More diary entries -

March 1, 1919, Sat. Beautiful day!

Up for inspection. Major back from school. Inspected section at 9. Very good! Wrote letters in a.m. Worked in p.m. on my new billeting records. Bn. dance tonight. Didn't go! Staid here to play Black Jack. Bed at 10:00.

March 2, 1919, Sun., Fair day.

Slept quite late - breakfast at 8:30 - wrote a few letters - read - played cards - a bit o' foot ball. Sent in some reports, etc., mailed home Joan of Arc souvenir cards. Wrote letters & talked in evening. Bed quite early.

March 3, 1919, Mon. Rain.

Lectures and review inside in a.m. Base ball game in p.m. (14 - 8) Wrote letters. Old lady drove the boys out of my room today. Wrote Anna.

March 4, 1919, Tues. - Rain.

No drill today. Went to Goussaincourt to fix up some claims in a.m. Got some orders out - rec'd pay - 745 fr. - wrote letters in evening. Bed early.

March 5, 1919, Wed.

Up for reveille - Rain. Drill, field work, lecture - aero - photo study in a.m. Loafed in p.m. - played a baseball game - stood retreat. Rec'd letter from Dad with pictures, also one from Anna & Grandma. Answered [whole line rubbed or washed out]

March 6, 1919, Thurs. Some rain.

Up for reveille - dull - men innoculated in a.m. Went to Div. in Liberty Truck to hear Maj. Gen.'s Summerton and Hay speak.

[Perhaps Clyde meant Summerall - General Charles Pelot Summerall (March 4, 1867 – May 14, 1955) was a senior United States Army officer. He commanded the 1st Infantry Division in World War I, was Chief of Staff of the United States Army from 1926 to 1930, and was President of The Citadel between 1931 and 1953. - - William Henry Hay was a United States Army officer who attained the rank of major general as the commander of the 28th Division in the final days of World War I.]

Expect to go to Le Mans about the 15th and should sail about May 1st. Back at 5. Wrote home & Anna & Aunt Nell in evening.

Letter to Aunt Nell -

March 6, 1919

Dear Aunt Nell -

Just returned from Division Headquarters where the General commanding our Corps addressed us in a speech of farewell - as we were yesterday shifted from his command to that of the Commanding General of the S.O.S. [Services of Supply (also referred to in the singular as Service of Supply) was the support chain of the American Expeditionary Forces in France, England, Italy and the Netherlands during World War I. It was activated on July 5, 1917 and inactivated on August 31, 1919.] - preparatory to sailing for America. He gave us a most eloquent talk on past valor, present morale and efficiency(?) and future loyalty to our Division, our State & country, our selves of the battle field days when courage was high and ideals and purposes clean and square and to the name of our Service and America's future. Then General Hay - our Division commanding general told us we would move to Le Mans on the middle of March - have 4 - 6 weeks preparatory to sailing there and could sail early in May - landing by the middle - concentrating in camp - parading as a Division in Philadelphia and finally mustering out - forever - we all hope.

But - don't let that mislead you into believing we volunteers mean we're quits with military service. Should America ever have another hour of need - we will, I think I can say for most of us - answer her call for volunteers, if we are able physically!

And - I shall live so - to so keep fit - that - if America needs her old Yanks again within 30 years - I'll be able to do something again - and be proud to once more uphold the name that we of the A.E.F. have earned for it.

Well - that's all for now - haven't heard from you in an age, so - won't write again  - sure(?) - until I do hear from you - as ever

With much love, / Clyde

More diary entries -

March 7, 1919, Frid.

Worked on claims all day. Got shot in arm for typhoid, etc. at 10:00. Arm pretty sore by night. Sick as a dog. Bed at 7:00. Had rotten night.

March 8, 1919, Sat.

Pretty sick. Another beautiful day. Bed until noon. (?) with the Major most of day. To Goussaincourt about claims & B.D.L.'s at 4:30. Wrote letters in evening. Feel bum yet - bed early.

March 9, 1919, Sun. Part rain.

Slept late. Pretty sick. Up to straighten up some reports before luncheon. No appetite! To Goussaincourt to settle all claims in p.m. Settled out 31%. [whole sentence illegible]

March 10, 1919, Mon.

Up 7:00. Scouts ordered back to Co. for move to Le Mans. No mail. Motored over (?) way were formed as a Division, there inspected & reviewed by Gen'l Pershing - after which he addressed officers & N.C.O.'s. Good speech. [entire sentence illegible]

March 11, 1919, Tues. Beautiful day.

Up 7:15. Gave talk to scouts at 9:00. (?) gave me a chewing I'll never forget. They played a base ball game - 15 - 3 with C Co. Busy on paper work all day.

Letter to Aunt Nell -

H.Q. 1st Bn. 112th Inf.

