Letter 12 - Aug 28, 1918

Letter # 12 to Mr. J J Thompson

Sedona, Arizona
Postmarked Aug 29

Aug 28, 1918
133 Inf Co H

(letter damaged, in fragments)

Dear Mother
I will drop you a line to let you know where I am.  I left Camp Cody 23^rd at three oclock and landed here at three this morning.  I had a long ride and saw lots of country.  I am several miles from home.  We  was five days and nights on the train and they would not let us get off only when they would stop and give us a little march in some city every day.  We took a march in Kansas City and we stopped in Saint Louis, MO about three hours and all took a bath.

Charley was still in Camp Cody when I left.  I guess he will come here when he leaves.  There was one more train load in (unclear) Inf and then 134 Inf was going to start.  We are only about 40 miles from New York here.  Well as I have not got much time to write I will close and right you more when I get settled and get more time.  I got a letter from Fred the day I left Cody, just before I left.  You can tell him I will answer when I get time.  This leaves me well and I hope that it finds you all well.  Goodbye till I see you again.

Your son,
James Thompson

Letter 13 - Sep 4, 1918

Letter #13 to Mrs. J J Thompson
Sedona, Ariz
Postmarked Sep 5, 1918

Sep 4, 1918
133 Inf. Co. H
Camp Dix, New Jersey

Dear Mother

I am writing answer to two letters that I have got since I have been here. So you got the pay for two months. They did not pay you thirty $ a month. They told me when I mail the papers out that if I sent 15$ a month that they thought that the government would pay 15$. I guess when they sent you the papers to fill out they thought that I wasn’t supporting you.

There is lots of negro soldiers here. When we came here negros was about all that was here but all of Camp Cody is here now and there has been lots of new drafted men come in the last two days and they are still coming. This is a better camp than Camp Cody if it wasn’t so far from home. There is lots of trees here and that makes it look more like home.

You ask me about the picture that I sent. One of them was me and the other was a man from Texas by the name of Carl. Most near every body takes us for brothers. I don’t know which side I was on now without seeing the picture. You ought to tell which is me. I thought that it looked just like me. I will try and get a good picture taken while I am here.

We got our wool clothes today. I did not have any clothes that was fit to have my picture taken in while I was at Cody. I think that the war will be over this winter. We might have to go across the water but I don’t think that we will ever have to go to the front. Let us hope that we won’t have to go there anyhow. I would sure like to have some of them big juicy peaches. There is lots of good peaches grows here but they charge 5 c for two and I am broke till payday again. I think that we will get paid this week.

Well as I don’t know anything to write and I am getting sleepy I will go to bed, so good-night.

Your son, James Thompson

Jim Thompson on Left - His friend Carl on the right

Letter 14 - Sep 16, 1918 - to brother, Fred Thompson

Sept 16, 1918 

133 Inf Co H 

Camp Dix, New Jersey 

Dear Brother,

I got your letter three or four days ago but have been sick and did not feel like answering it. I have had the chills and fever. They moved us from Cody to this colder climate and clipped our hair off short and there is an awful lot sick. 

Well I don’t think that we will be here very much longer till we will be moving on to war in France so if you don’t get any more letters from me very soon you will know that I have gone over the water. We haven’t been drilling any for about five days. We have been drawing our over seas clothes. We get our over seas examination just before we get on the boat. 

Well I would like to see all of you folks before I leave but there is no chance. But I figure on coming back some day when I kill them Germans. Well if I don’t hear from you anymore here I will write the next chance I get. As I don’t know anything more to write I will close for this time, hoping to hear from you soon. 

Your brother, James Thompson

Letter 15 - Sep 16, 1918

Letter #15 to Mrs. J. J. Thompson
Sedona, AZ  Postmarked Sep 17, 1918

Sep 16, 1918

133 Inf Co H
Camp Dix, New Jersey

Dear Mother,

I will drop you a line or two for I don’t think I will be here many days longer till I will be on the road to France.  I had my picture taken the other day.  I wanted to wait till I got my coat before I had it taken but if I had waited till I got my coat I would not had time to had the picture finished.   So I had it taken without a coat.

Well I am expecting to leave here any time now so you need not write till you hear from me again but I will be back when the war is over.  I get an over seas examination before I get on the boat.  If I pass I go across the water.

