Followers of PortraitsofWar will know that I was lucky enough to acquire a great letter written by a member of the 2nd Cav while the unit was stationed at Fort Ethan Allen in my current hometown of Colchester, Vermont.  Obviously anything related to Fort Ethan Allen will be of interest to me and, by association, PortraitsofWar.  The letter was written by a Mr. Everett Hall from Connecticut, and includes some good cavalry related details as well as some tongue-in-cheek Vermont humor.  Alright!

Fort Ethan Allen,

January 18th, 1919

Dear Marion,

Your welcome letter received.  Also the postal.

Tell Kermit I thank him very much for the wash cloth.  It is a dandy and will be fine when we get over accross(sic). And the way things look now we may be over anytime.

We are having fine weather now.  Lots of snow, nearly three feet, weather is war.  About zero. {YES!  Awesome line}

I am getting so I can stick pretty good bareback. We get fifty munutes every other day monkey drill now.

Just got my last two test papers back.  I got a 98 on first aid and a 91 on guard duty. We have school every day on military matters.  And a test about three times a week.

Just like going to school again only that its different studies.   Have to use algebra too.  We have to study everything first aid for both men and horses.  And the best way of defeating an enemy.  Learn someting new every day.

There’s lots of Manchester fellows in now.  That man you spoke about, Thrall, is here. I heard his name called the other day.  I haven’t seen him to know him yet. Funny how you meet people you used to know.

I see both of A.L. Brown’s boys are going and Allen Balch.  I went to school with Marion Brown.

Well there’s not much news so I guess I’ll have to stop and get fixed up for inspection tomorrow.

We have all kinds of inspections now that we are getting ready for leaving.

With lots of love,

Everett