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Dirtdog20 -> How November 11th, 1918 Touched My Family (11/15/2004 10:37:53 PM)
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I think that we all would agree that one of the reasons the First World War touches us is the fact that this was the first literate war. Up till this time the only writing done about wars, campaigns, and histories was by the educated classes for the educated classes. This fact has brought to us innumerable memoirs and diaries writen by the common soldier for the common man. We are also lucky enough to have from time to time a civilians diary uncovered and see how the war was viewed from the homefront, and occasionally how the war came to the homefront. That is how I came about this story and hopefully it will inspire you to share yours I hope.
My great-grandfather was the minister of a small country church on Sundays and a rock farmer the rest of the week. By 1918 he and his wife had two children, both girls, my grandmother and my aunt Tommi who was born in September of 1918. The last of October, 1918 also brough a draft notice from Uncle Sam. He was to report to the Draft station in the federal building in down town Nashville, Tennessee by November 11th, 1918. For a trip that I can today make in under an hour for them required an all day undertaking with arrangements made for the care of the farm animals at home because it would require another all day trip to get back.
With the arrangements made my grandmothers family all set out in a borrowed Model T Ford before sun up on November 11th for Nashville. This particular day also was one of the worst snow storms in memory and would be the late 1990's before this area saw another like it. Through this; with as my grandmother would later write, "Tommi and I covered in all the blankets we owned" they drove all day to get to Nashville.
Please understand that we are talking about the pre TVA south where you didn't realise how little you had because everyone had nothing, just like you. In many places the "road" was little better than a track between two farm fields and where there were roads they would dissapear many times in bad weather. At this time the horse was the reliable form of transportation in this part of the country and Mules were even more highly prized because they could do more than the average horse in these parts.
After driving all day darkness had fallen early between the snow storm and the slowness of travel because of the snow. My great grandfather decided that instead of dropping the children off with his family there in Nashville like had been planned they would all go to the recruiting station so he wouldnt be late reporting to them. My grandmother remembers seeing the gas street lights and all the "big buildings" near the Federal building for the first time in her life. She also recalls how the steps in front of teh federal building seemed to go on forever as she was carried up them by her father while Tommi was carried by her mother still wrapped in all those blankets.
Stepping into the building she was absolutely amazed at the fact that you didnt have to use a candle to light your home at night. She was also impressed with a rather large man sitting behind the desk that her father was speaking to. She remembers her father speaking to him and then the large gentlemen looked at her mother and the two little girls bundled up against the snow and cold and then back at her father and he said, "Go home, we recieved a telegram that there has been an Armistance. I dont think we will be needing you now."
So goes one of the earliest memories of my Grandmother and one she will share every year near Veterans Day around our dinner table. I hope that this hasnt bored you and will encourage you to share your stories also. On both sides of the Atlantic.
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