Mississippians in the Great War

Newspapers from all corners of the state were examined for "letters home." The most prolific found were from Natchez, Greenville, and Pontotoc. The authors of the letters gathered here are from soldiers, aviators, sailors, and relief workers in the service of their country. Letter writing skills of the authors varied from barely literate to men who would become published authors and journalists. The letters home are arranged, as best as can be determined, in chronological order. Spellings and punctuation are left as printed in the home town papers.
The letters reflect the experiences of the green young Mississippians as they endured training camp, voyaged across the Atlantic to France, and participated in horrific battles leaving some scarred for life. Also included is correspondence from nurses and Y.M.C.A. workers who describe drills, uniforms, parades, and parties to provide a unique view of the war.

Anne L. Webster, Jackson, Mississippi, is retired director of reference services at the Mississippi Department of Archives and History. With Kathleen Hutchison, Webster wrote Tracing Your Mississippi Ancestors (University Press of Mississippi). She has published two other genealogical works, along with a compilation of sermons from Jackson's Galloway United Methodist Church.