The Myrtle Davis Collection of World War I Letters
From LibraryWiki
May 18, 1917 (b.1 f.1)
Charles Conrad
- Friendly letter to Myrtle sent on store stationary:
- W. M. Conrad & Son
- Fancy & Staple Groceries
- 817 Wooster Avenue
- Ohio State Phone 260
- Barberton, Ohio ______, 191_
April 6-May 25, 1918 (b.1 f.1)
Albert F. Robbins Camp Sherman, Ohio
- Robbins was under the “meanest, rottenest sergeant,” but promoted to guide, “only a strong pair of legs and a weak mind needed to be in the army."
- Says if he ever gets out, he wants to “get married and adopt 15 kids right off the reel.”
- Writes from a train taking him to be sent overseas, “Tell Charles I will see him in Berlin.”
- In Dennison, Ohio, people came to see them off.
May 4, 1918 (postcard) (b.3 f. 26)
Ethel Columbus postmark
- “Tell Chas. I think he will like it here.”
May 17, 1918 (postcard) (b.3 f.26)
Charles Conrad Cincinnati postmark
- On the train to camp.
May 29, 1918 (b.1 f.1)
Charles Conrad Camp Gordon, Ohio
- Conrad took out a $10,000 insurance plan.
May 30, 1918 (postcard) (b.3 f.26)
Charles Conrad Camp Gordon
- Placed on guard duty for the night
June 3, 1918 (b.1 f.2)
Albert F. Robbins Camp Merritt
- Mentions U-Boat sinking fifteen ships off the Jersey Coast, “I don’t think they can scare me more than I already am. Haha.”
- “I would like to see the old burg before I go across the big drink, but I guess it will be impossible. Maybe I have looked at it for the last time but I guess I have seen a whole lot of it at that.”
- -Nickname is “Ribbons”
- ”P.S. You don’t need to wait so long to write and for God’s sake don’t stop writing altogether.”
June 6, 1918 (b.1 f.2)
Charles Conrad Camp Gordon, Georgia
- “Hope for the best and know that we both will be happy when I get back.”
June 8, 1918 (b.1 f.3)
Charles Conrad Camp Gordon, Georgia
- No cameras allowed in camp.
June 10, 1918 (b.1 f.3)
Charles Camp Gordon, Georgia
- ENCLOSURE: chicken wishbone from Sunday dinner, sends as a good luck sign
June 18, 1918 (postcard) (b.3 f.27)
Charles Conrad Camp Gordon (postcard)
- Writing by street light
- “Did not get any mail today please don’t let it happen anymore.”
June 19, 1918 (b.1 f.4)
Charles Conrad Camp Gordon, Georgia
- Everyone has to drill until used to handling gun: “Believe me I am going to learn that fast if I can.”
June 22, 1918 (b.1 f.4)
Charles Conrad Camp Gordon, Georgia
- Theft in the camp when someone stole a $20 bill and caused all to be under arrest and confined to barracks because of “some God damn fool.”
July 1-4, 1918 (b.1 f.6)
Charles Conrad Camp Gordon, Georgia
- Gas mask drilling
- Fourth of July celebrations held and Conrad went out in his pressed new coat and shined shoes to a ball game and Atlanta.
July 5, 1918 (b.1 f.7)
Albert F. Robbins Overseas
- “When it comes to finding the pretty girls you have to hand it to the girls from the old U.S.A. Never need to worry about little me bring any of these [French girls] home with me.”
July 6-21, 1918 (b.1 f.7-8)
Charles Conrad Camp Gordon, Georgia
- As long as Conrad could keep his job in the office, he feels that he will “never get close to the firing line.”
- Conrad goes for horseback rides to Silver Lake, sometimes with the Mess Sergeant. The officers held a big barn dance.
- “I am afraid we are having it a little too easy.”
- He mentions being featured in a paper: “I bet you are proud of your soldier boy now.”
- Remarks that those leaving are a “happy bunch” and “sort of make me feel like going with them.”
- There is an ongoing street car strike in Atlanta. The taxis increased their price of far to $1 from 50 cents.
- Some sent from the Tennessee mountains in the Deport Brigade do not read or write English: “You can guess what fun we had trying to tell and show them what to do…I’ll bet they won’t get them trained as quick as they did the bunch from Ohio.”
July 23, 1918 (b.1 f.9)
Albert F. Robbins France
- Censored by Lt. Harris
- Tells Myrtle to tell Chas. not to let shots worry him; they are “just part of the game.”
- “rats as big as horses” reported
- “When it came time for me to go on my vacation Uncle Sam thought he could use me.”
August 4, 1918 (b.1 f.10)
Charles Conrad Camp Gordon, Georgia
- Response to newspaper suspicions on Kaiser: “…that damned Kaiser had dropped over dead with heart trouble. That would be too good for him.”
