We hope you visit regularly to read more letters as we get them posted. We also invite anyone who has "Letters from Home" from family members to send them to us, and we will post them along with one's from our archives. Please email us at "letters@camptaylorhistorical.org" to submit a letter.
Thank you for viewing, and support our service men and women who are serving today.
Ken Maguire
Camp Zachary Taylor Historical Society
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It is time that I made the effort to add a new letter. This letter was sent to me from a individual in Indiana. It was a letter that was sent to his great uncle in 1918. His uncle (Donald Alexander) was a young boy at the time, and his cousin (Chester Wall) is writing to him from Camp Zachary Taylor, and telling his all about life in the army and the Great War. Chester Wall arrived at Camp Zachary Taylor September 21st, 1917, and was one of the few men to never leave to go overseas or get transferred to another Division. He was there until atleast Christmas 1918, as when this letter was written.
A Merry Christmas
To
Donald Alexander
From
Cousin Chester Wall
Camp Zachary Taylor, Ky
Christmas, 1918
Dear Donald:
Here is a button cut from an army coat of an American Soldier. I am sending you this as a souvenir of the world’s greatest war. Although an armistice has been signed and hostilities have ceased, many of the soldiers are yet in camp.
I have been in this camp more than 15 months and never did any actual fighting, although I have been pretty well drilled with a rifle and have fired a machine gun at the rifle range. I came down here on the 21st day of September, 1917, having reported to my local board at Indianapolis, Indiana the day before. This was the first big bunch of drafted men called for the Uncle Sam’s great national Army, a few having been called Sept. 4th, 5th and 6th. On September 20th, 21st, and 22nd, thousands and thousands of men poured into the training camps ass over the country. I was put in Company I of the 334th Infantry Regiment, which was examined, drilled and given my first “shot” in the arm, the antitoxin for typhoid fever. The following day I was transferred into the Headquarters Company of the same regiment because the officers had found that I could play the clarinette some, and I was to be in the band. However, the band instruments hadn’t arrived, and I was given drill and “Kitchen Police” the same as the rest of the Privates. A “Kitchen Police” is a Private who is detailed to help the cooks prepare the food (mess, it is called in the army) for the soldiers. His chief duties are peeling unlimited quantities if potatoes (spuds) and washing greasy pans, wash boilers and dish pans in which the food is cooked. The first day I was in the Headquarters Company I was a “Kitchen Police” and I learned a lot feeding the army that first day. I washed pans until my hands were wrinkled like an old man’s. Sometimes soldiers are punished by being made “Kitchen Police” a week or a month at a time, but all Privates must take their turn on day at a time at being Kitchen Police.
I was in that company until October 12, 1917, but one week of this time was spent in the Base Hospital where I had been sent when I got rheumatism and a heavy cold caused from exposure and heavy exercise, which I had not been accustomed to.
On October 12th, 1917 I was transferred to the 413th Engineers (Depot), It was the duty of the men in this organization to issue out Engineers equipment and supplies to all the organizations in the camp. It was the intention at first to train men in these supply depots for similar work over seas and we men who were put in these depots fully expected to be sent over, but this plan was later abandoned and I have never left the organization or the camp.
I was put in the office at once on being transferred on account of my having worked in an office in civil life. I was made a Sergeant First Class in the Engineers of the national Army on November 5th 1917. Up to this time I had been a Private and pay as such was $30.00 per month. After I became Sergeant First Class my pay was $51.00 per month. I was then a non-commissioned officer and received a warrant signed by Colonel Wm. L. Guthrie, the division engineer and Senior Engineer Officer of the camp.
During the first few months we did quite a bit of drilling and I was drilled with a rifle and bayonet. On two different occasions I was in a review of the whole camp by the commanding general. In each of these reviews more than 40,000 soldiers passed in review before the general and his staff.
On July 30th, 1918, I was promoted to the grade of Master Engineer Senior Grade and pay as such was $81.00 per month. I held that grade until November 20th, 1918, when all of the men in the Engineers Depots all over the country were transferred into the Quartermasters Corps. I was transferred as s Quartermaster Sergeant Senior Grade. That is the highest ranking noncommissioned officer in the Quartermaster Corps and the pay is $81.00 per month the same as that fo the Master Engineer Senior Grade.
My warrant as a Master Engineer Senior Grade was signed by W. M. Black, Major General, the Chief of Engineers.
I have a written this letter with the idea that it might perhaps be interesting for you to keep. Along with the button, to refer to in after years when you get to be a man. My boy has a loving cup to remember this war by. I trust this will be the last war the world will know during your lifetime at least. Keep this letter and button as see if it is so.
Your soldier cousin,
Chester A. Wall
Letter from Home - Bert Hodges
November 21, 1918, 3:30 pm
Louisville, Ky, Taylor Branch
To: David H. Hodges
A.E. F.
86th Division
France
From: B. T. Hodges
10th Tr. Btry
F.A.C.O.T.S.
Camp Zachary Taylor, Ky
11/18/18
Dear Brother,
I expect the excitement we are having here over peace is nothing compared to what you are witnessing over in France. I envy you and all the more because I'm almost sure now that I'll never get across. No more commissions in the regular army are being given at this school. The best we can do is get a commission in the reserve with the possibility of seeing a little active service. This morning we have had a morning off so that all those who wish to resign immediately may. However our battery has only three weeks more until graduation, so practically all are going to stick it out. Half of these too want active duty on finishing too, but I don't care particularly for it during demobilization. I want to finish and then get out and earn a little bit to start school again with .
If I thought I'd ever get a chance to go across I'd be willing to sign up right away for active duty, but such chances I figure aren't more than one in a hundred.
You're letter was certainly interesting as anything you may write about will be. The day after I received it, I got one you had written mother also. I sent mine on to her. Here's hoping that the time is not many months off now when you can tell us all of your experience without fear of censors cutting it out.
This course in Field Artillery has certainly been interesting. Actually I was getting in love with the work but now that peace has come the big incentive for the army life has gone and I only want to get back to my premedical work.
I was rather planning to send you a snapshot of myself with this letter but just heard that George was just getting over an attack of “flu”. So I tucked the last one of three I had had with his letter. I'll try to have one to send you before long.
Mother wrote that Mike graduated Wed. from Harvard Radio. I expect that means that he will get on the water before long and as he enlisted for four years, I expect peace does not affect him greatly.
I am hoping to get home and spend the winter in the woods lumbering or doing something like that. As I said it's only four weeks till graduation if we are successful. Next week we go to the range, live in tents and have actual target practice with our Brit and Amer. 3” field pieces.
Must close now with the best of wishes.
As ever
Bert
At 5 AM on the morning of November 11, 1918, an armistice was signed in a railroad car parked in a French forest near the front lines officially ending the Great War.
Bert wrote his brother who was stationed in France seven days later. Bert very much wanted to see action in France, but at the time of writing this letter to his brother David, he was not aware that David was killed in action in France. The letter was returned to Bert at his home in New Hampshire on March 25th, 1919 with the stamp “Deceased – Verified by Statistical Division H.A.E.F.”
Bert T. Hodges graduated from the Field Artillery Central Officers Training School on December 11, 1918. One of 480 men in the 11th graduating class, and returned to Antrim, New Hampshire after leaving the army.
