Burke County GaArchives Military Records.....Widener, James William August 17, 1918
WWI - Letters 2nd Relief Regt. Co. B. Camp Gordon Ga.
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Sheryl Padgett Hillisga@bellsouth.net February 20, 2008, 2:43 pm

Letter To Bessie Widener Hillis
August 17, 1918 Base Hospital Camp Gordon Ga.

Dear Bessie,

How are you this PM just fine I hope. This leaves me getting along some better
than when I wrote you last. Hope this will find you all getting along allright.
Wonder what you all are doing down there. Are you all done pulling fodder? 
Guess you are through. Well I think I will make it through my operation allright.
Had it pretty tough one night. My stitches came loose and I almost bled to death.
They had to sew me back up, then is when I nearly went west. Guess I would if I
hadn’t made up my mind I had to stand it. They had moved me to another ward now
the convalescing ward they call it. It is a nice place to recover, have long screen
porches, rocking chairs. But I haven’t been able to get to one yet. We have a nice
victrola and plenty of music but don’t get anything to eat. I am almost starved 
to death now. Little Walter could eat all I get and then he would want more__ 
think I will be sent over to my barracks in 4 or 5 days so if it isn’t too much
trouble, won’t you and Mama fix me something to eat and send me it—would do me 
a world of good. Need not send chicken just something that will keep if you send
by special delivery. Well Bessie I don’t know when I will ever get to come home.
Just as soon as I get well I guess they will send me over the water. There is a
bunch of us that will go in about 3 weeks. I sure want to come home before I have
to leave if I can., for I now believe if I go over I will never return. don’t
know what makes me feel that way but I do. Well Bessie as I am awful weak I will
have to close for this time. You all must write me sometimes, write more often and
tell me all the news. I get some mighty nice letters from my little Girard girl.
I get one from her every week sometimes two. Guess who she is_ Miss Leoline Dixon
but don’t tell everybody . ha. ha. Well tell all the children Hello for me. Tell
Jake to write sometimes. 

With love and best wishes to all 

I am as ever your Brother

James W. Widener

2nd Relief Regt. Co. B. Camp Gordon Ga.

Transcribed by Sheryl Seymour Padgett, great niece of Jim, and granddaughter
of Bessie. July 10, 2005. Great Uncle Jim’s portrait hangs in my living room,
near one of his father.


Additional Comments:
Letter, in my possession, from Private James William Widener to his sister,
Bessie Widener Hillis, wife of Jacob Robert Hillis. 

"Jim" was born September 19, 1892 in Burke County Georgia, to Andrew Jackson
Ebenezer Widener & Georgia Theresa Royal Widener. He was sent to Camp Gordon,
Ga. for basic training during WWI. Private Widener entered service June 28, 1918.
He was attached to Company B, 2nd Replacement Regiment, Camp Gordon, Atlanta,
Ga. After a few months of preliminary training, he contracted spinal meningitis
at Camp Gordon, which resulted in his death October 17, 1918, only two months
after he wrote this letter.


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