Campbell, Warren Maxwell

Transcription of Letter from Warren M. Campbell to his mother published in the Recorder, Volume 41, Number 3, 17 January 1919 

"Dear Mother: This is sure one dreary old day it has been raining here for about two weeks and does not look as if it were ever going to quit. This weather makes a fellow blue. Now that the war is over, everyone wants to go home, but none of us have any idea when that will be. As long as the war was on I did not think of going home, because I knew I had a duty to perform, but now it is different We have licked the "Huns" 'and are longing for home and the dear old States.

We get a service stripe in a few days, but if I were going home I would let the service stripe go. I would be the happiest soldier alive if I thought I were going to eat Christmas dinner at home. I am not going to send any gifts home now, because it may not reach you, as not half of my letters have reached you. But I will try and bring all of you a souvenir when I come home. I did not send any Christmas label, be cause we were in the trenches fighting like "Sam Hill" at the time when they were issued and when we were relieved I thought it would be too late, as they had to be in by Sep. 1st. But never mind, mother, dear; I will know that all of you are thinking of and praying for me and that will be present enough. We have gotten used to doing without things by now.

This town. I am now in is a very good sized town and looks just exactly like the hundreds of other villages we have been in. The people seem to be very nice, but the stores surely rob us.

The first three months we were over here we were in Alsace-Loranne [sp]. This is right on the border between France and Germany and there were many German people lived in the towns . in fact in the town where regimental headquarters -was while the men were in the trenches, the people spoke German almost altogether. The people in that part of France were not very friendly toward us. My pal and I have gotten a room from a French lady and are living fine, we pay half a franc a night, which is about ten cts apiece. This particular boy and myself have been buddies for a long time. We have pulled through some close shaves togather, we have shared our last piece of bread and also our blanket. We have read the Bible to one another when we could scarcely hear one another's voice for the screaming and bursting of shells. We slept for 3 nights in a little wooden shack and shells bursting so close that it rocked like a ship at sea. A piece of shrapnel came through the wall and tore a can of molasses to pieces. The fourth night we left it and went to another place and that night it was blown off the map. We have lain in the rain and unable to raise our heads for the snippers and machine gunners. We helped to capture the first prisoners in our last offensive. These are a few of the adventures we shared together it would take too long to tell all, but it is all over now and I am just as safe as if I were at home, so don't i worry about me.

I must quit now, give my love to all. May God bless you and give you a happy Christmas.

Lovingly, Your Son,
Warren Campbell."

• The Bugle, 1913 yearbook, Virginia Polytechnic Institute (Blacksburg, Virginia), pg. 121.
• Virginia, U.S., Department of Military Affairs Records, 1876-1947 for Warren M Campbell (see attacehed file)
• Letter from Warren M. Campbell to his mother published in the Recorder, Volume 41, Number 3, 17 January 1919 (see attached file)
• Letter from Warren M. Campbell to his mother published in the Recorder, Volume 41, Number 6, 7 February 1919 (see attached file)