WWI Jan 1919 Letter from Major of 14th ENGINEER Regt. in France GREAT CONTENT

Description

World War I soldier's letter, 1+ pgs., approx. 6" x 9", written in
France, Nov. 25, 1917,
from Capt. (later Major) Robert G. Henderson, 14th Engineer Regiment (Ry), to his brother and sister-in-law, Harry & Mabel Henderson.
Written on YMCA patriotic stationery with a red & blue illustration of a flag and "WITH THE COLORS" printed at top.
Includes the original envelope with U.S. ARMY M.P.E.S. postmark, and purple AEF Censor handstamp.
The 14th Engineer Regiment was recruited in New England, mostly from railroad men, and arrived in France in the fall of 1917. They did important work repairing railroads, building railroads and bridges, often under gun and artillery fire.
Robert G. Henderson was born in Salem, Mass. in 1889; graduated from Harvard Univ. in 1910 and went to work for the Boston & Albany Railroad in the office of the Superintendent in 1911; Served 2 years as Capt. and Major in the 14th Engineers (Railway) in France in WWI; After the war, he continued to work for the Boston & Albany Railroad.
Great content
, written on New Year's Day, less than two months after the Armistice, writing that at midnight the night before, they tied down the whistles on all the locomotives and that sound was accompanied by "a perfect barrage of hand grenades". He also comments on Prohibition in the States and the news that they've shut down the breweries, commenting "Isn't that Hell?" and that he "ought to stay in Europe where a man can take a drink in the open (if he hasn't got an American uniform on)".
Includes:
"Dear Harry & Mabel,
"Happy New Year! Last night we had a special YMCA troupe and at 12 the whistles on all the locomotives were tied down and a perfect barrage of hand grenades went off (much to my annoyance). This is the year  we get home, possibly not till next Xmas, but this year anyhow. Xmas itself went off very well, with a turkey dinner and a keg of beer.
You say they've shut down the breweries in the States. Isn't that hell? I really ought to stay in Europe, where a man can take a drink in the open (if he hasn't got an American uniform on)....
You talk about Buffalo weather, but you ought to see this miserable hole. It rains every day and the whole country is flooded. We are lucky to have any railroad at all to operate.
How's the shipping going? I suppose by now it isn't going and it is freezing, but I sure do hope that one of those boats has my number on it. However, there's a job to be done..."
The letter is in Very Fine condition. The envelope has tears at the top.
CO
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