August 8, 1918 (b.1 f.10)
Albert F. Robbins Italy
- On when he returns: “If I don’t know the old town I will be perfectly satisfied getting acquainted again.”
- Tells Myrtle to tell Charles he doesn’t know what heat is. “I thought at times I would naturally
dry up and blow away.”
- Lives in a church, “seen more of a church in the last few weeks than I have in several years.”
- Awakened by someone yelling in his sleep, but thought it was a ghost from the a church grave.
August 9, 1918 (b.1 f.10)
Charles Conrad Camp Gordon, Georgia
- Some men are sending cameras to the YMCA since they are not allowed to have them at camp.
- Five Quakers refused to be removed from Kitchen Police (KP) and work in the guard army
- Possibility they will have to do labor in prison
- “Would serve them right if they did, because they are not any better than we are.”
- “I don’t know how to act if I could get in a machine and go for a ride. A fellow never misses a
thing like that until he can’t get it.
August 16, 1918 (b.1 f.11)
Albert F. Robbins Italy
- Received Mytle’s picture after two months delay
- “Charles is sure one lucky boy” that he has not been sent over yet.
- Says he doesn’t write often, but remembers writing once that “I remember writing about tearing all my hair out and believe me I haven’t got a whole lot right now.”
- ENCLOSURE: Namecard
August 19-September 7, 1918 (b.1 f.11-12)
Charles Conrad Camp Gordon, Georgia
- Weekend spent in Atlanta walking the streets, movie and dinner.
- Tells Myrtle, “Don’t stay at home when you have a chance to get out.”
- “They are going to send some boys from this camp to Mexico. I suppose we will have to have some trouble with them now just because Germany has put them up to it….Oh well this darn war will be over with some day let us hope before long and we can live in peace.”
- Saw “To Hell with the Kaiser” at Liberty Theatre.
- Bunch of men coming in from New York, but are being sent back: “Such looking creatures you have never seen. They are anything from a boot black to a havanna peddler.”
- “I see in the papers where they were holding 40,000 slackers in New York. I guess that’s going
some they had out to take some of them out and shoot them.”
- Reports on being kept until end of war: “I hope that’s true not that I don’t want to go across
which I would like to do for one thing and that is to see the country. But I guess I would be better off here.”
- 18 fellows from Tennessee supposed to be sent out but took “French leave.”
September 2, 1918 (b.2 f.13)
Albert F. Robbins Italy
- “bomb practice,” but not in real trenches yet
- received cigars, candy, cookies finally: “candy a little dry”
September 9, 1918 (b.2 f.13)
Albert F. Robbins Camp Gordon, Georgia
- “As far as sightseeing is concerned that is the least of my worries. We never get to see any sights. Once in awhile we go out to see the Italians pull off a few stunts. We were out this morning watching them pull off a few stunts and then we had to do the same thing. Of course,we didn’t get it as perfect as they but they can’t hand us anything.”
- “We have not seen the real trenches yet and believe me I am not real crazy about seeing them. I suppose I will before long but I am leaving the future take care of itself. I done something last night that I haven’t done for a long time. I got up enough courage to go to church."
September 10, 1918 (b.2 f.13)
Charles Conrad Camp Gordon, Georgia
- Visit to Stone Mountain, ate at an old-fashioned restaurant: “…good country ham, fresh laid eggs real ones, fired potatoes, corn, lemon pie, real buttermilk. Say I forgot I was in the army.”
September 10, 1918 (b.2 f.14)
Charles Conrad Camp Gordon, Georgia
- “Some days I forget I am in the army until I stop and think of you and the rest at home.”
- ENCLOSURE: letter copied from a soldier named Jim to Mable
September 15, 1918 (b.2 f.14)
Charles Conrad Camp Gordon, Georgia
- Going to see “Hearts of the World”
September 29, 1918 (b.2 f.15)
Albert F. Robbins Somewhere in Italy
- “If somebody would have told me a year ago that I would spend my 23rd birthday in Italy, I would have given them an argument. But then some strange things happen in this cruel old world.”
- “P.S. Tell Gert and a few more if they haven’t heard anything else to do just write once in awhile.”
October 8, 1918 (b.2 f.15)
Charles Conrad Camp Gordon, Georgia
- Arrived back in the camp after furlough to find sickness in the camp.
- Heads were wrapped in bath towels, cloths covering mouths, and beds were all outside.
- Nine deaths in the camp and the YMCA, Knights of Columbus, the Hostess House, Liberty Theatre.
October 8, 1918 (b.2 f.15)
Albert F. Robbins Somewhere in Italy
- “Every move we make brings us closer to the firing line so I suppose it won’t be very long until we get mixed up in it.”
- “I think whoever told you this war would end in August must have been drinking squirrel whiskey.”
- You know how I feel when I don’t get any mail. We go out and stand around listening for our name and maybe we don’t get any. Believe me that is the time when you see some homesick boys.”
