“Please write and tell Cleo Good Bye for me…Well Boss, all I can say is, Good Bye and Good Luck…”
In his thirty-sixth 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 he weighs 172 pounds. Dutch is in good spirits and nearly as heavy as Les. The boys are in good spirits. He sends best regards to every one of his friends, to Minnie and Jim, to Dad, and to Cleo. It’s clear that Les knows he’s going to France soon. He tells Minnie she should not worry about him. He’ll be alright. She will hear from him before too long.
Elsewhere on the same day, Arabs successfully attack the Ottoman Turks near Abu Naam, and the British armed mercantile cruiser “Moldavia“, carrying American troops, was torpedoed and sunk, killing 56. Costa Rica declared war on Germany in an effort to gain favor from Woodrow Wilson for its new leader who had taken power after a coup. The gesture was ineffective.
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-sixth letter from Camp Lee, dated 100 years ago today, May 23, 1918.
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May 23, 1918 Letter – Lester Scott to his sister, Minnie Riggle
Camp Lee
V.a.
May 23, 1918
Dear Sister,
I will write you a few lines this evening to let you know I am well and hope you are the same. I havn’t heard from you for a long time but mabe I will get a letter tomorrow. tell Grace I have never heard from her either. I wrote to her a long time ago. Believe me we are having some hot weather here. I was weighed today. I weigh 172lbs. Well Boss I havnt much to say. I just wanted to write to let you know the boys are all in good spirit and happy. I want you to give every one of my friends my best regards. tell them I wish them good luck. you and Jim above all. tell Dad I said good bye for him. it is possible I will be with you all again in a few months.
there is just one thing that bothers me. that is I am afraid you will worry about me. Believe me I will take my part all right. oh yes I rec’d your card all right. was glad to hear you got the trunks. well Boss I will close for this time so dont write until you hear from me again. Please write and tell Cleo Good Bye for me. well Boss all I can say is Good Bye and Good Luck. Please excuse this paper. I have my other packed up. I was talking to Dutch last night. he is in good spirit and looking fine. he is nearly as heavy as I am.
well I will say Good night to all.
From your Brother
Be sure and give Bill plenty of excirsise
I wish you plenty of Good Luck and happiness
Good Bye
You will hear from me before long.
Listen to Episode 51 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 May 23, 1918 episode: “Hail Columbia ; Star Spangled Banner,” 1914, https://www.loc.gov/item/ihas.100010368/]
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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