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November 5, 1918
November 7, 1918
November 10, 1918
November 11, 1918
November 13, 1918
November 25, 1918
November 25, 1918
My dear Sylvester -
We have had a very pleasant & busy weekend. Ralph was home
for twenty four hours, Winnie was down from Portland, Maine,
where she is helping out in the Conn. Mutual Office. Aunt Lucy
was here from Northfield & Lucinthia was still here putting
the finishing touches on getting well. Jack came up also from
New London, so we managed to have quite a crowd together. If
you and Eva had only been here, it would have been complete,
but there is also something more that we would like, no matter
how much we have. Lucinthia went back when Ralph did last night.
She seemed all well. We took the trip in the motor to Hartford,
Waterbury & New Haven, leaving the "kids", at the
latter place to take their trains. R. & L. to N.Y. - &
Winnie to Boston, enroute to Portland. Aunt Lucy has just gone
back this afternoon. She was so glad to be here, and it does
her a lot of good, she gets down-in-the- dumps quite often, so
a change like that is good for her. Ralph thinks that he may
not get home again before sailing, but something may turn up
this time to hinder his getting away.
Harold Barrows has been made Ass. Super. up at Dutch Point -
and I guess from the way he talked, might be married before a
great while.
Are you still in your canopied feather beds? or in tents? It
is so nice that you are seeing some of the beautiful things about
you, while the work is going on. The soldiers seem to be making
great progress now on the other side. Hurrah for America &
all their allies!
The influenza is very much abated on this side now. I hope you
don't get it in the camps over there. The people that hear your
letters think they are very interesting, and we all surely enjoy
them.
Is J.M. with you now? I have to go down to C. on this next car,
so will have to stop right here.
Lots of love-
Mother-
Nov-5-1918-
Election Day tomorrow
[note - Jack would be Jack Savage, Uncle Watson's son who was
in the Navy. Harold Barrows is "Curley" and Dutch Point
was a power plant in Hartford in the same general area as the
Colt Building. Dad said Curley was still working there in 1951
when Dad went there to inspect for Travelers, and he later transferred
down to the Middletown power plant at Maromas. J.M. would be
James Moody, and I assume C. would be Cromwell.]
Dear Mother,
I missed a Sunday back awhile and mentally vowed I must not miss
another, but here last Sunday went by again; it was so late when
I settled down to write I hardly settled but thought of the morrow
when I wanted to work. And on week-days it has been still easier
of course to say tomorrow. So this evening I have said "Enough
of To-morrow, & get busy."
Day before yesterday we got another batch of mail, which brought
me your letter of Oct.6, & covered Eva up to the 11th. I
also heard from Ralph, who has surely been very generous in writing
to me, and has written most interestingly. I was somewhat surprised
to learn of Curly's new engagement. I guess he couldn't stand
being the last of the crowd.
These have been interesting days, these last two weeks - in fact
since the day we sailed - July 16 - how marvellously the Tide
has turned ! The Terms which Austria was willing to sign are
unbelievable, and if she is so desperate as to sign such an agreement
surely Germany can't be much better off. Today we know from the
newspapers that she has sent her envoys to the front to negotiate,
& I have heard sub rosa thru French official sources this
afternoon that the armistice has been signed and Germany has
accepted all. I cannot believe it, I won't let myself believe
it, though, until I see it in print, a substantiated fact. Greene
has been saying nothing but "La Guerre est fini" every
two minutes the last ten days, is wondering whether he'll get
in his trout-fishing in Rhode Island next Spring &c. Fine,
surely, if it is, & they have accepted everything, but I
wish it might take the Kaiser & his outfit with it; &
if it wouldn't, that they would hold on just long enough for
it to do so. Give them no chance to build up their power again.
I don't believe they ever can but still, one would feel safer
with them out of the way.
Sunday the Major and I spent late afternoon and evening again
at the Marquise de la Roche's very pleasantly. Her young son-in-law,
the Count de la Rochefaucault was present this time, and he represents
quite accurately what I think is the American idea of French
counts - sleek, puttering, not overly endowed with grey matter,
little jerky mannerisms, &c. He's a decent fellow, however,
& perhaps my first opinion wouldn't prove justifiable. The
old Marquis doesn't seem to take a bit of interest in life -
sits around with his mouth open & coughs betimes to relieve
the monotony of existence. The female side of the house seems
to have the brains - the Marquise & her daughter, The Comtesse.
