Letter to Aunt Ida - February 14, 1918

Fort Slocum

Feb., 14th, 1918

Dear Aunt Ida:

Your letter came sometime ago and I intended to answer before but I couldn’t get the application filled out but have got it now and will enclose it in this letter.

I wrote a letter a few days ago expecting to get the application and enclosing it. Some way I lost the letter and can not find it anywhere so will have to write another.

Well I am on Guard here now and will probably be here for 6 months. I went on my first Guard yesterday at 12 o’clock and came off today at 12. We have 2 hours on and four off. 8 in all and 16 off.

It was a regular summer night last night and it was fine up where I was up on the tops of the Batteries where I could see all over the island and New York harbor.

I got paid a week ago last Monday and am nearly broke as I had to get a few things that I needed. I got $13.00 for the month of Dec., so if you will have Uncle Will send me $5.00 I think I will be allright and then I will have a little money in my pocket until I get my next months pay.

You asked me if I needed a sweater. No I don’t think I do the coldest part of the winter is over and I think they are bad things for cold’s.

If I can get a 5 day pass the first of next month I may come home.   I am able to get a twelve hour pass any day of the week and a 36 hour pass on Sat. but I am not going to take any for awhile and perhaps I can get a long one.

I can not sign my insurance to a Uncle or Aunt so I haven’t taken any out yet but will as soon as I get your idea of it. They have certain rules and it is that or not anything.

They are shipping out men here right and left.   Sat. there are 1700 going and eveey day just about the same.

The drafted men coming in here now and they are very strick.  They have no privileges while they are on the island so that is why I was drawn into the gun squad. I hope I stay here this summer as it is fine here and there is all kinds of enjoyments for a little money.

I am going to write a few more notes and it is getting along toward bedtime so I guess I will close.

Hoping this finds you O.K.

I remain

With Lots of Love,

Ervin

Letter to Uncle Will - February 11, 1918

Fort Slocum Gun Squad

Fort Slocum

Feb., 11, 1918

Dear Uncle Will:

Your letters came O.K. and I should of answered before but have been very busy.

I have been drawn into the gun squad and will probably will be held here for two or three months and perhaps I can get transfered into something that will be permant here.  I like it here very much but perhaps I will find it just as good somewhere else.

I went in to take out my insurance and they told me that I could not make it out to a Uncle or Aunt.  Now what do you think I had better do I will hold off for a while.

Where I am now I am able to get a pass most any time I want to and if there is any such thing as getting a five day pass I will be home next month.  I got paid last Monday but only for the month of Dec. witch was $13.00 and as there was quite a few things I needed am nearly broke or will be before next month so if you send me $5.00 sometime along it would help very much.

I am having my application for state pay filled out and you can get it and take care of it.

The weather is much better here than it has been for some time, the season is going fast and it seems like spring but I expect we will have some cold weather yet I have been over to New York twice since I wrote you last Sunday.   I went in to the Moving Pictures witch were fine. We had a very good time.

I will probably have more time to myself from now on and will write more often so will close for now. Hoping this finds you O.K. I remain

    With Love

        Ervin

There are two fellows here from Montpelier one of them is Charlie Tobias’ brother the fellow that used to work in Pines.