With several other letters from Feb/Mar in an envelope postmarked March 6
This mentions the Magnolia leaves from the envelope postmarked March 1, so possibly it belongs with them
Sat. Eve
Dear Folks,
Well I hope that today you are getting your moving done. Maybe by this time the worst of it is over with. At least I hope so.
We finished up our bivouac at about 7:00 this morning. We finished up a week of night problems with an all night march coming home. We left the bivouac area at 10:30 last night and then instead of marching straight home, we marched all over the country (a good bit of the time not on roads) for approximately 8 hours. We had had 8 hour night problems last week but never before had they been devoted entirely to covering territory. We were so tired when we got here that it was sure not funny. We ate breakfast and most of us went to bed before we had even had a bath. You can’t imagine how good it felt to sleep on a bed after two weeks of lying on the ground.
Since I wrote you last we had a couple 4 hour night problems and a couple that lasted 8 hours. For two nights the 11th and 12th companies attacked the 9th and 10th companies and then for the next 2 nights the 11th and 12th were enemies while the 9th and 10th attacked.
I got your box this morning that contained the stationary, handkerchiefs, Reader’s Digest, etc. That sure is a nice box of stationary and I am thankful for everything in the box. I guess you must have sensed my wishes for a Reader’s Digest even before you got my letter asking for one. It has already helped me a lot in catching up on my relaxation today. Of course I slept most of the morning and then this afternoon I made a break for the barbershop (which we all must have done by Monday). Afterwards I gathered up my Reader’s Digest and paper and came off into the woods behind our company area. Some of the fellows went to into town to get away from it all but I can think of better ways to relax than getting drunk.
I have spent most of the afternoon sleeping but I got in an article or two before I dozed off.
Richard asked if I found the woods down here about like those at home. The woods all winter down here have reminded me of fall. Everything is brown except the pine trees which make up a good percent of the trees. Of course then because of this instead of the ground being entirely covered by leaves, part of it is spread with pine needles.
In our bivouac area there was one green tree besides the pines. It is the magnolia. I would like for you to look in a tree book and find out what time of year it leaves out and if the leaves stay on all winter. I brought back a sample of their leaves which I’ll send you one of these times.
You can begin to see signs of spring already. Some of the underbrush is beginning to leave out and there are a few spring flowers. I have seen a few violets and something that reminds me of bloodroot. We have also run into a patch or two of wild plums in bloom.
Well I have a lot of clothes I want to get washed tonight so I’ll stop and get busy at that.
Love,
Donald
I am including the magnolia leaves. They are so different from anything at home that maybe they will interest you.