Well I will close for this time.  Good-bye till I see you again. 

From your son,

James Thompson

Letter 16 - Sep 27, 1918

Letter #16 To Mrs. Maggie Thompson
Flagstaff, Ariz.  Box 91  c/o Fred Thompson
Postmarked Oct 7, 1918

Sept 27 1918
133 Inf  Co H
Camp Dix, NJ

Dear Mother,

I got your letter yesterday and sure was happy to hear from you again.  I am still at Camp Dix.  I guess I would have been in France now if it had not been for sickness.  Four companies had already started.  They are somewhere close to New York, quarantined. 

I was sick for a day or two but I am feeling fine now.  There was another Co. went across in our place and I don’t know when we will go now.   There is still many sick and lots of them are being shipped home in wooden boxes.  They are talking of shipping us back to some warmer climate for the winter but you can’t tell anything about it.  They may ship us across any day and may never go across.  I don’t look have to go across this winter now but we may any day.  You can’t tell anything about the army. 

I got a letter that you wrote me before you got any from me and I got that card that you sent me.  It is getting pretty cold here now and we are having lots of rain.  That is the reason that there is so many dying here.  It is so damp and cold that they did not take good care of their selves and they take pneumonia.

We haven’t done any drilling for about two weeks.  There has been so many sick that the doctors stopped the drilling.  Well I think that we will move to some warmer climate before long but I may get fooled.  We may go across the pond.  But if I do have to go across you can look for me back some day. 

Well you can tell Guy that I would sure like to see him but I don’t know when I will get to.   I sent you some pictures in the last letter that I wrote. 

Well as I don’t have anything more to write I will close for this time.  This leaves Charley and I both well and I hope that it finds you all the same.

Your son,
James T.

Letter 17 - Oct 6, 1918

Letter #17 to Mr. J. J. Thompson
Flagstaff, Ariz
Postmarked Oct 7, 1918


Oct 6, 1918
Camp Dix, NJ
133 Inf Co H

Dear Mother

I got your letter that you wrote when you was in Flagstaff and I will drop you a line to let you know that I am well and still in Camp Dix but don’t know when I will leave here.   Some say that we will go across and say that we won’t so I don’t know what to tell you.  From the way that the papers read now it looks like the war was purt near over.  I think this winter will wind it up. 

We had a news show here in the Y. M. C. A.  last night.  Did you get the pictures that I sent you? 

Well the sick are all about well now.  There was ten or twelve died out of Co H and there is still five or six in the hospital yet.  We haven’t done anything much for the last three weeks but lay around.

Roe Smith has been gone for three weeks.  He was in the bunch that started across when we took this sickness and I don’t know where he is now.  Some say they are still in New York and some say they are across the water.  If they are across we will be pretty apt to follow them.  for our major is with them.    I hope that Albert and Greene get exempted for you need them there and the army ain’t a very nice place to be.

Have you heard anything about my insurance yet?   It was made out to you and you ought to get a receipt of it when they get it fixed up.

Well you can tell Guy that I would like to be with him but I will have to get Kaiser Bill before I come back. 

Well as it is purt near dinner time and we are going to have chicken for our Sunday dinner I will close for this time.  Hoping to hear from you soon.

Your son,
James Thompson

Letter 18 - Oct 10, 1918

Letter #18 To Mrs. J. J. Thompson
Flagstaff, AZ
Postmarked Oct 13, 1918

Oct 10, 1918
133 Inf Co H
Camp Dix, NJ

Dear Mother,

I will drop you a line or two let you know I am leaving here.  My next address will be somewhere in France or some other country across the big pond.  We will leave here some time tonight so if you don’t hear from me any more soon you will know where I have gone.  But you can look for me back some time for I am coming back when the war is over.

I guess we will be a sick bunch in a days ride in the ship for they say that it makes them a lot sea sick.  Well the negros are entertaining us tonight before we leave so I guess I will close and listen to the singing.  

Well this leaves me well and I hope that it finds you all the same.

Your son,
James Thompson

Goodbye till I see you again

Letter 14 - Aug 29, 1918

Letter #14 to Mrs. Maggie Thompson
Sedona, Ariz
Postmarked Aug 30, 1918

Co. B 13^th Inf
Camp Dix, N Jersey
Aug 29, 1918

Dear Mother

I will write you a few lines this evening.  We got here today about 3 o’clock.  Write as soon as you get this as I don’t know how long we will be here.  Some say we will be here about 10 days and others say we will be here 60 days.  I am sure glad to stop.  have been on the train about six days.  Eat and sleep while we was traveling.  We would get off every day and would walk around in some town.  I had a good time and seen lots of country on my way here if it was tiresome riding so far.  I have been in eleven states now.  (Unclear – scanned off edge of page).

We went swimming in a pool in Kansas City.  I seen Montgomery Ward store from the train.  We sure seen lots of girls on our way here.  One town in Indiana there was a bunch of normal girls at the depot and they wrote their address for us.  I got the name and address of three and one place at a ranch in Missouri.  There was two girls standing at the side of the track with packages of grapes to hand in with their name and address in the package.  I got one package but another man grabbed it out of my hand.

I seen Jim since I got here.  He is all right. 

Well I will close for this time.

As ever, Charley

Letter 15 - Sep 2, 1918

Letter # 15 to Mrs. Maggie Thompson
Sedona, Ariz
Postmarked Sep 3, 1918

Camp Dix, NJ
Sep 2, ‘18

Dear Mother,

Received your letter yesterday.  All our mail is just cached up and sent right on here without even changing the address.  You can always send mail to my old address when I move until you hear from me as it is always sent right on.  We are not doing anything to day as it is Labor Day.  Jim and I took a walk this morning out in the big trees.  It is the first time I have been in the trees since I left home.  We live in barracks here.  Big two story buildings just one room below and one above.  We have the upper floor that I am on.  There in only about 10 men now but they may fill it up later.  It is about 50 feet one way and 40 the other. 

There is lots of peach orchards and tomatoes close here but I haven’t had any money to buy any since I have been here.  We may get paid tomorrow.  Jim and I both got weighed yesterday evening.  He weighs 141 and I weigh 169.  I am heavier than I ever was before. 

I don’t think we will be separated any more than we are now.  We are closer here than we was at Cody and I think the boys that are in his squad are all right.  We may never cross for we will be here a while yet and the war may end any time. 

Well, I don’t know anything more to write.

As ever, Charley

Letter 15A - Sep 2, 1918 (to brother, Fred)

Letter # 15A to Fred Thompson
Flagstaff, Ariz
Postmarked Sep 3, 1918

Camp Dix, NJ
Sep 2, ‘18

Dear Brother,

I got your letter before I left Cody but thought I would wait until seen where I was going before I answered.  I have been here three or four days now.  I like this place better than Cody.  Jim and I just come back from a walk in the big trees.  We are not doing anything today as it is Labor Day. Jim got a letter from you about the same time I did and he said he had wrote twice before. 

We sure seen lots of country coming here, traveled about three thousand miles since we left Cody and was in eleven states. 

I sure want that cow if you sell her but don’t know yet just how I can pay for her.  I was talking to a man here about getting some money and he said he would let me know how in a few days.   I don’t know what you want for her and it will take so long to get letters now I am so far away but if I can buy her I will write to Green so you can see him. 

Well I will close for this time, I got to write to Mother yet. 

As ever,
your brother Chas. Thompson 

Letter 16 - Sep 10, 1918

Letter #16 to Mrs. Maggie Thompson
Sedona, Ariz
Postmarked Sep 11,1918

Co B 134 Inf
Camp Dix, NJ  Sep 10

Dear Mother

I got your letter about a week ago but I had just wrote so I thought I would wait a while.  I didn’t intend to wait so long though as it takes so long for a letter to get from here back there.  Jim and I went out to a lake about three miles Sunday.  there is lots of trees there and the lake twisted all around through the trees.  We stayed out until about 3 o’clock so missed our dinner but got some apples on our way back.
It will sure be cold here a little later as it is cold here now of night and has rained several times since we been here.  Lots of days it is damp and foggy.

I have been having some work done on my teeth since I been here.  We are drawing all of our over seas clothes now and I guess we will go to New York from here and stay there a while. 

Well I don’t know any more to write.  Tell Pendley and Lizzie that if they ever wrote I never got their letters.  Well I would like to see you all but it is only at times that I get lonesome as there is lots of good boys here in the co. and we have been together so much more.