October 14, 1918 (b.2 f.16)
Albert F. Robbins Somewhere in Italy
- “I find the best way to get along is just smile and do it.”
October 15, 1918 (b.2 f.16)
Charles Conrad Camp Gordon, Georgia
- Quarantine may be lifted before long.
- Bought $100 liberty bond
- Papers are optimistic about the war being close to finished.
- “This is some life being all pend up like some cow. But I guess I should be satisfied being on this side and having plenty to eat.”
October 16, 1918 (b.2 f.16)
Charles Conrad Camp Gordon, Georgia
- Everyone has to wear mouthpiece day and night.
- “I sure do remember when I said “what’s mine is yours and what yours is mine” That was one of the happiest moments of my life. Now I do realize I didn’t do my part but promised I will make up for it when I get back to you.”
October 20, 1918 (b.2 f.16)
Charles Conrad Camp Gordon, Georgia
- Plans to go to Detroit with Myrtle and Ethel Scoop.
October 22, 1918 (b.2 f.17)
Charles Conrad Camp Gordon, Georgia
- “Flu” under control in the camp.
- ENCLOSURE: Verse to Soldiers Prayer poem
October 21, 1918 (b.2 f.17)
Albert F. Robbins Somewhere in Italy
- “So you think those cookies were hard. Well I admit they were not the softest thing I ever ate but they sure had something on this hardtack. And believe me that is saying a whole lot.”
October 27, 1918 (b.2 f.17)
Charles Conrad Camp Gordon, Georgia
- Planning a Halloween Party for the officers and he invited 75 girls from a church in Atlanta: “Now don’t get worked up over it because I hope you can trust me.”
- Quarantine still in Atlanta and no passes issued, “Talk about army life being one d---- thing after another.”
October 30, 1918 (b.2 f.17)
Charles Conrad Camp Gordon, Georgia
- Party was a “grand success”
- ENCLOSURE: Menu
- Of Myrtle: “Certainly feel proud of you being a cook, baker, and a nurse all at the same time”
November 3, 1918 (b.2 f.18)
Charles Conrad Camp Gordon, Georgia
- He advises Myrtle to wear her mask.
- Rumor Class A might be sent overseas, but he would keep same job if sent.
November 4, 1918 (b.2 f.18)
Charles Conrad Camp Gordon, Georgia
- Orders that four will be transferred out of office.
- Talk of sending troops to Russia
- “P.S. I am going to try and think up some code to use so I can tell you important things.”
November 5, 1918 (b.2 f.18)
Charles Conrad Camp Gordon, Georgia
- Machine that oils roads caught on fire and it spread to the MP barracks, but not much damage done.
November 6, 1918 (b.2 f.18)
Charles Conrad Camp Gordon, Georgia
- News that Austria surrendered.
November 7, 1918 (b.2 f.19)
Charles Conrad Camp Gordon, Georgia
- Special Delivery letter and was a reply to Myrtle’s special delivery letter inquiring if her and Conrad’s mother should come for a visit.
November 10, 1918 (b.2 f.19)
Charles Conrad Camp Gordon, Georgia
- Placed on overseas list
- Sent in application for Officer’s Training School.
- Will drill for two weeks before being sent over.
November 12, 1918 (b.2 f.19)
Charles Conrad Camp Gordon, Georgia
- “Gosh! I am sure in the army for sure now. All we get is fall in and fall out.”
- Replaced with Class B men in office.
- Dress parade in Atlanta for peace being declared and war fund: “I guess the biggest part of my good times are over with for awhile. Gee! It sure did make me mad when I see the rest of the fellows standing along the curb while looking on today and us marching. But I felt proud to think I was in it.”
- Word that no more Replacement Regiments being sent out, possibly home in five to six weeks
November 16, 1918 (b.2 f.19)
Charles Conrad Camp Gordon, Georgia
- Must qualify in drilling before discharged, but that means released before those in offices.
- Having local board in Akron write a letter requesting hi s help right away can help get him out of the army quicker, but he was certain no one would be sent across anymore.
November 17, 1918 (b.2 f.20)
Charles Conrad Camp Gordon, Georgia
- “I certainly do not think you did wrong by going to the dance with those fellows. You know I told you to enjoy yourself the best you could till I came back. So you just go ahead they way you see fit and it sure will be alright with me. Because I do trust you and know you wouldn’t do anything that wasn’t right. Also hope you trust me to do the same.”
- Part of an American Eagle formation for a picture.
November 21, 1918 (b.2 f.20)
Charles Conrad Camp Gordon, Georgia
- Practice at the rifle range; received an expert rifleman score of 254/300.
- Although the “Flu” is over with, the men are still sleeping outside as long as weather permits.
