THESE NOTES ARE TAKEN FROM BITS OF PAPER, LETTERS AND JOURNAL ENTRIES FOUND IN AN OLD CHEST BELONGING TO WILLIAM G. ROBBINS (1840-1919) THEY ARE THE PERSONAL PAPERS OF WILLIAM AND HIS SONS ELISHA, MERLE, WILLIE & ORA

FROM SANFORD BLEVINS TO MILLARD ROBBINS DATED OCT 13, 1918

>From West Point, KY Mr. M.G. Robbins Mima, KY

Dear Frien

I will write you a few lines to let you know I am still a living. Well Millard I am lonesome to day. The news come to me yesterday that Will was dead. They transfered us to West Point to morrow. 2 weeks a go Will was bad sick when he come up here. I done ever thing I could to get him to report sick that morning and he hated to give up they hant no hospital at West Point they take all the Boys back to Louisville to the Hospital I had one letter from Will while he was there He said he was getting along alright He thought that He would be back in the Battery in a week I would give this world to know where it is true or not

I feel like I am lost here by my self of coarse I hant by my self but not many I am acquanited with They are dying in piles They average 100 day and night at Louisville They has been several boys died out of our Battery I feel as good as I ever did in my life. Camp Taylor was heaven to what this place is We just get half as much to eat here as we did at Camp Taylor Believe me they will learn a man something if he stays here long enough the artillery is different to any thing else I have ever tried in the Army I like the artillery better than any thing I have tried since I have been in the service I am a cannineer I have got a machine gun shoots 83 times and shoots 6 inch catritge in diamiter and 36 inches in length Believe me when them things bursts they tare up some thing Well Millard they news come last night about eleven o'clock that Peace was made you couldent hear nothing the rest of the night only shouting an holerin till day light We all will be at home by Xmas if it is true every body is feeling good this morning We dont have much foot drill any more we drill on horses what Drilling us canneneers does we can get a horse to ride ever Sat evening and Sunday to ride out in the country as far as we want to. We are going over to a orchard this afternoon to get some apples about 5 miles out in the country Well Millard we are having some cool morning here now Well I hope an I trust it is all a mistake about Will being dead You must be sure and ans this at once and tell me where it is so or not Write and tell me all the news so I will sign of from

your friend Sanford Blevins

and Millard tell all the boys I will be at home some old day address

Battery D 71st Field Artillery

Camp Knox West Point, KY

They were transcribed in May, 1997 by

Notations in parentheses are those of the transcriber. Spelling & Grammar is as written.