.
l have had one pass from in the
morning until . at night. the only one
I | have had in France. l hape W. get
on our way home before long for
had q great deal rather be in the old
! L. S. A., even if it is colder up home
than where we are now. Flowers
are in blossom in the gardens and it
is very mild weather and the sun has
shone all day today. The most Of
the time it has been cloudy, misty and
drizzly rain. I hope the sun shines
every Gay we are here for good
weather will make the time go
quicker BY your letters and the
clippings and what Evelyn writes. I
take il that the most of the fellows
around home arc still in tho States.
She said her cousin Jim was in the
hospital and Pat Moore was going to
school over here. I went on the front
! May 18th and was there as long as
there was anything doing. Nov. Il, all
except from June Goth until July 18th
when we We're back at headquarters.
Saw some action and wouldn't trade
! experiences with the boys back home
even if they Were in safe place.
Well good night. and take the best
care Of yourselves.
I Will close hoping to see you before
/ long.
! Private KNAPP g. WHITAKER.
Battery D. SD Artillery c. A. c.
y. f. F. via New Yori: