Your pal, JACK.

CAMP GRANT, Oct. 26.

FRIEND AL: Well don’t be surprised if you read in the paper any A.M. where our regt. has been ordered to France but of course I don’t suppose they would come out in the paper with it because General Pershing don’t want it to get out what regts. is over there and probably you won’t hear nothing about it when we do go because they won’t be no chance for me to write to you and if you don’t hear from me for a long while you will know we have gone and the next time you hear from me will be from over there.  I got the dope tonight from Red Sampson and he heard it from one of the men that was on guard yesterday and this man heard the Col. telling Capt.  Gould of Co.  B that General Pershing had sent for the best looking regt. out here and Gen. Barry had recommended our regt. and from what Red says we will probably go in a week or so and he don’t know if we are going by the way of the Atlantic or the Pacific but all as I hope is that we get there before the war is over.

I am certainly glad now that I arranged for leave this wk. end because it will give me a chance to fix my affairs up before I go and if anything should happen to me they wouldn’t be no trouble for Florrie about property and etc.  I certainly wish I had enough so as I could leave you and Bertha something to help you along old pal and maybe if they had give me more time I could of fixed things up but all as I can leave you now is my friendship and remember that if anything happens I was your old pal and you boys that stays home is the ones we are laying down our life for and if it wasn’t for men like we where would you be at Al and your familys?

Well Al I am proud of my squad the way they took the news and we was the only ones that knew about it and yet they wasn’t a man in my command that didn’t act like he was tickled to death and thats the right kind of a spirit and I spoke about it to Red Sampson.  I said “I am proud of all of you because instead of you whineing and putting on a long face you all act like you was going to a picnic or something.”  So Red says he guessed the rest of the boys and him didn’t have no license to cry as long as I kept up my spirits.  He says “Maybe it would be different if we was all corporals because then it would seem like we was leaveing home forever.  But you are the bird thats takeing the chance and if you can keep smileing we would be a fine bunch if we broke down and begun to whine and I don’t suppose theys a man amongst us that has thought about danger to themselfs but its all whats going to happen to you.”

Well Al thats the kind of a bunch to have under you and it makes a man think of Napoleon and how his men looked up at him.

Well maybe you won’t get no more letters from me that is if the call comes before I leave tomorrow for Chi but if I get there O.K.  I will write to you from there because probably by the time I get back here the orders will be to pack up and move and then I won’t have no time to write.