Otto CW Kappelmann to Anna-Marie Bubendey
Title
Otto CW Kappelmann to Anna-Marie Bubendey
Creator
Kappelmann, Otto Carl Wilhelm, 1888-1960
Identifier
WWP18891
Date
1916 July 23
Source
Daniel Metraux
Subject
World War, 1914-1918
Language
English
Text
My dear Aennchen,
It is Sunday evening and I just received your dear letter of the 18th and before it is too dark want to write you a few lines. First of all I want to thank you for the letter; you can hardly realize how happy some news from home makes me feel. I am awfully glad to hear that you like it so well in Lake George and it is a lucky thing that you and the children are away from New York at this time.
I am feeling perfectly well and getting along OK. The heat is fierce during the day, but a cool breeze comes along every evening. Last Sunday I walked 3 miles in 115 degrees to Ft. McAllen to see Carl Jellinghaus but as the camp is some distance beyond that place I did not venture any further. Today I took the train but upon reaching the 7th Regiment camp heard that Carl’s company was out on a few days march. However I left a note for him and hope to get some word from him upon his return.
We get up early every morning at 5:15, go through some calisthenics and have breakfast at 6:-. Drill starts at 6:30 and ends at 10:15 A.M. This is the time the heat comes and we rest until 6:45 P.M. then drill until 7:45. Lunch at 12:- and supper at 6:-. Once in a while we get a decent meal, generally it is pretty punk; but it doesn't pay to kick. Yesterday I blew myself to a dinner in town – the first time I ate something away from camp. My company clerk job keeps me pretty busy between drills and I like it because it kills the time and especially relieves me from detail work, i.e. trench digging, and all dirty work. However I take part in all drills and of course will go along with the company on marches, etc. We didn't get any pay yet but Im still supplied with a little change which will put me through until pay day. In fact there isn't anything that I really need but I would like to get some newspapers. I wrote to Fred about this about 2 weeks ago and also to father but have not received any papers yet. It is awfully hard to get something to read down here. The natives by the way say that this is an exceptionally hot summer!!! They are all very nice people and the Mexicans all keep to themselves; there isn't much chance for them to do otherwise; there quite a few of them here and they are all a very sloppy bunch – nothing to scare one anyway.
The other night about 10:30 the fellows in a neighboring tent were very excited – they certainly jumped out of their bunks in a hurry; Im sleeping together with the first sergeant, we share one small tent together and they called over to us for a lantern. The sergeant took the lamp and I a bayonet and both marched bravely (?) over to the other tent to find a five foot snake in one of the beds! However one of the fellows finished him very soon with a heavy mallet. The next morning it turned out to be a king snake, poisonous but not as bad as the rattler. This was some experience. There is quite a variety of bugs and insects down here; some of them are quite fresh, that is the knat variety and jump into your food while eating – but we are getting used to these little things. The mess sergeant just showed me the bill of fare for tomorrow and from it you will get an idea of what we get to eat: Breakfast-Bread, Coffee, Stew. Lunch-Bread, Jam, Lemonade. Supper-Roast Beef, Bread, Coffee or Iced Tea, Peas. This sounds good and better than usual. As already mentioned the meals generally could be very much better but otherwise everything else is allright. Now goodbye and take good care of yourself. Give my love to the children, father and Fred.
With lots of love,
Your brother,
Otto
Please keep letter for me
It is Sunday evening and I just received your dear letter of the 18th and before it is too dark want to write you a few lines. First of all I want to thank you for the letter; you can hardly realize how happy some news from home makes me feel. I am awfully glad to hear that you like it so well in Lake George and it is a lucky thing that you and the children are away from New York at this time.
I am feeling perfectly well and getting along OK. The heat is fierce during the day, but a cool breeze comes along every evening. Last Sunday I walked 3 miles in 115 degrees to Ft. McAllen to see Carl Jellinghaus but as the camp is some distance beyond that place I did not venture any further. Today I took the train but upon reaching the 7th Regiment camp heard that Carl’s company was out on a few days march. However I left a note for him and hope to get some word from him upon his return.
We get up early every morning at 5:15, go through some calisthenics and have breakfast at 6:-. Drill starts at 6:30 and ends at 10:15 A.M. This is the time the heat comes and we rest until 6:45 P.M. then drill until 7:45. Lunch at 12:- and supper at 6:-. Once in a while we get a decent meal, generally it is pretty punk; but it doesn't pay to kick. Yesterday I blew myself to a dinner in town – the first time I ate something away from camp. My company clerk job keeps me pretty busy between drills and I like it because it kills the time and especially relieves me from detail work, i.e. trench digging, and all dirty work. However I take part in all drills and of course will go along with the company on marches, etc. We didn't get any pay yet but Im still supplied with a little change which will put me through until pay day. In fact there isn't anything that I really need but I would like to get some newspapers. I wrote to Fred about this about 2 weeks ago and also to father but have not received any papers yet. It is awfully hard to get something to read down here. The natives by the way say that this is an exceptionally hot summer!!! They are all very nice people and the Mexicans all keep to themselves; there isn't much chance for them to do otherwise; there quite a few of them here and they are all a very sloppy bunch – nothing to scare one anyway.
The other night about 10:30 the fellows in a neighboring tent were very excited – they certainly jumped out of their bunks in a hurry; Im sleeping together with the first sergeant, we share one small tent together and they called over to us for a lantern. The sergeant took the lamp and I a bayonet and both marched bravely (?) over to the other tent to find a five foot snake in one of the beds! However one of the fellows finished him very soon with a heavy mallet. The next morning it turned out to be a king snake, poisonous but not as bad as the rattler. This was some experience. There is quite a variety of bugs and insects down here; some of them are quite fresh, that is the knat variety and jump into your food while eating – but we are getting used to these little things. The mess sergeant just showed me the bill of fare for tomorrow and from it you will get an idea of what we get to eat: Breakfast-Bread, Coffee, Stew. Lunch-Bread, Jam, Lemonade. Supper-Roast Beef, Bread, Coffee or Iced Tea, Peas. This sounds good and better than usual. As already mentioned the meals generally could be very much better but otherwise everything else is allright. Now goodbye and take good care of yourself. Give my love to the children, father and Fred.
With lots of love,
Your brother,
Otto
Please keep letter for me
Original Format
Letter
To
Bubendey, Anna-Marie Kappelmann, 1887-1986
Files
Collection
Citation
Kappelmann, Otto Carl Wilhelm, 1888-1960, “Otto CW Kappelmann to Anna-Marie Bubendey,” 1916 July 23, WWP18891, Otto Kappelmann Letters, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.