Letter, 25 October 1918
Item
Title
Letter, 25 October 1918
Subject
Description
Clara to Corporal Louis J. Discher, Co. F, 120 Infantry, 30 Division, American Expeditionary Forces.
Creator
Source
Manuscript Collection, The Filson Historical Society
Date
Format
Language
Identifier
Mss. C D
Text
Letter addressed to Corporal Louis J. Discher, Co. F, 120 Infantry, 30 Division, American Expeditionary Forces. Address on envelope crossed out. Letter was apparently redirected to other army units before being stamped “Return to Writer.”
Letter No. 45
Friday P.M.
Oct. 25 /18
Dear Brother:
We were very sorry to hear of you being wounded but I was not at all surprised, because having been reading all about the terrible fighting in Le Cateau sector, about the attacks you all made in the face of a very strong defense made my the Germans It did not seem possible that you could escape being wounded or perhaps killed, but I did not feel that would happen as I have a candle burning in St. Francis church every day asking the Blessed Virgin to protect you.
As Otillia wrote you, we received the trench card written on the 27th and on Wednesday received your No. 16 letter written on Sept 13th. [O]n Wednesday night Oct 23rd at nine o'clock the cablegram sent by you was telephoned to 1[st] & Walnut - “Wound slight, improving rapidly.” [W]e have not yet received any official notice or have not seen your name in the lists given in the paper. [A]fter thinking about it we have come to the conclusion that if the wound was so slight, they would not have taken you to a hospital so far away at Bath, England unless that is a special hospital for certain wound[s] that you may have. [V]ery anxious to hear all about it.
Perhaps you are fortunate to be in the hospital as the fighting has continued to be very severe and the Germans are using so much gas the last few days. Write us full particulars concerning your wound and stay in the hospital.
Today they received Letter No. 17 started on the 21st and finished Sept 25th telling that you all were now shock troops. I am really glad the cable came first and I hope you stay in the hospital until you are entirely well. [D]o not leave too soon like you did at Camp Taylor.
Otillia is still in town with Aunt Maggie[.] [S]he took the telephone message, but Albert was still there so he qui[e]ted Aunt Maggie. Monday and Tuesday night we were at home. Wednesday night we went to see Emma and Gertrude Mayer on Highland Ave. [T]hey sure do enjoy their machine. [T]his summer they have been to Mammoth Cave, West Baden, Indianapolis, Lexington and lots of other places. [T]hey must go as far as West Point or Shelbyville almost every day. They said the road from Cave City to Mammoth Cave is as bad as it ever was.
Frank Walter is a supply Sergeant at Camp Taylor now. Wednesday morning Cecelia took Papa to town in the machine. [T]hey went to Mass, delivered some potatoes in the Highlands and then went to the barber shop. I met Dorothy at lunch Wednesday. [S]he said she had received your card. I called her Wednesday evening to tell her we had a letter yesterday at noon. I met her at lunch again, also Mrs. Mattingly and Tom Discher. I told them all about your cable. The news has traveled about town pretty well. I was waiting for official notice before putting it in the newspaper but do not think it will be necessary.
Mary F. talked to Laura last night. Elsie is sick out home and so is Anna Christine. Aunt Lou told Cecelia Wednesday morning that the Goss's have the influenza but I believe it has been kept quiet. Mr Goss and Antoinette I think have it. The Hinkles told Willie that Juluis Vetter is home from the Great Lakes on a furlough and while here he and the Bromley girl are to be married. Alfred Simon is also to be married soon.
Dominic Kollross was just in the store[.] [H]e is home from West Point on a 14 day furlough. [H]e looks all right in uniform although not a good looking suit just an issued one of course. [H]e seems to like the army fine now, is in the Headquarters Co. rides all around camp on a horse, in his own line of work which makes it pleasant.
I was so glad to hear your magazine finally reached you. [T]hey will keep on coming. I called Mrs. Kremer Thursday morning and told her about your cable. [S]he was so distressed to hear the news.
Emma Lee suggested to me to answer it, which I did today. If only I had sent it yesterday it would have cost .08 cts per word instead of .31 cts which I had to pay today. “Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today.” [B]ut the consoling part is that they said you would get it in about twenty four hours instead of it taking several days as it formerly did. Let me know if you received it, and did it not make you feel good to get word from home if it was only four words.
Cecelia got a very interesting letter from Lieut. Mitchell from Montgomery Ala and I got such a nice letter from a soldier at Camp Sevier, found my name on a magazine at the K.C. Bldg[.] [H]e is from Lexington, asked me to write at once as he would like to call me up when he gets his furlough which he is expecting. He said the influenza is terrible there about fifty die every day. Gus called up last night to ask about you. [H]is son Paul is just getting over the flue. He has a regular day and night job at the Herald now. Everything is still closed and now the saloons and fountains have to close at 6:30 every evening[.] [I]t sure is a dead town.