The Count shot a wild boar Sunday afternoon, part of which we
were given to take back with us, incidentally with a story of
how we had bagged it.
I saw Tom Beers for the first time in France yesterday morning
at the bank. He wished to be remembered to all you folks.
Our stay here promises to be short, probably a matter of days,
and the immediate future is filled with doubt, even as to our
staying together. We are working our level best to keep it so,
and wish we might at least get in on the final licks if there
are to be some more.
My best to everybody, & lots of love.
Sylvester
Captain S. B. Butler
301st Supply Train
American Expeditionary Forces
Dear Mother,
Today, the papers say the Kaiser is to abdicate; the German chancellor
talks in the past tense about Germany's being no longer able
to keep up the struggle against ever-increasing forces; to-morrow
the German delegates at the armistice conference must accept
or reject Foch's terms; with the above & with the Bavarian
revolution it would seem a foregone conclusion what the answer
will be. What marvellous things have happened in the last three
months! The French feel seemingly a sort of wondering joy over
the turn things have taken, and all say generously "It's
because you Americans have come", without us the war would
have lasted ten years, probably lost. It is very satisfying and
heart-warming to hear them say it. And it seems as though the
people who said we should not enter the war, had nothing to gain
thereby, and what not, must rather regret that ignoble stand,
if they now realize that it was America's throwing of her might
into the scale against Prussian brutality & selfish ambitious,
which saved the world from it. I am also absolutely convinced
of it. Our part physically does not seem so large, though surely
what has been done in such a short time is marvelous, and our
troops hold the most difficult section of the front; but the
moral force of out entry alone has counted tremendously, first,
that we showed our colors, we gave the judgment of the greatest
disinterested nation of the world that the Allies were fighting
a battle for the world & civilization against brute force
& evil; second, the mere fact that we were coming gave our
war weary allies new courage to hold on during 1917, the waiting
year, and the terrible anxious days of last spring; and this
fall, our troops I am convinced, made possible the great general
allied advances which has ended so gloriously, though at a tremendous
cost which you folks don't dream of. The Germans have done more
than run. A mule may run but has good hind legs. That's the German
machine-gun.
I had a much later letter from you this week which skips a week,
& brings me up to Oct.20. Aunt Sarah wrote me at the same
time and tells me Lucinthia had the influenza. I hope not for
long. You have surely had a time with that over home.
Last night the Major, Fred, Lou Taylor, & I took supper and
spent the evening with the Marquise de la Roche again, it probably
being the last opportunity we'll have of doing so. It was a delicious
supper we had - a mousse de lapins" (rabbit mousse, sort
of a rabbit meat jelly), which just melts in your mouth; roast
turkey stuffed with chestnuts; chocolate pudding & whipped
cream - those were the particularly tasty things. The Marquise's
son-in-law was home again, and waxed extremely funny last evening.
He "doesn't like ze cats. Zey are good for not'ing. It always
gives me much pleasure to kill ze cat, and when I have my pistolette,
I will say 'Come 'ere kitty, kitty,' and when ze cat comes I
shoot it in ze head - Ping! Oh! but I like ze dog, and my dogs
and I we have ze great time whenever we see ze cat", and
so forth & so on. The beautiful smooth brown cats were walking
over the table again and he vented his dislike on them by snapping
them in the tail. The Comtess was telling how some young girl
relative of theirs was quite an attractive miss, but Pierre pooh-poohed
with "attractive? Yes, perhaps, but her eyes! Bah! With
ze one she looks at New York, wit' ze ot'er she looks at Paris!"
Today I have been over at another chateau, about 25 miles [note
- he had originally written 40 kilometers but crossed that out
and substituted the more American distance] to the southeast,
visiting Madame Thuret, with Don Fitts (Yale'16 & Zeta),
who is a Lieut. in our outfit, assigned to us since February,
but not for duty until recently. She has an estate of about a
thousand acres, and quite a beautiful ivy- covered chateau, with
the inside appointments which make them all so attractive. She
has a little grandchild there, only eight, who plays the piano
remarkably well, & pieces with quite difficult technique.
Her niece owns the chateau where the armistice negotiations are
going on at the present time.