November 26, 1918 (b.2 f.21)
Charles Conrad Camp Gordon, Georgia
- Transferred back to Headquarters Department supply office and has old job back.
- The soldiers have to wear assigned clothing or they will be confined to camp for thirty days.
- There was concern among the men and whether they can find jobs out of the army or not.
December 8, 1918 (b.2 f.22)
Charles Conrad Camp Gordon, Georgia
- Will be sent to Camp Sherman to be discharged, but may be kept there a week to be examined and paid first.
- Made a Sergeant and will come home with “three stripes on my arm.”
December 8, 1918 (b.2 f..22)
Albert F. Robbins Treviso, Italy
- “The only thing that worries me now is getting home. In don’t think it will be very long but everyday seems just like a year.
- “While the war was going on we very seldom heard the boys talking about home but now every gang you meet has it on their minds.”
- “You don’t want to be on too big of a hurry buying my wedding present. I have kind of changed my mind. I think I will look around and find myself a rich widow with about 10 kids. No more of this life for me."
December 12, 1918 (b.2 f.23)
Charles Conrad Camp Gordon, Georgia
- “Only will say that if I don’t get out of this darn army before long I either will be in the crazy house or the guard house.”
- Georgians, who have not been there as long, are being sent home: “When I see these fellows going home I feel like murdering someone.”
December 12, 1918 (b.2 f.23)
Albert F. Robbins Treviso, Italy
- “I can’t say that I am really rejoicing because the only thing that is on my mind is getting home.That makes a fellow feel worse than he did when the big noise was on.”
- “The rats wasn’t so bad only they got in my hair and kept me awake a great deal. I didn’t get any of these much talked about ‘cooties.’
- “If you think five weeks is a long time to stay away from the movies first think of me.”
- “Don’t worry about that candy being stale. Anything in the shape of a good piece of homemade candy would taste good…”
December 14, 1918 (b.2 f.23)
Charles Conrad Camp Gordon, Georgia
- Leaving for Camp Sherman following Monday or Tuesday: “I am so happy that I can hardly write….”
December 15, 1918 (b.2 f.24)
Charles Conrad Camp Gordon, Georgia
- Conrad had already telegraphed most of his money home when someone stole his $18 in a pocketbook left upstairs in his shirt.
- Lack of transportation north until after the 26th: “And it wouldn’t surprise me because they are all for the south down here. They are even discharging all the negroes first so they can pick the cotton for them. They don’t care how the north gets along….Someone had ought to write to Sec. Baker or Gov. Fox and tell them how the Northerners are being treated down here.”
- Boycott the South: “Everyone says that his is not going downtown and is not going to spend any money in Atlanta for Xmas presents so we will be able to fool them by doing that.”
- Silver stripe for those that did not go across but served for at least six months.
- Says that after his and Myrtle’s wedding, the day he gets discharged will be the next greatest day of his life.
December 16, 1918 (b.2 f.24)
Albert F. Robbins Treviso, Italy
- “Believe me it will be the happiest moment of my life when I can sit down to a real meal.”
December 18, 1918 (b.2 f.24)
Charles Conrad Camp Gordon, Georgia
- Leaving for Camp Sherman tomorrow: “I am so happy that I can hardly write but will do my best.”
December 20, 1918 (postcard)
Charles Conrad Somewhere in Kentucky
- On way to Camp Sherman
December 23, 1918 (b.2 f.24)
Charles Conrad Camp Sherman, Ohio
- Examinations, signed papers, turned in everything
- Camp is dirty, poor water, eating out of mess kits, and long waits at kitchen for food.
December 26, 1918 (b.2 f.24)
Charles Conrad Camp Sherman, Ohio
- Passes issued too late to go home for Christmas.
January 5, 1919 (postcard) (b.3 f.28)
Albert F. Robbins Unknown
- “Just a little card to say hello and goodbye.”
January 24, 1919 (b.2 f.25)
Albert F. Robbins Treviso, Italy
- Not anticipating being home for many months.
- Maybe will visit Venice which was only 35 miles away.
- All he can do is write and think of home.
January 21, 1919 (b.2 f.25)
Albert F. Robbins Genoa, Italy
- Thinks Genoa will be the last place he is sent to, but does not know when he will get out.
- “I think I will have to look around for an old lady who don’t care if she does well.”
March 7, 1919 (b.2 f.25)
Albert F. Robbins Genoa, Italy
- If he cannot get a job he can always go back to his “trade” of soldiering.
- Promoted to corporal.
March 20, 1919 (b.2 f.25)
Albert F. Robbins Genoa, Italy
- “Sure am glad to hear you are not married and that I may write as often as I please.”
- Under quarantine
- Will ask for a pass to go to France or Rome.
April 18, 1919 (postcard) (b.3 f.28)
Albert F. Robbins Camp Merritt
- Will be home soon.
PHOTOGRAPHS (b.3 f.30)
