Letter to Aunt Ida - March 16, 1918

Fort Slocum

Mar. 16th 1918

Dear Aunt Ida:

Your letter came Thursday night and as I didn’t leave time to get a letter back to Montpelier in time will send this in care of  Archie.

Now I won’t be able to get home this month but will surely come next month.  I am short of money and I want to put in for a transfer to a different branch of the regular army.

I am not going off the island this week as I go on Guard tomorrow morning at nine and won’t be though until Monday noon.

The last few days have been very cold but today it has begun to warm up and I hope it will be warmer tomorrow

There was about 1,000 men went out of here today and about as many same in it is {page missing?] service.  Another fellow and I are going into the tank service.  That will take us out of the Guard duty and we will allways have shelter and the chance of advancement is very good as it is a new branch of the service.

I could stay here all summer if I wanted to but you see they won’t be nearly all filled up in the 1st Vermont and the chances are they would ship me over in the fall in [page missing?] just the same every day.

All the boys have gone home on passes except two or three and they are taking charge of the barracks and having a fine time singing and dancing.

I will write you another letter soon  Let me know how long you intend to stay in Boston and perhaps I can come that way and to home with you.  Will send Uncle a line.

With Love,

    Ervin

Letter to Aunt Ida - February 27, 1918

Ervin at Fort Slocum (?).

Fort Slocum

Feb 27, 1918

Dear Aunt Ida:

Your letter and Uncle Wills check came some time ago but I have been very busy lately and neglected to answer it.

I have been on Guard three times in the last week and that is too much. But I don’t see how I can change it. You see there was an accident in the Harbor and they put on an extra Guard so that makes us go on afternoons.

There was a couple of fellows fell through the ice and drowned and last night 2 girls and two fellows started to row over from New Rochelle and tipped over the two girls were drowned and the fellows are in the Hospital they are draging the Harbor for the bodies today.

I went over to New York last Sat. afternoon and met Martha and Ida. They took me to a Cabaret we had a very good time. We went to the Winter Garden Cabaret.

The weather is getting much warmer here now and I enjoy it more. The snow is off the drill grounds, and we have a nice large place to drill and it looks fine where you see all the boys out there drilling.

Some of the best drilled on the island gave an exibition in the Hippodrome. They say it was very good. I dont’t no, I didn’t to to see them.

There was a large parade in New York last week. The boys of Zaphauke [?] marched and it was wonderful sight by what everyone says. They were the drafted boys and they got a wonderfull reception.

I don’t know when I will be able to get home but will try and get home next month to stay two or three days. I would like to come up there once before I am shipped farther away. One can never tell where he is going to be the next day in this life.

I suppose if I came home I would have a Band to meet me and David Spicer leading it.

We will be playing ball here soon as the ground is drying up fast and if my arm is in good shape I may make the team here and they will probably hold me all summer.  This would be a fine place to stay this summer.

Tomorrow is muster and I expect it will be a busy day.  Today has been very busy.  I have had to clean everything I have got and have it ready for inspection tomorrow.  Still have my gun to clean. This morning we drilled and this afternoon we scrubed out our barracks and washed all the windows, cleaned our bed, washed our legging, shined our shoes, and shaved so you see I have been pretty busy.

It is getting near nine o’clock and the lights go out so I will close for this time. Hoping this finds you both O.K. I remain

With Love

Ervin

Remember me to Beulah and Ruth and Lucy if you ever see her.

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.

Letter to Aunt Ida - January 31, 1918

On this day, Germany announces the renewal of unrestricted submarine warfare in the Atlantic as German torpedo-armed submarines prepare to attack all ships, including civilian passenger carriers.

Mrs. W. M. Parker

5 School Ave.

Monpelier, Vermont

[Stationary reads at the top:] “AT FORTS JAY, SCHUYLER, SLOCUM, WADSWORTH AND WOOD, NEW YORK HARBOR”

[Stationary reads at top left:] “PUBLIC CORRESPONDENCE TO INSURE THE RETURN OF THIS LETTER IF NOT DELIVERED, WRITE YOUR NAME AND STATION ON ENVELOPE IN WHICH IT IS POSTED”

[Stationary reads at top right:] “ARMY BRANCH OF THE YOUNG MEN’S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK”

Fort Slocum, New York Harbor

Jan. 31st, 1917

Dear Aunt Ida:

Your letters came and also the box of candy I was glad to get it. The doughnuts were very good. I took them over to the mess hall and ate them with coffee for breakfast.

My hand is cold and it is hard writting. I just came in from muster. We stood out for a hour and one half. We expect to get paid Sat., or Mon., our first pay.

Tell Uncle Will that I will get the blank he sent me signed and sent to him soon. The Major has been busy and I haven’t been able to see him yet.