At other times since I last wrote I have worked with reasonable
zeal and fidelity. Have spent a little time cursing the results
of the Congressional election. They are surely disappointing
especially at such a time, and in view of the base and untruthful
statement made by our ex-Presidents just preceding the election.
Apparently their subtle attempt to make the American people read
an attempt at a back-down into the President's answers to Germany's
appeal for an armistice was successful with the portion of the
public which doesn't base it's vote on reason. Such a black-guard
attempt to discredit the President of the United States at a
time like this seems just about the most contemptible political
trick ever perpetrated in our politics. It is the sort of thing
we expect from T.R. but it is surprising Taft would lend himself
to it. I marvel almost that Wilson can keep himself from directing
the Attorney-General to prefer charges of treason against his
predecessors. I can't see that their act falls far short of it.
Incidentally that's what the American soldier thinks.
It's getting late, and the fire's out. I don't know where I'll
be next time I write.
Lots of love to all.
Sylvester
Capt. S. B. Butler
301st Supply Train
American Expeditionary Forces.
My dear Sylvester -
I was awakened about four this morning by some pistol shots.
I then went to the window & heard the bells & whistles
blowing and I turned & said to Dad, "The armistice is
signed allright, this time". I am thankful there will be
no more terrible slaughter of men, but I would like to have seen
our men get on to German soil. You regret probably that you did
not have the experience of being at the front, & see the
laying down of arms, but your life may have been spared by not
getting any nearer.
Such a wild time last Thursday when the false report came over
the wires of surrender - it must have been a sight in the big
cities.
I am going up to Hartford to-night to see the monster parade.
I played the National Htmns when I came downstairs this morning,
for I must have some little celebration of my own. We surely
are living in wonderful & history making times, something
I never expected to experience five years ago. I heard a fine
sermon by a Hartford Seminary man yesterday on the text - "The
Lord hath not dealt so with any nation", applying it, of
course, to our own United States. I can't set myself about anything
this morning, as I feel as though I want to be out seeing, hearing
& celebrating in some way.
The soldier votes in Cromwell were just even, five & five,
which was rather a coincidence. Raymond won't get into the service
now, as he had visions of doing, but thinks he never could have
made it any way. I had written Eva to send her Christmas things
here, and I would pack the box & send from here, so she did
& also sent along the coupon. I will get it packed &
off this week. I have just been doing up a package for Eva's
birthday, which I hope she will like. I saw you had M.T.C. on
your coupon, & I know you will be so glad to have the insignia
of your real work.
I wonder if Ralph will finally get across. I am taking fifty
of my hundred to buy a Liberty bond of my very own money. We
went down to the War Chest rally in Cromwell last Thursday night,
which was addressed by Richard Higgins of Hartford, & then
they run off the Cromwell 4th of July film & a war film -
it was a very enthusiastic rally. The drive is on this week for
the allied work of Y.M.C.A. & the other activities for the
soldiers. I expect Lucinthia is enjoying being in New York in
these grand & glorious times.
Ruth Beers said that Tom had just seen you to wave to. He was
in a hospital three weeks with rheumatism and also has been to
Paris twice. Have you seen the gay city yet? I guess it is about
time to get my dishes done. Uncle Bill was up to dinner with
us yesterday, the first time since we lived here.
Three cheers for the glorious ending of the war, & good health
to the soldiers until the after work is over.
Lots of love
Mother
Dear Folks,
At last I am 'mancipated [this was Gram's 21st birthday] and
shall assert my independence by never getting up unless I want
to, and only washing my face when I wish etc. I just imagine
I am going to have a wonderful time.
Your package made me so happy. It was really the first time I
ever received a package of presents as my gifts usually come
singly. I enjoyed every single bit of it from the pin down to
the cocoa-bar and the sunshiny ribbon. It is all really so wonderful
and such a happy surprise I just don't know what to say. The
pin is just wonderful and such as I have always wanted and I
certainly shall prize it doubly because of its associations.
