Encoded for for the Veterans History Project, January 9, 2017
All letters in the McNutt collection were digitized.
The following letters were transcribed from the handwritten originals by the donor. No alterations to this transcription has been made, although spelling errors are indicated with [sic]. Any special emphasis (i.e. underlining) is presented *between asterisks*.
I will try and answer your very, very interesting and welcome letter tonight but don't know who far I will get as the ship is listed about 90° to the port and maybe in fifteen minutes it may be laying on its side to the starboard. We are at a coal dock somewhere in Va. But don't know just where it is located some place near Norfolk. There are many places around here and all close together. We came very near turning over last night
and twice today. You see our little old tub is small and we were here at a coal dock coaling up and was taking on enough coal to run us across and back we had our cargo unloaded and when the top bunkers were filled she got top heavy and flopped way over. They are filling the after cargo with coal now to weigh us down. We were supposed to have been in Phil. Tonight but owing to this trouble we are still here, but guess we'll get under way in the morning and instead of taking a cargo of boats we are taking coal. Gee! I am thinking we have about as much chance of riding the ocean as a snow ball in H---. I guess we will go down to Davy Jone's locker but the chances are we will go there before we cross very many times anyway so haven't got but one time to go. We will take two chances as just a gale will almost wreck her let alone a storm and the submarine has another crack at us. I don't know just how soon we will cross maybe a
couple of weeks and maybe two months I don't know and don't guess there is any one else does not even the Skipper, but we do know she is going across some time. We haven't any guns mounted yet can't say if we are going to have any and don't give a d---. I am disgusted, tired, dirty, lousy, need a shave, my feet are dirty, have no soap, broke and about a hundred other things. That is what you call being on the bum, eh?
About a week ago we sure did have some fun up in
Galley (kitchen). We got one of the coon mess attendants that had a bad headache and told him the best thing to do for it was to shave his head. So he agreed to let us shave it and one of the sailors---a great big fat fellow broke out a razor and went to work on Mr Coon's head and didn't get his head more than one third shaved until he cut him twice and the blood bean to trickle down his head. His eyes run out on stews (?) and that nigger turned white with fright. One
of the sailors said to another low but so the coon could hear it, go get the Dr. quick. I think we can save him. Well, that nigger made one dive for the door and it took about six of us to hold him and we had started shaving his head so had to finish it. We had to tell him if he moved we would cut his throat from ear to ear so he got quiet and we finished our job and to top it off some one went out on deck to one of the wenches and got a can of axle grease and told him it was vaseline. He didn't want it put on but some one held him and rubbed it in and told him it would keep his head from getting sore. He sure was a funny looking coon and when he got in the door he turned around and said "Man, I is nebber goine to habe my head shaved again no ser not as long as I lives."
I thought of trying to get a forty eight hour leave and have mother and Billy meet me ay Wytheville and be able to see them a few hours but we didn't know what we were going to do and haven't been at one dock that long until we hit the coal dock and wasn't supposed to be here more than twenty four hours but the old ship acted crazy and we had to stay but didn't know and don't yet just how long we would have to stay. No, Myrtle, it is a good little way from here home. I don't know just exactly but some where around one hundred and fifty miles. We never know what we
are going to do and can't plan anything for today we may be one place and tomorrow miles away and when we get a furlough we can't tell if we are going to get in or not so can't bank on getting it. We ma go up and ask for one and get it and in a couple of hours from the time we put in for it our time starts. If we could go up and put in for one this week for next week, it would be alright, but don't think you can do that. I may not be able to get one next summer
but sure do hope I can for I want to see them at home and you awfully bad. I may not get but five or eight days but that will be better than nothing. The only thing if I only get five days I wouldn't have time to let you know in time to make arrangements to come. That will be the devil won't it? Maybe I will live to get a discharge three years and three months from now and if I do never again will I tie my self up again for four years on one job but that is what they all say and the next thing you know well I shipped over and that may be what I will do when my time is ju but I think if I do I will have done lost my mind. Time brings many changes and four years from now you may do things that you never dreamed of doing now.
I started this letter in Va and am finishing it in Phil. Or hope to finish it here. I was just a few minutes ago talking to one of the yard workers that is helping to unload the cargo of coal we brought in this morning and he said that
there was an awful lot of stuff laying hare on one of the piers marked for abroad and for us. So guess we will begin to load it on about Wed. and will take three or four days to get it all on and then we will turn our wings and set sail for France about monday, March 3rd and then it will be Au-Revoir until we meet again. I am real anxious to go across and hope we do get off next week. We haven't any guess but will be convoyed if we get in a fast knot convoy we will be twenty
one days going over and I hope we do for we will have it easy and if we get in a ten knot convoy it will take about twelve days and will have it awful hard for we can't make but thirteen knots our best.
