The Butler Herald Thursday, September 26, 1918 Page Seven Letters From Taylor County Boys Fighting For Their Country In France Camp Johnson, Fla. September 12, 1918 Dear Mother and Everybody: How are you, fine I hope. I am o.k. Mother I will not be able to see you all before leaving for France, so I will have to say good-bye to you for a while in this letter. I have a detail of men out this morning loading our supplies in the cars. We will leave here tomorrow or tomorrow night, I don't know just the time but we are under orders to be ready at any moment. I think we sail from Hoboken, N.Y. Tell the children howdy for me and give them my love and best wishes, tell them their brother goes to France as a first class sergeant, next to a commissioned officer. I have direct charge of nine touring cars, one truck, a motocycle, one-third of a train and it is a lots of responsibility but I feel good over my promotion and am going to try to make good in everything. Get grandpa to tell you what the top sergeant was in the civil war. I get $51.00 per month and will get a 20 percent increase "over there." Now, aren't you proud of your soldier boy, Mamma? You can tell grandmother Adams that I am leaving, I will write her a card if I have time. I am working hard now. Its some work getting a company of men fitted for "overseas" service. Tell grandpa I guess that I will get enough of shooting pistols now for I have a 45 automatic and a belt of cartridges. A complete outfit for the field, I carry no rifle although I handle one well. The pistol is my own weapon unless I get something else "over there." I stood the gas test fine. I took off my mask in a house filled with gas and merely burned my nose a little and made me cry. A mask protects you entirely, they are great things. My girl has made the best sweater and put my initials in it, and also sent me a box of cigarettes. I will have to close and let the boys eat some "grub." Give my love to my grandparents and the children and tell them all good-bye for me. I will come home some day. With love from your son, Sergeant Lewis M. Adams