Do you know I have often heard of spatulas but never actually
saw one until Winnie showed me hers and I have really sorta longed
for one ever since. Sometimes I'll let Sylvester dry dishes and
use my towel and that will make his work easier. No one can appreciate
a hot pan holder more than I as I am always burning myself. I
saw just oceans of your sunshine loose today and endeavored to
bring home some in a huge bunch of yellow chrysanthemums and
a bunch of large yellow marigolds and a pumpkin. I am, just in
honor of myself tonight, letting my chrysanthemum vase stand
on my doiley. Nut candies are my favorites so I suppose it is
needless to say I haven't much left. The card and its wishes
just about made me cry as a finishing touch you have been so
good to me. I wish I could really say what I felt.
I certainly enjoyed Ralph's visit Sunday and I wish it had been
so that Winnie could have come, but I suppose she is very busy.
We took some pictures and do hope they are good because Ralph's
overseas cap is in most of them. Ralph gave me some candy for
my birthday and I've been scared to death Mr. Hoover might drop
in on us as I'm afraid two boxes a week exceeds the limit.
Sis sent me a yoke she started for me last summer and she further
scared me by saying it might have to answer for a Christmas present
also unless I would accept one of her "buterful drawins."
Of course I'm anxious to see how she is developing and have written
for her to send one of the b.d's.
Daido gave me a lovely crepe d' chine pleated waist and an apple
blossom pin. The pin is a delicate pink ivory and is very beautiful.
Forna [note - I'm not sure of the spelling here] gave me an embroidered
handkerchief and I got my flowers so I'm very happy.
I also got a letter from Ralph wishing me many happy returns
but spoiling all my glory in reaching the grand old age of 21
by telling me I was the baby of the family. Don't you think it
was rather provoking of him?
I did so hope I would get a letter from Sylvester today. Things
would have been about as complete as possible then. However,
I'm so happy that the war is over and he'll be back soon. It
just seems 'most too wonderful to be true and in spite of the
fact that I celebrated myself deaf, dumb, and motionless I can
hardly believe it.
I met one of my former classmates who is in the Merchant Marine
and he says he saw Sylvester get on a transport in Hoboken last
July. Fred has a vivid imagination but I can't believe he would
imagine that without some foundation.
If I don't hurry I won't get a letter written on my birthday
to my best boy, so I'll say good night.
Much love and many thanks
Eva.
School is going again.
Eva Brainerd is home from France
My dear Sylvester -
Your letter arrived after two weeks interval. Do you get my letters
regularly? Ralph was home yesterday, instead of being on his
way across the water. He has to be one of the officers on duty
over Thanksgiving & the following Sunday, so came up for
just the weekend Saturday. He tried on one of his civilian suits
yesterday, and it surely did look queer enough - looks so much
smaller in it than the soldier clothes. I saw by the paper yesterday
that the 76th Division were among the first to be sent home,
so you may be home sooner than you thought for. Dad & Ralph
both think that the Supply Train will be detached from the Division
& be kept over there for some part of the work, of which
there is plenty.
You are probably envious of those who are marching into Germany
now. I am glad the card pleased Piraman [note - the cook]. I
put a small cake of chocolate in your Christmas box for him.
In the note I put in last week's letter about the Christmas gifts,
I said that there was a pair of socks from me, but I could not
get them in, being so bulky, so they are here for you whenever
you come home. Possibly later the restrictions will be off on
sending parcels, & I can send them if such is the case. I
don't remember whether I told you that we were to be at Aunt
Kate's for Thanksgiving, but it won't be a very large number,
Lucinthia won't be up, Uncle Ernest not coming either, so there
will just be the Wright's, Willis & Martha, Dad & myself
- Raymond & Eleanor are coming down to Aunt Elizabeth's -
Raymond's visions of getting into the service have gone up the
fluke, I guess, seeing things are practically over.
You may have a chance to see Pres. Wilson on the other side.
How do you enjoy eating cookies after the cats have been sniffing
them? It is fine that you have the opportunity so often of going
into one of the beautiful homes of the French people. Ralph thought
you were going to wade in pretty deep from your selections from
the Marquise's library.
I wonder if you ever will run across any of the Cromwell boys
over there.
It does seem strange to be getting off Christmas things in Oct.
I will let you know just as soon as the package arrives. Did
you ever get off any cards to any of the relations? Don't forget
Aunt Elizabeth [Coe] when you do - she had another spell of being
terribly upset over Anna [her daughter who would be about 44
at this time] & Will's affairs. It's too bad that she lets
it worry her so.