As ever, Chas. Thompson

Letter 16A - Sep 10, 1918

Letter #16 A
(in same envelope as previous letter to Maggie Thompson)

Co. B 13^th Inf
Camp Dix N J Sept 10, 1918

Dear Brother,

I got your letter about a week ago but thought every day that I would be payed so I could send some money but I didn’t get payed until today.  I am sure glad you bought them cows but I don’t want you to go in debt too much for me as $25.00 a month is all I can send and that counts up slow but maby it will be enough to pay you interest on your money.  Well this isn’t much of a letter but I got to write mother one and you can read hers. 

Your brother,
Chas. Thompson

Letter 17 - Sep 18, 1918

Letter #17 to Mrs. Maggie Thompson
Sedona, Ariz
Postmarked Sept 19, 1918


Co B 12^th Inf
Camp Dix NJ Sept 18, 1918

Dear Mother

I will write you a few lines this morning.  I got your first letter that was addressed to this place day before yesterday.  It was about 5 days coming from Flagstaff.  About half of our Co. are in bed with bad colds.  I felt down for a day or to but feel all right now.   I got weighed yesterday evening and weighed 181 lbs.  Haven’t been drilling much since I been here.  I got a raise in my wages.  I am a first class private now and they get $33.00 a month.  I wrote you a letter the evening I got here and I didn’t write to Fred until I had been here 4 or 5 days but he got his first. 

It is raining to day so we are not doing anything.  We have been here three weeks tomorrow.  This month is sure going fast.  We may leave here any day now unless this sickness holds us back. 

Well this is all I can think of to say.  I ought to get an answer to my first letter soon and then I will write again.

As ever,

Chas. Thompson

Letter 18 - Sep 26, 1918

Letter 18 to Mrs. Maggie Thompson
Sedona, Ariz
Postmarked Oct 13 1918

Camp Dix NJ 
Sept 26, 1918

Dear Mother

I got your letter today.  It lacked only three days of being a month since I wrote my first letter from here and the letter I got was the answer to it.  Well sickness is sure keeping us here.  Over half of the Co. was sick for a while and there has been two died.  They call it influinzey that they have all got.  I have been feeling good the most of the time but I don’t like this climate here.  Cody is a whole lot healthier than it is here. 

We haven’t been drilling any for the last week.  There is to much sickness.  I still doubt if I ever go across as I look for the war to end.  I never wrote to but one of the girls that I got the address of and she wrote me a long letter.  She is a school teacher 24 years old.  She has a brother already in France.  I have seen several flying machines since I have been here flying in the air and seen one light. 

Well I guess Green has got my letter before this.  I will soon have another pay day so I can send him some more money.  This month has sure gone fast but the time to go home can’t come any to fast to suit me or any of the rest of the boys to hear them talk.  They all want to go home. 

Well I don’t know anything else to write.  Tell Grey I will be home before Christmas.  I hope so anyway.

As ever,
Charley,

Letter 19 - October 6 1918

Letter 19 to Mrs. Maggie Thompson
Sedona, Ariz
Postmarked Oct 7, 1918

Co B 13^th Inf
Camp Dix NJ  10/6/18

Dear Mother

I will write you a few lines to day.  I got your letter you wrote in town a few days ago.  We are still here and I don’t know how much longer we will be here.  There has been six men died out of our Co now and we still have some in the hospital with that same  disease and one with the measles and two with the mumps.

I heard once that big A Cosner was dead and then I heard that he came to life again.  He is in the 133 Inf.  Dick Allen from Cherry Creek is in my Co and I never knew until a few days ago that he was from Ariz.  I got acquainted with him when we first moved to the Co at Cody.  He knows Clara and Albert and was there at home when they were married.  Hilda Enge is teaching at Camp Verde this winter. 

There has been over 700 men died in this camp since the sickness started.  I helped load 19 on the train to send them home to be berried. 

I want to get a money order to put in this letter but will have to wait untill after dark to go to the YMCA to get for we are quarantined. 

I haven’t heard whether Green got the last money order or not but I guess he has. It takes about a month to write a letter there and get an answer. 

Well I don’t know any thing else to write but just so you know I am well in all that is necessary.

Charley