Intelligence section

11 March 1919

Dearest Aunt -

Just received your letter of Feb. 9th, which seems to have been a long time en route. Presumably came on a slow boat, or something of the sort.

I am living a true staff officer's life these days! The training lectures, field practice and reserve (?) examinations of my Intelligence personnell are all over now and except for my one chief Sergeant and clerk - they have been returned to their companies for purposes of paper work administration and travel convenience - as the Division leaves the 14th (our Bn. the 16th - Sunday) for the Le Mans area, where it will be until about May 1st. then a few days and - "sailing east!" [probably meant west if he's writing about sailing to the U.S.] I am remaining behind three or four days to pay the French people for the billeting in my 2 towns some 7500 francs, to settle all claims and see that everything is OK. American efficiency and honest purpose for you - That! Eh? What? I have an individual travel order so will go frm here via Chateau Thierry and Verdun to Bar-le Duc. Then to St. Digier, then Chalons, then (?), then Paris, Versailles and on to Le Mans. I will have my interpreter with me - can live and travel as I please - and - really will be "sitting on the world"' to say the least.

Your letter was very good - and - so sincere about Miss Kelly - that - well, along with my own reasoning of late - has changed many of my old ideas entirely. Your reasoning and advice is far more sound than I expected it to be and - I appreciate every word of it - and - thanks a lot for being so genuinely honest about it!

I too wish I knew the Whitings! I have met many officers whom I judge to be the male elements of similar families - and - their wholesome, "regular" type must naturally appeal to me immensely. Oh! You've misinterpreted my statements about Miss Caroline! Really. I shall be more than delighted to meet her - as I'm going to lots of other girls - fellow officers' sisters, etc. - and - I'll presumably rather enjoy them all! Miss Caroline's tastes were the point of discussion in my (?). I believe - and - needless to add - they are undoubtedly far higher along the social scale than my own - as - a young lady like herself could probably (?) over a discussion of out door, woodcraft or army details - and - God knows I'm pretty weak on opera, (?) and dress!

I've planned about 5 or 6 days in New York. My friends the MacIntyres live up 140 something street - about parallel to you, by the way. Mr. MacIntyre is an inventor, Mechanical engineer & munitions expert, his son Harold served with me in Flanders and his daughter Elsie does something or other down town - and - I've promised them a visit to tell them about Harold - little Mac was killed later on you see. Then on 151st St. are the Weaver's who I've promised to see - then another young lady who's friend Yates was an old timer in my outfit has asked me to visit her family - and - I must go to the old Seventh armory a day or so to see some of the old 107th boys and if I can find Warren Miller & Hy. Watson - there some more time - so - I guess, including you - I'll have to spend a week in the city. Will probably then go to New Rochelle & Larchmont to see a lot of old 7 N.Y. Co. M chaps who live there - then stop off a day at Peekskill to see Anna & her family - then home! Then - El Refugio!

Oh! by the way - I rec'd two bundles of magazines & papers today! A thousand thanks as I appreciated them all, Field & Stream, R.D., New Republic, Illustrated, Life, and all. Bully for you! And - say - what do you think of General Pershing running for President in '20? Would you vote for him?

The 28th Division was reviewed and inspected by the C. in C. (Pending) yesterday - after which he gave the officers & N.C.O.'s a speech! It was a pretty good talk and - as I was, luckily, less than 10 ft. from him - gave me an excellent opportuity to study him at close range! Needless to say - he's a great old boy! And - next to Leonard Wood - America's greatest living soldier!

---[Leonard Wood (October 9, 1860 – August 7, 1927) was a United States Army major general, physician, and public official. He served as the Chief of Staff of the United States Army, Military Governor of Cuba, and Governor-General of the Philippines. He began his military career as an army doctor on the frontier, where he received the Medal of Honor. During the Spanish–American War, he commanded the Rough Riders, with Theodore Roosevelt as his second-in-command. Wood was bypassed for a major command in World War I, but then became a prominent Republican Party leader and a leading candidate for the 1920 presidential nomination.

Born in Winchester, New Hampshire, Wood became an army surgeon after earning a Doctor of Medicine degree from Harvard Medical School. He received the Medal of Honor for his role in the Apache Wars and became the personal physician to the President of the United States. At the outbreak of the Spanish–American War, Wood and Roosevelt organized the Rough Riders, a volunteer cavalry regiment. Wood was promoted to the rank of brigadier general during the war and fought in the Battle of San Juan Hill and other engagements. After the war, Wood served as the Military Governor of Cuba, where he instituted improvements to medical and sanitary conditions. President William Howard Taft made Wood the Army Chief of Staff in 1910, and Wood held that position until 1914. Several Republican leaders supported Wood for the role of commander of the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I, but the Woodrow Wilson administration selected John J. Pershing.]---

You'll possibly doubt me - but today my scouts are playing base ball in a nearby field - my windows are all open - the sun is so very bright & warm it's like June and there [are] all sorts of birds awing and from the peasants farmyards come all sorts of rural sounds - really - a picture of spring in the country - but - like all "doughboy infested country" - there's lots of mud! Ha!Ha!

