Camp Hancock
Nov. 2, 1918.
Dear Girl:- Wrote you this A.M. and got to studying that you might get too short of funds, so will chance a X in this envelope. Let me know at once if it gets through and I will send more. I don’t want to risk all my eggs in one basket. Rumor has it that quarantine goes off tomorrow night, but it may not be true and I don’t want you broke. I wrote Wood to night to write Senator Lewis, as there is no use being broke when you have money this is rightfully yours. Just came off K.P. and 1st Serg. told me there would be no inspection tomorrow, so I can rest and review for exams at ease. It will be a pleasant rest. Rumor has it that we turn in our rifles soon and I hope so. That will take one burden off our minds at least. Drew a dandy heavy overcoat. It fits nicely except sleeves are about four inches too long. Nothing new so will close.
Love, Manford
Dear Buck:- Daddy is camping here in a big tent with five other men. He sleeps in an iron cot, has a straw tick filled with straw, has 3 blankets, a rubber coat called a poncho and tonight daddy got a great big greenish colored overcoat with a big collar on it. If we had this tent and cot we could go fishing with grandpa next summer in great shape. Daddy has a great big rifle weighing nine pounds which he hangs on his cot by two strings, and a big long sharp piece of steel called a bayonet which he carries in a scabbard on a belt which he buckles around his body. He has a sack called a barracks bag which he puts his old clothes in and his haversack. A haversack is a kind of sack which hangs by straps on the shoulders, and daddy carried his grub in it on his back when he went to the trenches. Daddy carries his water to drink in a kind of flat bottle called a canteen, which he fastens to his belt over his right hip by a hook. Daddy has an electric light in his tent now. If everything goes all right, daddy will be home next summer and we will sure go fishing together and maybe you can stay all the time, for mother and grandma says that you are growing into a great big boy. Be a good boy, mind mother and try to help her, because daddy is gone and you have to do your best to take his place. If daddy gets a chance he will send more shells or if you want anything tell mother to write daddy and if he can he will get it for you.
A big hug,
From Daddy
The original Letter
