“You don’t need to be afraid of Jim being drafted. He will never haft to come. You will see that. There will not be many farm boys taken until winter…”
In his thirty-second letter home from Camp Lee, Virginia, to his sister Minnie Riggle, US Army Wagoner (mule team driver) Lester Scott, a World War I soldier from Wheeling, West Virginia, says they had some short-lived April snow in Virginia. He ran into Bill Wallace. Jess Hewitt is dead, killed in France or on his way home. Les never hears from Cleo anymore [his girlfriend back home]. He wonders where she is. Les says the infantry boys do the cooking. He never has to cook for himself these days. He drove his four-line team of mules to Dutch Gap [roughly 13 miles] in three hours with a full load of ammunition. Les is proud of his speed with the mule team. He sent Minnie a shell — the kind they will shoot at practice. He got two more teeth fixed in Petersburg. He says Minnie should keep Bill [his horse] and was surprised he tried to kick Jim [Riggle]. Les doesn’t think Jim will ever be drafted. Minnie needn’t worry. The farm boys might get a furlough anyway.
Elsewhere on the previous day, April 15, the Battle of Hazebrouck (part of the Battle of Lys and the German Spring Offensive) ended, and on April 16, Passchendaele (a rural village in Flanders, a Dutch-speaking region of northern Belgium overlapping France) was reoccupied by German forces. In the British House of Commons, a “Military Services Act” was passed, allowing men up to 55 years of age to be drafted, and extending this law to Ireland, causing outrage and organized resistance, a “Conscription Crisis” led by Irish nationalists and Catholic clergy. This was one of the key factors leading up to the Irish War of Independence (1919-1921).
Lester Scott was drafted in 1917 and trained at Camp Lee, where so many Wheeling soldiers were trained. And, like so many of his Ohio Valley comrades, he served in the 314th Field Artillery Supply Company, Battery “A,” 80th (Blue Ridge) Division in France. This is his thirty-second letter from Camp Lee, dated 100 years ago today, April 16, 1918.
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April 16, 1918 Letter – Lester Scott to his sister, Minnie Riggle
Camp Lee, Va.
April 16 – 1918
Dear Sister,
Rec’d your welcome letter yesturday and was glad to hear you are all well. I am well and in the best of health. I suppose you think I ought to write more but there is never any news to write. But I will take to writing oftener now. we had some snow last week but didn’t last long. I just saw Bill Wallace go a past. he was down to see me last sunday. I guess he likes camp life alright. I suppose you know Jess Hewitt is dead. I dont know wether he died in France or on his way home. I never hear from Cleo any more. wonder where she is. you were speaking about having a good time at Dutch gap. I enjoyed it fine but we didnt have to cook for ourself. I hardly think we will ever do much cooking unless we go on hikes. the infantry boys is the ones will have to do the cooking. I drove from here to the Gap in three hours with a four line team with a load of ammunition. it is suppose to be sixteen mile. I thought I was going some. I guess we will get some practice on shooting next Saturday for the first. will let you know wether I do any good or not. we shoot the same kind of shells I sent you. I was in town last Saturday and got two more teeth fixed. I am getting about through now. boss you speak about not wanting to sell Bill. I didn’t write to you to get you to sell him. I would rather you would keep him if you want him. I was supprised to think he would kick at Jim. I guess he didn’t feel much like kicking when I drove him. if I were Jim I would work him if he will work and rest his colts. he may get to feeling to good on your hands. you dont need to feed him when you dont drive him. does he still back the buggy as good as he used to? you dont need to be afraid of Jim being drafted. he will never haft to come. you will see that. there will not be many farm boys taken untill winter. I dont think the boys that are coming in now will ever haft to go over. I dont know how soon we will get our furlough. there is a report now that we are going to Scranton P.A. dont know wether it is true or not. I wouldn’t care if we would stay here all summer now. we havn’t made any preperation toward leaving yet. there is some talk here again of letting the farm boys go home on a furlough during our period of training here. well boss I dont know much more to say this time so I will close hoping to hear from you soon. oh by the way has Jim still got Rags yet? we have a littel pup here we call Rags. they just look a like only ours is a pup.
Well Good Bye Good Luck and ans soon
the kid
Listen to Episode 44 of “From Camp Lee to the Great War: The Letters of Lester Scott and Charles Riggle”
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From Camp Lee to the Great War: The letters of Lester Scott and Charles Riggle” is brought to you by Archiving Wheeling in partnership with the Ohio County Public Library (Wheeling, WV) and the Wheeling Academy of Law & Science (WALS) Foundation.
Jeremy Richter is the voice of Lester Scott. The letters of Lester Scott and Charles Riggle were transcribed by Jon-Erik Gilot. This podcast was edited and written by Sean Duffy, audio edited by Erin Rothenbuehler with music courtesy the Library of Congress.
[Music in April 16, 1918 episode: “Old Pal (Why don’t you answer me?),” Soman, Herbert. (performer), Lieberield, Daniel. (performer), 1921, courtesy Library of Congress: http://www.loc.gov/item/00694035/]
Many thanks to Marjorie Richey for sharing family letters and the stories of her uncles, Lester Scott and Charles “Dutch” Riggle, WWI soldiers from West Virginia.
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