Theo’s next letter is dated February 21, 1918.  I have no explanation for the two-month gap in the letters.  However I can fill in with some dispatches from the Chicago Daily News that had a staff correspondent following the 33^rd Division.  Theo’s regiment, the 132^nd, was the Chicago based 2^nd regiment of the Illinois National Guard.  Chicagoans, including Theo’s mother and sisters, were very interested in following its exploits in the newspapers.  (TLT)

 

(From the Chicago Daily News of January 31, 1918)

 

COLORS PRESENTED TO 132D

[Special Dispatch from a Staff Correspondent]

   Camp Logan, Houston, Tex., Jan31-

Brig.-Gen G.F. Trotter of the British Army commanding English soldiers engaged in training troops at various army posts in this country, is a guest to-day when Maj-Gen George Bell, Jr, commanding the 33^rd division, presents The Daily News stand of colors to 132d Infantry Regiment, Chicago’s old 2d regiment.  This is the third standard presented to Chicago units by the Daily News. Previous presentations were made to the 108^th engineers, commanded by Col, Henry A. Allen, and to the 122d field artillery, commanded by Milton J. Foreman.  

At Camp Logan, Texas.  Theo is fifth from the right.  Behind the fellow in the white undershirt.

Camp Logan, Tex Dec 20 –17

 

Dear Anna,

 

            Well we are back at Camp Logan at last.  We arrived here at 2 am this morning.  We were in the cars at Sour Lake from 3 pm until about 8 pm before and engine came to haul us away and it was after 1 am before we arrived where we got off the train.  I received a letter from you and one from Mabel today.  Eva also sent a package of candy cookies olives cheese sandwiches and gum.  I received a package from HSB & Co with dates figs, raisins candies and other things in it. There was an awful lot of mail today; pretty nearly everybody was receiving packages.

 

            The weather is a good deal warmer here than it was at Sour Lake. I was sweating this morning.

 

            We changed squads again this morning and the fellows in my squad are all different from the ones I had in the last squad.  We have done nothing at all today but straighten up our tents today.  I suppose we will start in tomorrow and work pretty hard.  I might as well keep the mittens until I am sure we are not going to have any more cold weather.  I do not think I will lose them because I keep all my stuff in one place.  I sent the Xmas cards and the New Year card. I think it will be to (sp) late to send any more after today.  I just happened to think that it is your birthday tomorrow.  I forgot all about Mabel’s.  Well you have my best wishes which is all I can send you.

 

You will not have to send any more papers as I can buy Chicago papers every day now.  You better tell Eva the same as she and Ed send quite a few.  I do not know what we are going to do on Xmas day.  I think we will not have very much time to write letters from now on. 

 

I have nothing more to write about so I will close hoping you have a Merry Xmas

 

                                                                                                Love to all

                                                                                                            Theo

Postmarked Tex

Dec 17 -1917 (Probably mailed from Sour Lake.)

Dear Mother - I hope you (are) standing the cold alright.  I'm pretty sure we are going to leave here tomorrow.  We will be disappointed if we don't. I hope you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy new year.   Theo

 

Sour Lake, Tex Nov 28 – 1917

 Dear Mabel

I received two letters from you and one from Anna yesterday.  You had better not send any more socks until we get back to Camp Logan as we got five pair yesterday.  We also received new shoes but I could not get a pair to fit me.  I have enough towels to last me for a while. 

We are going to get turkey and everything that goes with it today.

 I suppose you mean Corp Turdy.  You ask how he looks.  He looks about the same as the rest of the other corporals.  He is pretty good natured, but he seems to have a hard time to get along with his men.  He is a Bohemian and uses a lot of funny expressions.  The cake and the fudge was fine.  It lasted about five minutes.  The fellows were crazy about the fudge.  The box of candy arrived here in good shape and was fine.

 I received a package from Eva last night.  There was peanuts, two packages of Nabisco and a bottle of stuffed olives. I think I told you that I had received the bag and helmet sometime last week.  You do not ask anything about Eddy.  Well there is not a better fellow in the whole division than he.  He has a good education and is the most willing fellow we have.  He is just the opposite of Corp. Turdy because he does not drink while Turdy will drink all he can get.

