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Date Original
1918 November 10
Description
Handwritten letter on the eve of the World War I armistice, Clark writes of his continued training, his desire to be home, and his thoughts on how soon the war will end.
Biographical/Historical Note
Benjamin Franklin Clark was born in Enders, Arkansas, and taught school in Vilonia, Arkansas, prior to being drafted in 1918. His service during World War I included training at Camp Pike (Pulaski County, Arkansas) and Camp Taylor (Kentucky). Clark was honorably discharged November 28, 1918, and returned to teaching. During the war years, he corresponded regularly with Flora Hamilton of Enders.
Transcription
P.S. Please excuse scarcity of paper.
Camp Z. Taylor
Nov. 10, 1918
Dear Flora:
Your appreciable
letter came to me today
and I hope you will
pardon my hasty answer,
but if I don't answer now
I don't know that I will
have a chance to write
again for a week and I
don't want you to get im-
patient for a letter from
me.
I'm still getting on fine
and going every minute.
It is pretty cold here
now both morning and
evening. I am sitting
on my bunk now with my
overcoat on at 5:30 P.M.
I wake up some mornings
and the wind is blowing
cold as krout right into
my face, and I proceed
to cover my noodle.
Got a new quilt from home
yesterday and you bet it
helps matters until I
get up in the morning and
have to fold it. You know
everything in this army
has to be folded in a
certain way or it wont
pass at all
Did I tell you about
our track meet a week
ago in which our battery
won the $25 purse furnished
by the two losing batteries?
One of them wanted another
chance to get our hide
so they challenged us for
a football game yesterday
afternoon, and the Battery commander to
stay hundreds of yards
from his guns, and send
down data to his gunners
which enables them
to fire effectively on a
target which they cannot
see. It is quite a
course in mathematics
as well as a little of
everything else.
I was issued a new
Suit of woolen clothing
yesterday which I am
mighty proud of because
of the comfort they afford
My, you surely are
industrious to knit four
sweaters, besides the
helmet and wristlets you
sent me. The boys
are sure proud of those
sweaters. I think every
one here has been given
one. Did I tell you
that Eva Turney sent me
and Topography." I
made good grades on
the first two but made
a bad one on the last.
but I should worry, this
war will be over some time
and then I will do as
I please again.
This awful quarantine
is still on and I think
if it is not lifted soon
my hair will have to be
braided or curled. I
wont know how to act
when I get out.
I must close for it is
time for study period.
Hope you are well and
having a nice time
I'm sure schools are
plentiful now and am
sorry you could not take
that one. People at
home now surely will not
lack for something to do.
I believe I have forgotten Guess Vergle and Inman
will start in the morning.
Tis too bad that Inman
has to go for his father
has had such bad health.
I should not worry so
much tho if I were his
mother for it looks now
as if the war is over,
my, when it is over, the
quickest way home will
be too slow for me, tho'
I want to stay with it
until the Hun is perma-
nently disabled.
Hope to hear from you again
real soon
Lovingly
Ben.
Physical Description
8 pages, 5" x 8"
Subjects
War; Correspondence
Contributor
Benjamin Clark
Geographical Area
Camp Zachary Taylor (Ky.); Enders, Faulkner County (Ark.)
Language
English
Identifier
MS.000581, Box 2, File 89
Resource Type
Image
Collection
Clark-Hamilton papers, MS.000581
Publisher
Arkansas State Archives
Contributing Entity
Arkansas State Archives
Recommended Citation
Letter, Benjamin Clark, Camp Taylor, KY to Flora Hamilton, Clark-Hamilton papers, Arkansas State Archives, Little Rock, Arkansas.
Rights
Use and reproduction of images held by the Arkansas State Archives without prior written permission is prohibited. For information on reproducing images held by the Arkansas State Archives, please call 501-682-6900 or email at state.archives@arkansas.gov.
Disciplines
United States History
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Comments
The letter gives some wonderful insight into Clark's thoughts about the war, and hope that it will be over soon, not knowing how close he really is to the end of combat in Europe. - Lauren Jarvis