No more room- Lots of Love,
Mother
Dear Mother,
I have lost all track of the days of the week and month, almost,
also I haven't my record of letter numbers with me. But I think
the last time I wrote you was the evening Tom Beers was with
me, which was the last night I spent in our tents & our old
station. Since then I have done some little traveling. Our Train
and the Ammunition Train are the only organizations of the Division
kept intact, and it took a fight on our part to keep us so, and
even now, though we have been given a job as an organization,
we may get broken up as it is. We are at a base port, assigned
to the Motor Transport Officer at the place, & our duties
will be most likely convoying vehicles up to organizations in
the interior. Major June is to be transferred away in a couple
of days to the Third Army, and while this leaves me in command
of the Train, I see nothing desirable ahead - there is no promotion
in it, in fact I don't believe there will be any promotions in
the Army; and it isn't like being with your Division and being
responsible for the Train as a unit - we will probably just furnish
men here & men there for various jobs & the M.T.O.[Motor
Transport Officer] there, a Capt. Moll, has said he would probably
break up the Train organization. I am going to try my best to
prevent it, but whether successful or not, I shall be tickled
to death if the Major is able to get me up to the Third Army
with him. To be up with the army of occupation for awhile would
partly compensate for not having any active part in the great
events of the fall. (For instance, don't you think it would be
lots of fun to make a haughty German officer get off the sidewalk
for you?)
By now your curiosity must be thoroughly aroused as to the why
of the letterhead. I'm in Paris, of course, and I'll come to
it in a minute, after accounting for myself chronologically.
We left our old station last Monday night, I think, traveling
by motor transportation to another Depot Division thru which
all our Division had to pass. Half of the Train had been there
a week, and we joined them at their barracks in a great aviation
camp near the station of this other Depot Division. We left our
motor Transportation there, and on Wednesday, I think, left by
rail for our base port. It was a 24 hour ride but took 48, and
we were glad to arrive. For the time being our men & we are
in an English rest camp nearby but this week will be moved to
barracks in the motor park, barracks which are being prepared
for them. Saturday morning the Major got a telegram to proceed
to the same city we went to in early September, & which Fred
& I went to week before last in our effort to get a job for
the Train - for a conference with the Director Motor Transport
Corps. Paris is on the way, and, as the Major wanted me to come
with him, I spent yesterday here & am here again to-night
on the way back. On our journey to Paris we fell in with two
British Naval Officers, who were agreeable traveling companions,
and one, DeVilliers by name, a medical Sub-lieutenant, was most
interesting, as he is a South African - Boer -, and a nephew
of Gen. Botha, premier of the Union of South Africa. He spoke
most interestingly of the Boer people, the gold and diamond fields,
how they are operated and conditions of life about them. I can't
think of any previous time when it has been my privilege to talk
to anyone about South Africa, who knew the country. We didn't
arrive in Paris until late and we slept late in the morning.
Then we went up to the American University Union, where I hoped
to find Prof.Mendel at the Yale Bureau, but was disappointed.
We took dinner there and spent the afternoon sightseeing on foot.
We may have seen many things which one should see here &
not know of it for we went without a guide book or previously
consulting one. We wandered around the garden of the Tuileries
& the Place de la Concorde where the most interesting things
at present are the huge collection of captured Boche guns, aeroplanes,
& all kinds of war material. We crossed one of the bridges
over the Seine and went into the Hotel des Invalides where there
is the magnificent Tomb of Napoleon, also an Army museum, and
no doubt a great many other things I didn't have time to see.
In the inner court they have suspended an aeroplane with which
the famous Guynenier downed 19 Boches. We came back across the
Seine & then promenaded down the Champs Elysees. I went back
once more to the Yale Bureau at the A.U.U. but Mr. Meldel was
still not there; however did see Dr. Hemingway, an English professor
whom I knew slightly. We left Paris in the evening, got our business
done this morning - which included the Major's learning of his
new job, and this evening are once more in the big city. Just
where I'll be next time I write is hard telling but I expect
for two or three weeks anyway I'll be up with the Train at the
new station.
With lots of love to all
Sylvester
Nov.26, A.M.
P.S. The Major & I have just finished breakfast in our room(!)
and he wants me to send along his best & say we are doing
our best to overcome these hardships we are suffering.
S.
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