Nov 28 1918

Dear Mother:

Will answer your letter you sent with Ida's dated Nov. 5. I am OK, raring to go. This is Thanksgiving Day. Our big programs were called off on account of rain. The first thing I ever heard of the Army pulling off on account of rain. But we sure had the eats. The KP's sure have had to work some today. This is the bill of fare for today: Indian Corn Meal Porridge (or some such a name; we call it bird seed); Jam, Bread & Coffee for breakfast. Roast Goose with Dressing, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, and PUMPKIN PIE! Ha! It was a little hot water out of the coffee boiler with some chalk water in it, and from the way it tasted it must have set in the shadow of the sugar bowl awhile, ha! Well, I am completely satisfied, anyway. This was for dinner, and for supper we had dressing left from aforesaid dinner, apple sauce and tea. I don't know how you think this dinner would be. I guess it wouldn't be considered at home, but for the Army where they feed several thousand all in one kitchen, it's extra good. I think the mess officer said he bought 2,600 pounds of geese.

Well, we had a cold snap here about the 15th of Nov. Had some frost and a little skim of ice but there doesn't seem to be anything hurt by frost. Everything is still green except the leaves and they are all about gone. They went in a hurry, too. It is warm again now and still at the same old game "raining" and imagine what a lot of mud a regiment of soldiers can make when it rains every day. Well, I have a lot of pictures of places I've been here. Over 200 of them, post card size. Also some of our big parades. I've got a lot of souvenirs, too, to bring home. I and Rich were out this P.M. getting some more pictures and things. I don't believe we will get home before late winter, but we will have them when we do get started.

Well, if they keep on, everything over here will be named President Wilson. Streets and buildings and everything else. I know a park up at Brest named President Wilson Park. I know a street by that name and every way you turn it's Wilson. But I know something else. There will be a red hot fight for the presidency in 1920. There is no class of people in the world who is more concerned about the political life of the U.S. as the soldiers of the A.E.F., and we will all be back there by then. We heard that McAdco had resigned, some camouflage, eh!

Well, I want at least a dozen fellows I know to come to France for you fellows will never believe what I tell you if I don't have witnesses. It's very interesting but a preacher would style it a h___ of a place. If I had to stay here I'd think the same. We had a bunch of American girls here at the Y giving an entertainment and we sure enjoyed it. I couldn't get where I could see until I climbed clear up on the rafter braces like a monkey in a tree. I got tired of that in an hour or so and went outside and stood on tip toe in the drip of the house for an hour, ha!

I was mud to my eyes last night so I came in and washed up and put on dry uniform, then went to supper and got wetter than a drowned rat standing in the mess line. So I had another change to make every time I get 30 feet from my rain suit.

Well, tell Wardie we will put old Alice in the notion of letting us curry her when we get the strings on her. Well, I must close. As ever your son,

Pvt. L. McCoy, Co. H 35th Reg T.C. A.E.F.