MARSHALL, Guy

Dear Folks at Home: I have news for you. I took the longest ride I ever took. I am in Hattiesburg MS having a good time. We got on the train Wed morning and didn't get off until Friday morning. We had Pullman cars and some fine beds and dining cars. There were 2000 of the boys came from Camp Taylor. We had a little wreck on the train the engine running into another train and everything upset. We had one man in my car to send to the hospital and another got some ribs broken and another got a place cut in the head and old Guy got out on top. Well, I crossed Kentucky, Tenn. and Alabama and am now in Ms. We have tents and all the people here are niggers (SIC) bare footed. It is some hot here. We have good eats and I believe I will like this place the best. We haven't got any lights but a candle but we will have lights soon. Our tents have floors in them and the sides are boarded up about 5' high. I am in Co. E now from Ft. Wayne. Our 31st Co is all busted up. I don't know where Dutch is but he is some place close. I see some of the others boys around here. Well, I will close with my new address Guy Marshall, - typed by kbz

Dear Mother: How are all at home? I am fine and dandy. I am in a fine country, plenty of mountain air and water. Spring has opened, and plenty of song birds, and everyone is busy getting the summer crops in. Don't get the idea that all is blood and bullets over here. The people have some money. I can't tell what I pay for anything. Everything is francs and centimes. Over in England it was shillings and six pence. I am going fishing some of these days; we have the mountain trout, a fine fish, too. The people work the horses in single file and have two-wheeled carts. Some have the cattle to work. The people wear wooden shoes and very cheap clothing. They are about 200 years behind USA. Well, tell Fritz and Bert to read this letter and write, for I can't write too much. You can tell Bert there were lots of high joints and low centers in the sea when I came across. I will close. From Guy to all. Co I 30th Inft. AEF.

Guy MARSHALL has been spending several days here as a change from soldiering at Hattiesburg. He says that when he went in, all he thought there was to soldiering was to tramp around. He finds there is lots more to it than that, but he likes it fine.

Source: Waveland Independent Waveland, Montgomery County, Indiana Feb 1, 1918

1st class Pvt Guy Marshall has been transferred from Camp Shelby to Camp Hancock, near Augusta, GA. He is supposed to go from there to France to assist Pershing in licking the Kaiser.