Last Sat., I got a pass and went over to New York. Ida, Martha and I went to the Strand Roof Garden and had a fine time I expect to get off every Sat., now untill Sunday night at twelve as long as I stay on the island. But expect I will be shipped out soon.

I haven’t taken out any insurance yet but am going to as soon as they are ready to accept it.

I don’t expect I can get the position in the canteen store as I expected as I am in the National Guards and I can not get transfered from the N.G. to the regular army.

I will write you again soon as it gets a little warmer. I am getting along O.K. and like it better all the time Remember me to everyone

.With Love,

Ervin

[On back of envelope]

E. R. Wakefield

2nd Company

Fort Slocum, NY

January 31, 1917 notes

Strand Roof Garden: A caberet in Manhattan that provided vaudeville variety shows that were all the rage at the time.

Letter to Aunt Ida - January 18, 1918 and from Robert Frost



Y.M.C.A. Building, Fort Slocum

 

Fort Slocum
Jan. 18, 1918

Dear Aunt Ida:
Just a few lines to let you know that I rec’d your pkge and the bath robe O.K. and surely was glad of the food it tasted good. I havent’ slept in my robe yet but it will keep me warm I know and it’s just what I need.

Bob [Robert Frost?] is here and I am sending this with his letter [see his letter below] I saw him last night where I wrote you but had the letter sealed so didn’t let you know. He has been busy all day getting his uniform and haven’t seen him until tonight. I wrote to Rena [?] Fay [?] this afternoon and am going to write Homer[?] tomorrow.

I expect to go in the kitchen tomorrow for 24 hours but I don’t mind as I have been there before and it isn’t bad.

Sunday I expect to have the day off and I am going over to Ida May.

Hoping this finds you O.K. I remain With Love to All
Ervin

I had my name put in the canteen if I get that I will have a pretty good job and extra money.



Jan 18, 1918
Pte. Robert M. Frost
Medical Dept.
Bar. 51
Fort Slocum, N.Y.

Dear Ida:

I suppose Irvine [Ervin] told you that he met me here. I had looked about for him for a long time before I finally found him in this, the Y.M.C.A. building. I got the third degree yesterday, final examination, it was an experience not soon to be forgotten. This is certainly a busy place with so many men coming and going every day. I received my uniform today, with shoes, stockings, underwear etc.. and post my valise with my civilian clothes back to Andy. Irvine says he is getting so that he likes this place better and he says that he may get a permanent job here. I hope I am not here very long myself, would like to be at camp for training and to find out just what my duties are to be. There is a piano in this Y.M.C.A. building, someone is playing just now and the boys are singing “Over There”.

Well, Irvine has just tapped me on the sholder, am so glad to see him. Now I shall visit with him for a while.

Give my regards to Will and accept same for yourself.
Truly yours,
Robert

Letter to Aunt Ida - January 17, 1918



Kitchen - General Mess, Fort Slocum

Fort Slocum

Jan. 17, 1918

Dear Aunt Ida:
Your letter came today but I didn’t recieve the pkg. but probably will soon.

I have been looking around here on the island for a job. I would like to be stationed here as I hear that the camps are not half as good so if I can get a position in the canteen I will be stationed here and my name will be crossed off the out going list. As I understand it all the camps are crowded and they are not shipping out any more in my branch but I can be transferred to something else.

Don’t worry about me as I am felling fine and I have a good warm place to sleep with a locker to put my clothes in. I also have a new overcoat that is just like officer’s and it is much warmer and it fits me like a glove. I was down to the Quartermasters carrying overcoats to the place where they given out and I run across this one so I carried it up and asked the Sergent if I might change and he said yes, it is made of the finest material with a lining all the down with silk.

Yesterday we started drilling. We have five drills in the morning and in the afternoon we get work yesterday afternoon we carried wood and this afternoon we didn’t have anything to do so I walked around the sea wall and got cleaned up.

We have a couple of cold days since I came back but today was fine just as warm as can be. I was out all day roaming around.

I recieved a letter from Ida today and she seems to like [her job] better than when she started. I am going to try and get over and see her Sunday.

Today the Major came out and explained about the insurance. I am going to take out $10,000 worth that will cost me about $5.00 a month, and if I am disabled I will receive about $57.00 a month and on top of that I would get a compensation of $3,000 a month.

The harbor is all frozen over and it is hard to get coal over here so we are burning wood but the harbor is breaking up now so we expect to get in supplies and coal. We haven’t received any mail for ? day on account of the ice.

I expect to go in the dinning room or kitchen for 24 hours begining tomorrow afternoon but I don’t mind it as I am getting used to it and it doesn’t come so hard as the first fime.

I will let you know as soon as I receive the pkges, and remember me to all the people.

With Love to you All

Ervin

2nd Company