 I have my black tie and it is just as good as ever.  I only wear it when I go into town and that does not happen very often.

Sure I would like an Eversharp pencil.

I have not received any of the Two Bits [since] I have been here.

 I am sending a church paper which has the names of the fellows in our Sunday School.

 We are going to have a fine day today.  The sun is pretty warm already.  I guess we will not get any more sugar in the army.

 Well I can not think of any more. 

                                                                                    Love to all

                                                                                         Theo

 

  (Received 12/3/17)

Sour Lake, Tex  Nov 23, 1917

Dear Anna 

            I received your letter of the 19^th just as we were eating dinner.  I also got one from Enoch.  He is still at Charlotte, N.C.  It is hard to tell when we will be leaving here.  I hear they[‘ve] given the strikers two days in which to move out of their homes.  I hope there is no trouble when they have to move.  Everything is pretty quiet and I am going to town tomorrow if I can get away. 

            There must be something the matter with The Country Gentleman as I have not received it for four week[s].  Will you please write and tell them about it.  Eddie Hain received a package of dates from Hattie Schutt.  I do not know if Eddy received the wristlets yet as I have not seen him for quite a while.  I received the helmet and bag yesterday.  The helmet is certainly a dandy and fits fine.  It is the best one I have seen yet. 

I did not get Mabels letter yet.  

There is a county fair going on about two miles from camp.  There is horse racing of all kinds and agricultural displays of different vegetables fruits poultry and animals.  And there are all kinds of gambling going on.  

I forgot all about Eva’s birthday.  Time goes by so fast that I do not seem to be able to keep track of it.  Down here we do not know the dates or the day of the week.  Be sure and send my watch the next time you send something.  My wristwatch is running pretty good again.  I suppose that is because I sent for my good one. 

            We hear all kinds of rumors down here.  The latest one is that we are going to Presidio, Calif. I would not mind going there because it would be cheap way of seeing the country.  I have read quite a bit about the Presidio and I would like to see it.  But I suppose it is just like all the rest of rumors nothing to them.  I hear we are going to have turkey on thanksgiving.  I hope that is more than a rumor. 

Well I cannot think of anything more just so I had better quit.  As awhile after I mail the letter why I think of something I should have written.                                                                                                                                   

                                                           Love to all,

                                                                        Theo

Dear Mother

We are leaving here for another town. I do not (know) where it is. But will write and let you know.  I do not think I will be gone long.

Theo

Postcard postmarked Houston Nov 2 1917

Camp Logan, (Texas), Sept. 15, 1917

 

Dear Mother, 

            I received Anna’s letter today and was glad to hear that you are all well.  We have been pretty busy since we got here but I am feeling fine.  We had a nice trip down here and I enjoyed it very much.  We stopped at the Chester Penitentiary for exercise on Tuesday at 10 o’clock.  Then we stopped at Illmo, Mo. for something to eat.  The next place we stopped was Poplar Bluff, Mo. Where we marched around town and had supper.  We crossed Arkansas at night and woke up in Texarkana where we had some more exercise and breakfast.  Part of this town is in Texas and Arkansas.  We had supper in Palestine, Texas.  This town is the largest city in the eastern part of Texas.  The only thing I had against the place was the red sand streets.  The sand around here is almost red in color.  Thursday when we woke we were stopped right in front of the camp.  We got off the train about 6 oclock and marched about a mile and a half to our part of the camp.  We are camped in a big forest and we are about five miles from Houston.  It cost 10 and 25 cents to get to town by autos.

            We sleep 8 in a tent and each company has a mess hall that will seat about 250 men.  Each company has its own shower bath.  One of our cooks was left behind at one of the towns we stopped at and has been reduced to 2^nd class private.  It is pretty warm down here in the sun but when you get in the shade it is fine.  I walked over to the YMCA with another fellow and we thought we might as well write a letter while we were there. 

I had better not write to (sp) much this time or I will not have anything to write about next time.  I did not get the package yet but expect I will get it tomorrow.  I will close now with love to all. 

                                                                                    Theo