The Charles S. Stevenson Collection, Part 1

Charles  in Olathe, Kansas
dated October 1917
1979.24.14

With a page-count over 500, including correspondence and photographs, the Charles S. Stevenson Collection at the National World War I Museum is difficult to miss.  From training at Camp Funston, Kansas, to service overseas, Charles rarely missed an opportunity to write to his family at home.  Project staff could not pass up the opportunity to digitize this wide-ranging and sometimes humorous collection.  This post, concentrating on his activities while in training stateside, will be the first of two posts concerning the service of Charles S. Stevenson.

Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Charles, and his brother Maurice, resided in Kansas City, Missouri, when war was declared.  Maurice, at age 21, was the first Stevenson to sign-up in August 1917.  As second lieutenant, Maurice would later be assigned to 16^th Infantry.  One month later, Charles, at 22 years-old, enlisted in Kansas City and became attached to Company A, 314^th Engineers at Camp Funston, Kansas.

Letter from Charles to "Folks"
not dated
1982.202

In his first letter, Charles describes his arrival at Camp Funston and how he ended up with the 314^th Engineers.   “We all lined up and an officer came down and asked if we could do anything out of the ordinary.  I told him I was a typist.  About ten minutes later he called four of us out and said unless we did not want this branch of the service, he would like to have us in the Engineer Corps.  I was one of the four.”  In a letter dated September 14, 1917, to Jay “O’Gee” Stevenson, a relative in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Charles writes about his qualifications with the engineers, “Engineers building bridge, railroad tracks, houses and such.  I’m not trained for the engineers...”  Throughout his early letters, Charles alludes to possibly requesting a transfer to infantry; he never made the request and he remained with the 314^th Engineers until his discharge.  Charles acknowledges the variety of soldiers that made up his regiment stating, “There are some mighty well bred fellows and then there is a class of bums.”  He notes he may be the only person who doesn’t smoke or drink in the company, a proud achievement of his, but furthermore that “[His] company is to date the only one without a single fellow in it not having a venereal disease!”

Letter from Charles to "Folks"
dated September 7, 1918
1982.202

It is apparent early on that Charles’ main correspondent would be his grandmother.  Letters indicate that the brothers had lost both parents prior to the War, and relied heavily on the doting of their paternal grandparents in Olathe, Kansas.  The majority of Charles’ correspondence to his grandmother often contained requests concerning items needed, especially clean laundry.  In his fourth letter home, Charles makes his initial request, “As to my washing, do you think it can be fixed to do it there?  It will have to be forwarded regularly as I have very little space for stuff.  I would get clean clothes one day and send the dirty ones in return.”  His grandmother must have been more than happy to fulfill the request as Charles acknowledged sent and received clothing in nearly every letter from Camp Funston.  Unfortunately for Charles, on November 6, 1917,  he states that he will no longer be able to take advantage of his grandmother’s laundry service, “we are not allowed to send out dirty clothing so I have to wash my own clothes.”

In addition to his laundry, Charles discusses aspects of his routine and conditions in the camp.  On September 7, 1917, Charles writes about receiving vaccinations and an injection for typhoid.  While he admits the injection has made him, “a trifle weak”, he notes that “The doctors [at Camp Funston] are more considerate of a fellow than a physician in civilian life.”  However, it would take much more than a smooth injection to win Charles over as his letter later states, “Unless things are made more attractive, civilian life will always appeal to me more than this.”  Charles does reassure his grandmother that conditions, while not ideal, are not as bad as reported in the local newspapers.

Charles at Camp Funston, Kansas
dated February 1918
1979.24.16

After being appointed a temporary corporal for the purpose of training “new-comers”, military life started to become more ideal for Charles.  After questioning his position with the 314^th Engineers, Charles was finally reassured of his position with the regiment after receiving validation from his captain.  He notes in a letter to his grandmother, “A talk with our captain last night proved to me I should stay here.  He told me I was by far the best typist and clerk in the company...The captain looked over my record and said I was either very very good or damn poor.  And from what he had seen of me he was inclined to think I was the former.”

In a letter written October 13, 1917, to O’Gee, Charles writes of his new, permanent appointment as corporal.  Charles truly believes, on two separate occasions, however, that not only will he not receive a promotion to sergeant, but may also be reduced in rank to private.  The first instance was a result of poor test results while fighting a cold.  Charles states, “This week tests have been held for future appointments as to sergeants and I made about the poorest showing I possibly could.  Not only did I lose any possibility of getting to be a sergeant, but I will have to shake to hold my job as a corporal.”  The second time Charles shows concern about a reduction in rank came after unintentionally firing a weapon while on guard duty.  In a letter dated February 10, 1918, Charles recounts the incident to O’Gee, “I accidentally discharged a rifle and am confined to the limits of the camp until further notice, which will be about four weeks or so.  The captain gave me a heck of a talking to last night and told me I was subject to a courts-martial, with probably reduction to the ranks.”  All was rectified, and just prior to leaving Camp Funston, Charles was made a sergeant.

Sergeants of Company A, 314th Engineers, 89th Division
Charles pictured in front row, fourth from left
1979.24.13

After several quarantines and multiple trips to “The Stevenson Place” in Olathe, on May 28, 1918, Charles, with the rest of the 314^th Engineers, packed up camp for movement toward the East Coast.  On June 2, 1918, Charles notes his location as Camp Mills, New York.  In the next few letters he discusses his visit to New York City and his upcoming departure for Europe.  Knowing censorship rules, Charles develops a coded salutation so his family will be able to track his whereabouts; “In the salutation the following meaning will prevail:  Dearest Folks:  England Dear Folks - The Flanders Dear People - France My Dear Folks - Italy When settled permanently I will say so and after that the above will be void.  So notice carefully the salutation on the letter in which I say we are settled permanently.”  After ten days on the East Coast, on June 12, 1918, Sergeant Charles S. Stevenson set sail for England.

For more information about the Charles S. Stevenson Collection, please continue to visit this site for our upcoming blog-post concerning his military service overseas.

Bibliography

Stevenson, Charles S., 1917-1919. 1979.24; 1982.202. National World War I Museum, Kansas City, Missouri.