Sincerely, Joel C. Swisher

Dear Folks,

I wrote you a letter while we were on our way but put it in the mailbox before we came into port. I am writing this to let you know we have gotten to port safely. We have been laying here for several days. Don’t know yet just when we will go ashore or what place I will be stationed. I am told that as long as we are on this ship we can mention the port we are in provided we don’t name the ship. At least that is what I am told. Until I get ashore to an army post office I am out of stamps. American soldiers over here have the privilege of sending mail to United States for nothing and it is collected from the person to whom the letter is sent.  It is a very good arrangement. In case my last letter does not reach you, my address again is Co. B, 25 Regiment Engineers, American Exp. Forces via New York.

This will be my address from now on. I imagine it will take three or four weeks for mail to reach me. I did not tell you folks that I was coming across because I thought that it would only make you uneasy. I intended to send you a cablegram as soon I got over here and put your minds at rest but found when I got here that the cables were so busy with government messages that they cannot send cablegrams for soldiers or officers either.

We were quite a curiosity for the people of this place. They came out in rowboats to see what we looked like. They picked up boxes and stuff we threw overboard. I guess they are scarce of fire wood. It was mostly women, children and old men. The men are all in the army. There have been several French sailors aboard since we came in port. They cannot speak English but several fellows in this company can speak good French. I wish I could talk it. I am studying and will soon be able to get along in restaurants and those kind of places.

I would like it if we camped some place near here. They say it has the mildest climate of any place in northern France. It is much warmer here than it was in Massachusetts. I am sort of glad we got away from there before winter came on.

I will write from time to time whenever there is something new that I can write about. Don’t get worried if my letters reach you irregular as it all depends on what boat connections they make. Furthermore you need not worry about me as I am not in any more danger than if I was in America.

Lovingly,
Joel