$60.00 CAD
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WW1 letter from soldier (Missouri?)) in the 336 Field Artillery unit in training at Camp Pike AK. Interesting content...scarlet fever quarantine, religious meetings, African American churches, etc..
Camp Pike in Arkansas was a major World War I training cantonment, established in 1917 near Little Rock
Written on two pieces of stationary with unit letterhead
1st stationary
HQ Co. 336th F.A.N.A.
Camp Pike Ark.
Feb. 17 1918
Dear Charlotte,
…the frogs have been noisy here the last week or two…Tomorrow we will be out of quarantine again. Battery F came put today. Thanks for Jimmies address never did receive a letter from France…IN your letter you asked me if I remembered the time we went to the ne—o church and the da**y. I wondered if there was any difference between the two…I have heard sleep is a good beautifier so I suppose that accounts for your beauty...I should think all good Methodist people would know about the doctrines of their church. I suppose you know now. Well I suppose I couldn’t give all the Presbyterian. If you have time and room in your next letter, I would like for you to send me the chief doctrines of Methodism….
2nd stationary
Last Friday evening we marched up to Brigade Headquarters and listened to a speech by our general. His name is Richmond P. Davis. His full title is Brigadier General Richmond P. Davis. He spoke on responsibility of a general to his boys and of the boys to a general. I don’t know whether his is related to Eleanor or not You can tell her I said he looks a little like her. So I suppose they are related.
We all had to go to our dentist the other day. Some had to have their teeth worked upon. My number was 4. Those who had that number didn’t have to go back. …Think I can get a pass to go Wednesday evening as we will be out of quarantine by then.
We had roast beef, potatoes, peas, coffee, pickles, onion, and ice cream for dinner. Ice cream was sure good. It was colored pink. That makes the second time we had ice cram down here…I didn’t eat much dinner today as I had been eating on a box of sweets which came Saturday. We had Sunday School in the dining hall again this morning Had a very inte4rsting meeting Mr. Stars the father of one of the boys that play in our band gave us a talk, our soldier preacher and several of the boys also made talks.
I have heard that we would be quarantined again. Another case of scarlet fever. I suppose we will be in quarantine forever…. Emmett is still at Camp Grant. He is in quarantine too. Hanna got a furlough for 3 weeks to recover from pneumonia.
We have retreat at 6:00 PM/.We also have reveille at 6 Am…Yes I have fully recovered from my wound...
JH Parsons
Both letters have nice, embossed letterhead of two crossed canons and labeled 336 TH U.S. FIELD ARTILLERY Pike Little Rock Ark . Envelope has similar letterhead of two crossed canons and labeled 336TH U.S. FIELD ARTILLERY 87th DIVISION NATIONAL ARMY
Postmarked 'LITTLE ROCK ARK Feb 17 1918 PIKE BRANCH'
The 336th Field Artillery Regiment was organized at Camp Pike, Arkansas, during World War I as part of the 162nd Field Artillery Brigade of the 87th Division. It trained at Camp Pike in 1917–1918 before deploying to France, where it was assigned to the Service of Supply rather than front-line combat.
87th Division, Known as the “Golden Acorn Division,” commanded by Major General Samuel D. Sturgis. The division began moving overseas in August 1918, arriving in France by mid-September.
Brigadier General Richmond Pearson Davis was a U.S. Army artillery officer who rose to prominence during World War I, commanding major artillery units in France and later shaping coastal defense strategy for the United States.
Commanded the 162nd Field Artillery Brigade at Camp Pike, Arkansas, later leading it in France. His brigade fought in the Battle of Saint-Mihiel (September 1918) and at Camp de Songe. From 1918–1919, Davis commanded all artillery units in the U.S. Army’s 9th Corps, a significant responsibility during the final offensives of the war.
