(Excerpt from the last letter written by Fred Ziegler. He was killed by shrapnel eight days later. The nine-page letter was to his sister, Tressa.)
October 3, 1918
My dear Sister,
We had quite an interesting time going over, but we had very few casualties, and were about three hours going over. I got one of your letters about an hour before we hopped, and I read part of it by the light of a cigarette and the rest in a trench where we stopped a minute going over. I have been in the lines 24 days today and no relief in sight yet. I have just shaved today for the first time in three weeks and, believe me, I was a pretty good-looking kid.
You ask in every letter when I think the war will be over. I don’t know, but I think it will be over by the first of next July. I thought once it would be over by Christmas, but I have given up now as it is getting pretty late, but we all live in hopes you know. The way I figure is that every day we spend over here is one day nearer home.
Lots of love to all,
As ever, your brother
Fred M. Ziegler