I got your last letter while we were down in Va. But didn't get the picture. Mail only cam aboard once and then today (Sun) we didn't get any so will get mail tomorrow and maybe then I will get it. I sure do hope so and indeed it is a honor and tell Cousin Vola I sure do appreciate her agreeing
to give it to me. The only person she would give it to, but that she has the original and didn't really need the picture. Think of poor little me only having the picture to look at. Ask her now is the chances of sending me the original just put it (her) in a cage and sending it by parcel post. I believe you can send live stock through the mail, can't you? Myrtle, you sure do write fine letters and I only wish I could write good ones that way, but just can't. It is not insane (?) you know when I wrote I didn't realize that it was anywhere near Valentines day for in here I very seldom know when Sunday comes and didn't even know when my birthday passes. But my dear, I will assure you I would be you Valentine and any thing else you would like for me to be. I got the box of candy and it sure was fine and thanks many, many times for it. You sure are a sweet little girl as sweet as the candy.
Now in case this rouing (?) and woodland bug keeps growing until I get out of the navy I may just act on your suggestion and take to the mountains around
Jellico for there certainly is a magnet near there that would draw me to that part of the country. There is one thing about it I believe you said. There were lots of squirrels there now and I am not very fond of squirrels as squirrels are vary fond of nuts and they might just jump onto me. If you will agree to protect me from the squirrels I will just do that. Now the what I like is birds and particular chickens so if you know of the whereabouts of many of them that would be a great inducement.
To be continued
Part 2 Continued from last number
I think I do need a nice little wife and home and maybe would be satisfied to settle down but where O where will a find so foolish a girl that I could fool so badly as to have me? No kidding if you were completely crazy and a lot bigger fool than you are I think that is just what I would do. But you are sensible and wise and that is the way it always is with me. Myrtle, this is a cruel, cruel old world and filled to the
top with troubles. Myrtle I'll tell you what let's do. We will travel and see some of this old world and in our many and long travels and roaming if neither of us finds any one big enough fools to take us let's settle down and console each other. What do you say. Are you game? Now little girl to bring up old troubles I would like to say a few words in regard to what you said about same in letters past. You were awfully nice to me the last time I saw you and couldn't wish for you to be more nice. I really think now that I was to blame and am responsible for not seeing you again before I left Knoxville, but I didn't think so then. You were to blame a little but not half so much as me and the whole thing I came from us both being stubborn no don't you think there is something in that? In the first place I could have
made my visits with Auntie first and then went up to cousin B and cousin M and that way I could have been at K while you were there but I didn't think but what you would be there when I returned from Sevierville and I don't know why I was in such a hurry to go up there just some cranky notions of mine I reckon. In the second place there was no use of me being in any hurry enlisting in the Navy
altho I had written home for them to meet me at a certain time before I know you weren't going to be at Knoxville and it was too late to let them know as it takes so long for them to get mail. I might have sent a telegram but I still thought you was coming back Sat. evening and met the train hoping you would be on it but instead of you C.M. Got off and I sure was surprised to see her as I never dreamed
of seeing her and as you didn't. I was kindly sore and had nothing to do so spent the evening with her. Even if it wouldn't have put them to a lot of trouble of meeting me and driving sixteen miles I wouldn't have stayed over to Monday then, for I was too stubborn to do that after nou not coming and you was the same way because I didn't go to Jellico. No dear girl, I appreciated the money the family offered me to make it possible for me to visit Jellico, but really I couldn't except (accept?) it there was several reasons for me not to and I can't just explain why but I couldn't . You don't know how much I wanted to come but fate was was with me as usual. If I had of been able to have went I could have see much more of you then if you had of been at K as I would not be able to get away
from Aunte without hard feelings as she would have thought ought to spend all the time with her. When I was standing on the corner at Park St waiting for a car that morning when you came along going to school I wanted to walk down to school with you awfully band and I don't know why but I just felt like you didn't want me to and that I would be pushing my self on you and that you would think
I was just waiting there to hang onto you when you came along. I don't know why but I am always thinking people don't like me and I am a nuisance and a bore to them. I guess the main reason is that nobody is home upstairs. My faults are many and I have a lot to learn. The hardest thing I have hit up against yet to study and understand is girls and especially one that you love.
It is said "pity is akin to love." If a girl loves you she will be nice to you but usually will try to keep you from knowing the truth and you have to study, figure and guess. Some girls are of a loving nature and will be affectionate toward you and not care any more for you than a friend. There are other girls that their whole ambition is to have all the boys to love them and they will always try to make a fool of you and if you don't watch your step they will succeed. You have so many different kind of natured girls to study and they are all very peculiar, but the biggest fool in the world I think is a man in love. I wondered a long time after I joined the navy why wouldn't write and what you was sore about. You said you was learning a few lessons on affection so go to it kid and if I get to go home
next summer and see you I will rehearse you and if you are not too far advanced maybe we'll be able to give you a few lessons. Let's try to be sensible from now on girlie for we are no longer kids and ought to have a little sense. You say you are getting old and you are only getting old enough to have a little sense (I m--- lots of sense).
I heard again today it may be ten days before we start across so try to write once more before I sail. I will write you as soon as I hit a foreign port. I hope you don't die before you get this read. Good bye until I return.
With lots of love,
[P.S.] I received the picture today. A thousand thanks.