Encoded for for the Veterans History Project, May 24, 2021.
All letters in the Edgar Andrews collection were digitized.
The following letters were transcribed from the handwritten originals by Veterans History Project staff. 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*.
Nov 4 1917
Dear Mother, -
Do not think I have forgotten home & the family. We are in France but that is about all I can tell you as to our location. After spending a short time at the place where we landed we were shipped in cars (if you can call them such) for two night and days to a little village in the interior of France. Our company was [illegible] detailed to go to another little village and get horses for the Div. It surly was some detail. It took two days. We got [censored] & sixteen, horses & mules. Some job for
two hundred men. I was sore for a week from riding bareback. Upon arriving in camp I was almost immediately informed that I was to go away to another small town to attend a school. A two [censored}
Two sergeants and three corporals were picked from our Co. I was released to be one of them. Our [illegible] is over next Tue., and we return to the company to instruct the rest of the boys. The people in the town where we are, are a simple country folk that have not progressed any in the last hundred years. The [sic] have not any of the common
conveniances [sic] of the country people of our country. Colonial [hunters]of America would soon be satisfied if they lived here for a time. Tonight, for instance, we have had the woman who owns our billet is cooking us a fine supper over a fireplace. It consist of rabbit, potatoes, bread & butter, milk, jam and maybe French coffee. Some feed. Red & white wine is more [illegible] than water but I do not care a great deal for it. Another thing that will amuse you is the fact that we (the class)
have a valet de chambre. A French soldier is detailed to keep our billet in order, clean our shoes and look out for our comforts. That will stop when we return to our company. I wish I had gone to Plattsburg as the boys who went there certainly have it soft over here. Owing to the fact that we are not permitted to write the long letters I will have to wait to discribe [sic] all I would like to tell. Rest assured I am comfortable and happy and getting a wonderful education in foreign meathods [sic]. My one hope is that I will remain well and return to Boston in time for next Thanksgiving. Yesterday we attended maneuvers conducted by the French soldiers. It was very interesting. They are a fine race of people and I am glad that one of my grand-fathers was a Frenchman. Write often and tell me all the news. Give my love to all the folks and also to Marjorie. By the way I am getting to be quite a Frenchman myself. Parlay Vous
Love to all
Edgar
Corp. E. d. Andrews
Co. A. 102 M.G. Bat.