These two letters were kindly transcribed and contributed
by Mr. Scott's great-nephew, Ron Macdonald. Charles Lewis Scott
was a bandsman with the 163rd Infantry in WWI. Charles Scott was from Roy,
Montana in Fergus County at the time of WWI.
Letter One
{Letter head is American YMCA "On active service with the American
Expeditionary Force"}
Montrichard [France]
Nov. 13, 1918
Dear Mother,
I am just commencing to feel rested after the celebration Monday.
The news came in the morning and immediately the French people commenced to
hang out flags and they stretched banners all over the streets.
It was market day and all the country people were in town and about 1:30 we
started out to playing and marched all through the streets playing Madeline,
Marseilles & Somber Et Muse, & Pack up your troubles in your old kit
bag, Its a long way to Berlin but we'll bet there, Over There, Joan of Arc,
and a lot more popular numbers.
The Colonel and most of the officers of the Regiment, a lot of French
Officers and a regular mob of soldiers & civilians followed us out to the
drill field where we marched and played for the men who were drilling.
We have a band stand now and when we came back from the drill field we
played on it and everybody sang and believe me it was some bunch of people.
The French had a small cannon on wheels and they dragged it around shooting
it occasionally & believe me it made some noise.
I was so tired that I went to bed about eight o'clock but most of the
boys went to the wine shops and sang and yelled Powder River until about
eleven o'clock.
It is awfully hard for us to realize that it is over but I guess it is and
if you read the terms that Germany will have to comply with you know that she
will not be able to start another war for 3 or 4 hundred years.
I haven't the slightest idea in what order they will send us back whether
it will depend on the length of service or not. Of course the men who have
been in the trenches should be the first one home and then we may be among the
next back.
Rose asked me about breaking. If there is any money left, and I doubt very
much if there will be, I would like to have it put into breaking.
Next month I will send the $100.00 which I drew on you for, and about
$100.00 more which you may put into breaking if it isn't too late.
I am hard as nails now as I have slept without any heat all the time &
I can eat good clean dirt, and I expect to farm with a vengeance when I get
back so make preparation to feed a big eater next year.
I wish I could insist on Byron putting up an ice house or cave this fall
& I will stand one half the expense.
I wouldn't have had to draw on you but I had quite a little money loaned
out at 10% a month and I didn't want to call it in as I would have lost $60
francs or about $15.00.
I sent home some pictures & Stars and Stripes in a mailing tube &
one package of postals yesterday & will send the Christmas box at once. It
will be short 3 spoons but they will come as soon as the spirit moves this
French jeweler.
Love to all,
Charles
{I have no clue what "breaking" is...best I can find is maybe
something to do with falling prices...like buying stock on the decline....Ron
MacDonald}
Letter Two
Montrichard, France
Nov. 24, 1918
Dear Folks:-
I haven't written for some time but there isn't a bloomin' thing to write
about as things run along about the same with us as they did before.
They are having foot-ball games Wednesdays, Saturdays, & Sundays and we
have been playing for most of them instead of playing concerts.
The weather is fine and we can go most of the time without overcoats.
We have heard about ten thousand rumors about when we are going home and I
haven't the slightest idea when we will start but my guess would be about
February first. I want to be home in time to put in spring crops.
Rose wrote and asked me if I had received the letter about Chas. Langley. I
spoke about it in one of my letters but I guess she had forgotten about it.
The jeweler finally got some more spoons but I won't send them now but will
bring them with me.
I am powerful glad you are putting up lots of pickles and such as I feel
like I could eat a barrel of it this minute.
I sent your package about Nov. 17 so you should get it about the tenth of
December.
Be sure & have Byron either dig a cave or build an ice house and I will
stand half of the expense but be sure & have him do it as I expect to do
some hard licks there next year.
I sure would like to see Snookums.
Love to all,
Charles L. Scott
163 Inf. Band.
Am. E.