It is nearly six so I will have to close hoping to hear good news from you real real soon.
With lots of love from
Clara
Letter No. 45
Friday P.M.
Oct. 25 /18
Dear Brother:
We were very sorry to hear of you being wounded but I was not at all surprised, because having been reading all about the terrible fighting in Le Cateau sector, about the attacks you all made in the face of a very strong defense made my the Germans It did not seem possible that you could escape being wounded or perhaps killed, but I did not feel that would happen as I have a candle burning in St. Francis church every day asking the Blessed Virgin to protect you.
As Otillia wrote you, we received the trench card written on the 27th and on Wednesday received your No. 16 letter written on Sept 13th. [O]n Wednesday night Oct 23rd at nine o'clock the cablegram sent by you was telephoned to 1[st] & Walnut - “Wound slight, improving rapidly.” [W]e have not yet received any official notice or have not seen your name in the lists given in the paper. [A]fter thinking about it we have come to the conclusion that if the wound was so slight, they would not have taken you to a hospital so far away at Bath, England unless that is a special hospital for certain wound[s] that you may have. [V]ery anxious to hear all about it.
Perhaps you are fortunate to be in the hospital as the fighting has continued to be very severe and the Germans are using so much gas the last few days. Write us full particulars concerning your wound and stay in the hospital.
Today they received Letter No. 17 started on the 21st and finished Sept 25th telling that you all were now shock troops. I am really glad the cable came first and I hope you stay in the hospital until you are entirely well. [D]o not leave too soon like you did at Camp Taylor.
Otillia is still in town with Aunt Maggie[.] [S]he took the telephone message, but Albert was still there so he qui[e]ted Aunt Maggie. Monday and Tuesday night we were at home. Wednesday night we went to see Emma and Gertrude Mayer on Highland Ave. [T]hey sure do enjoy their machine. [T]his summer they have been to Mammoth Cave, West Baden, Indianapolis, Lexington and lots of other places. [T]hey must go as far as West Point or Shelbyville almost every day. They said the road from Cave City to Mammoth Cave is as bad as it ever was.
Frank Walter is a supply Sergeant at Camp Taylor now. Wednesday morning Cecelia took Papa to town in the machine. [T]hey went to Mass, delivered some potatoes in the Highlands and then went to the barber shop. I met Dorothy at lunch Wednesday. [S]he said she had received your card. I called her Wednesday evening to tell her we had a letter yesterday at noon. I met her at lunch again, also Mrs. Mattingly and Tom Discher. I told them all about your cable. The news has traveled about town pretty well. I was waiting for official notice before putting it in the newspaper but do not think it will be necessary.
Mary F. talked to Laura last night. Elsie is sick out home and so is Anna Christine. Aunt Lou told Cecelia Wednesday morning that the Goss's have the influenza but I believe it has been kept quiet. Mr Goss and Antoinette I think have it. The Hinkles told Willie that Juluis Vetter is home from the Great Lakes on a furlough and while here he and the Bromley girl are to be married. Alfred Simon is also to be married soon.
Dominic Kollross was just in the store[.] [H]e is home from West Point on a 14 day furlough. [H]e looks all right in uniform although not a good looking suit just an issued one of course. [H]e seems to like the army fine now, is in the Headquarters Co. rides all around camp on a horse, in his own line of work which makes it pleasant.
I was so glad to hear your magazine finally reached you. [T]hey will keep on coming. I called Mrs. Kremer Thursday morning and told her about your cable. [S]he was so distressed to hear the news.
Emma Lee suggested to me to answer it, which I did today. If only I had sent it yesterday it would have cost .08 cts per word instead of .31 cts which I had to pay today. “Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today.” [B]ut the consoling part is that they said you would get it in about twenty four hours instead of it taking several days as it formerly did. Let me know if you received it, and did it not make you feel good to get word from home if it was only four words.
Cecelia got a very interesting letter from Lieut. Mitchell from Montgomery Ala and I got such a nice letter from a soldier at Camp Sevier, found my name on a magazine at the K.C. Bldg[.] [H]e is from Lexington, asked me to write at once as he would like to call me up when he gets his furlough which he is expecting. He said the influenza is terrible there about fifty die every day. Gus called up last night to ask about you. [H]is son Paul is just getting over the flue. He has a regular day and night job at the Herald now. Everything is still closed and now the saloons and fountains have to close at 6:30 every evening[.] [I]t sure is a dead town.
It is nearly six so I will have to close hoping to hear good news from you real real soon.
With lots of love from
Clara
Collection
Citation
Discher family, “Letter, 25 October 1918,” The Filson Historical Society Digital Projects, accessed April 19, 2024, https://filsonhistorical.omeka.net/items/show/794.