I have no idea where I'll be settled at Le Mans - and will be too busy travelling in the meantime - but will write you when settled down - and - moreover will look for another of your letters awaiting me when I do arrive there.

Will close for now, as ever

With much love, / Clyde

More diary entries -

March 12, 1919, Wed.

Up 7:30 - Fair & warm. Read F&S [Field & Stream] & Republ[ic] & [Reader's] Digest, played a game of rum (got beat) and an hour of football in a.m. Checked up billeting acct's & papers, etc. in p.m. Downed about quart champagne - beaucoup zig-zag.

March 13, 1919, Thur.

Up 8:15 - to Goussaincourt to have some B.D.L.'s signed, finished my new set of B.D.L.'s, wrote Anna zig-zag letter, also Markham. Closed up some claims - read - loafed, Cooler.

March 14, 1919, Frid. Beautiful day.

Slept until 8. Made a general inspection of the town - an hour and a half of football - then played baseball till noon. Got off some paper work after luncheon - feeling great these beautiful spring days! Investigated a claim in p.m. - shaved & bathed. Had two YMCA women (young) for supper - just Bill, Doc Capt. Little & I here now. Rotten show at Y - didn't stay - played rum & read the Cosmopolitan in evening - bed at taps - 10:30. Very cool at night! No mail.

March 15, 1919, Sat.

Another fine day. Cooler. Fixed up some claims in a.m. Up at 8:00. To Goussaincourt in p.m. Some very good beer today. Down to see the C.O. of Co. C about scouts in evening, read & played cards.

March 16, 1919, Sun. 

Up 9:30. Cold & cloudy. Loafed all a.m. good dinner. Walked over to Sauvigny to see Lt. Fish in p.m. Saw Randall Crouse. Back for supper. Sang, Capt. Pierce made fudge - very enjoyable Sunday evening - bed 9:00.

March 17, 1919, Mon. Cool. Cloudy.

Fixed some claims in a.m. Hell of a time with old lady Henry. To Goussaincourt to settle claims in p.m. Played hearts in evening. Bed at 10:00.

March 18, 1919, Tues. Partly fair. Some snow. Cold.

Up at 4:00 a.m. The Battalion moved out at 6:45. Inspected the billets of both towns with Breault. Am taking my meals with Lucy Bernard's mother. Bed early - very cold. All OK - claims all settled.

March 19, 1919, Wed.

Up at 8:00. Breakfast at 9:00. Tipped Madame Henri 20 fr. for service. To G-court in a.m. Settled up OK there. Bid all friends there "au revoire". Interpreter Arthur Breault Co. A. drank beaucoup vin - says farewells & (??). Rabbit luncheon with Mme Bernard - settled with the (?mayor?) M. Simon, said good bye to the Lallons, Lepages, Velines, etc. Read all p.m. Bed early.

March 20, 1919, Thur. Snowed some.

Took 8:22 train at Sauvigny for Neufchâteau. About Neufchâteau all day. Left at 7:32 for Toul. Staid in Red Cross hotel. In Toul all night in room with Engineer Captain.

March 21, 1919, Frid.

Up 7:00. Breakfast in Toul YWCA hostess house. Took 9:52 train for Paris - via Chalons, Vitry, Epernay, Chateau-Thierry. Very fine trip. 4 U.S. nurses with me. Arrived Paris 5:00 p.m. Good supper - show - met a Jane - fixed for the night - some time!

March 22, 1919, Sat.

Up at 6:00. We took a taxi for Montparnasse terminal. Feel pretty (?)! [as written] Left 7:30 for Le Mans. Arrived 12:10. Good luncheon - went to movies, barbers - up to Forwarding camp - in tents. In with Sorenson, Davis & the Chaplin! Fixed up some business - got out my reports, etc. All set in new quarters.

March 23, 1919, Sun. Rain.

Wrote replies to all the letters I found yesterday. Fixed up quarters, reported on Cox, good Bn. mess, read, talked & loafed. Sorenson to go to range tomorrow. A bit worried about my near future state of health! Quite a bit! Bed early.

March 24, 1919, Mon. Rain.

Went over to Div. H.Q. to be photographed in a.m. Went to Camp Commissary in p.m. Rotten (?). This camp is mostly sand - all tents. Had some competition drill today. Bed early. Sorenson out to rifle range.

March 25, 1919, Tues. Some rain.

Got out some reports in a.m. Some contre - espionage work in p.m. Loafed most of day. Good fire in evening. Wrote Aunt Nell & Miss Wilbur. Hear all 2nd Lt.s from 27th Div are to be transferred to casual outfits.

Next up - letters to Aunt Nell and more diary entries.