From Camp Lee to the Great War: The Letters of Lester Scott & Charles Riggle

From Camp Lee to the Great War: The Letters of Lester Scott & Charles Riggle

World War I soldiers from Wheeling, West Virginia, Lester Scott and Charles "Dutch" Riggle were drafted in 1917 and trained at Camp Lee, Virginia. Lester Scott served as a Wagoner (mule team driver) in the 314th Field Artillery Supply Company, Battery “A,” 80th (Blue Ridge) Division in France. Dutch Riggle was a PFC with the same unit. These are their letters home. "From Camp Lee to the Great War: The letters of Lester Scott and Charles Riggle" is brought to you by http://archivingwheeling.org in partnership with the Ohio County Public Library (Wheeling, WV) and the Wheeling Academy of Law & Science (WALS) Foundation. Jeremy Richter is the voice of Lester Scott and Vince Marshall is the voice of Charles Riggle. The letters of Lester Scott and Charles Riggle were transcribed by Jon-Erik Gilot. This podcast was edited and written by Sean Duffy, audio edited by Erin Rothenbuehler with music courtesy the Library of Congress. Many thanks to Marjorie Richey for sharing family letters and the stories of her uncles, Lester Scott and Charles “Dutch” Riggle, WWI soldiers from West Virginia.

Episodes

Wheeling Memory Project: The Pythian Building

January 17, 2024 • 57 mins
On January 4, 2023, staff of the Ohio County Public Library sat down with Daryl Clausell, Tressie Fitzhugh, Karla Wood, Ron Johnson, Kathy Fuller, Betty Gordon, and Delores Long to record this oral history for the Wheeling Memory Project.
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From Camp Lee to the Great War - Full Version

November 9, 2019 • 194 mins
Charles "Dutch" Riggle was drafted into the US Army in 1917 and trained at Camp Lee, Virginia, where so many Wheeling draftees and volunteers—including his sister-in-law Minnie Riggle's brother, Lester Scott—were trained. Dutch Riggle was a Private First Class in the 314th Field Artillery Supply Company, Battery “A,” 80th (Blue Ridge) Division in France. These are their letters home. Credits: "From Camp Lee to the Great War: The ...
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From Camp Lee to the Great War: Episode 64 [May 31, 1919]

May 29, 2019 • 3 mins
"I think we will start for Camp Lee the 2nd to be mustered out of the Army. I think I will get home some day next week. Gee but I would like to see all of you. It been nearly a year and a half since I saw you..." In his twenty-second and final letter home dated May 31, 1919, PFC Charles “Dutch” Riggle, a WWI soldier from Wheeling, WV, is writing from Camp Stuart in Newpoert News Virginia, having just returned from France. He tells ...
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From Camp Lee to the Great War: Episode 63 [February 25, 1919]

February 23, 2019 • 3 mins
In his twenty-first letter home since leaving for Camp Lee, and his sixth letter home from France, dated February 25, 1919, PFC Charles “Dutch” Riggle, a WWI soldier from Wheeling, WV, tells his brother James “Abe” Riggle that they are having a good bit of rain in France. He’s read that his division will finally sail for home in May. He’s glad because he hopes the sea will be less rough in a few months. The trip will be smoother wi...
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From Camp Lee to the Great War: Episode 62 [January 26, 1919]

January 24, 2019 • 5 mins
In his twentieth letter home since leaving for Camp Lee, and his fifth letter home from France, dated January 26, 1919, PFC Charles “Dutch” Riggle, a WWI soldier from Wheeling, WV, tells his brother James “Abe” Riggle that, despite being homesick, he is well and hearty and feeling fine. They are stuck in France taking care of 107 horses and mules. Dutch wants to get back to farming by spring. He is getting all the cheap wine he wan...
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From Camp Lee to the Great War: Episode 61 [December 16, 1918]

December 14, 2018 • 4 mins
“I think the war is over for good don’t you? For I think them Germans won’t want another war very soon the way they got beat in this one….” In his nineteenth letter home since leaving for Camp Lee, and his fourth letter home from France, dated December 16, 1918, PFC Charles “Dutch” Riggle, a WWI soldier from Wheeling, WV, tells his brother James “Abe” Riggle that he’s been worried about his family back home about because of that “...
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From Camp Lee to the Great War: Episode 60 [November 25, 1918]

November 24, 2018 • 4 mins
“I can’t tell you about Less. He got badly hurt and they took him to the hospital. I heard once he died, but I don’t know if that was correct or not. I hope it wasn’t correct for I would like to went back to the states with him…” In his eighteenth letter home since leaving for Camp Lee, and his third letter home from France, dated November 25, 1918, PFC Charles “Dutch” Riggle, a WWI soldier from Wheeling, WV, tells his brother Jam...
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From Camp Lee to the Great War: Episode 59 [October 29, 1918]

October 27, 2018 • 11 mins
“Just as we were walking down that long line it suddenly crept over me and I realized that I would never again be in the United States…” The “Great War” had raged in Europe for three years before the United States joined the conflict on the side of the Allies in April 1917. Like most young American men of the era, those from Wheeling harbored romantic notions of war, it having been more than 50 years since the American Civil War ...
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From Camp Lee to the Great War: Episode 58 [September 8, 1918]

September 7, 2018 • 3 mins
"Minnie I often think to myself that it certainly must be a lonesome old place around their now since all of the boys have left. But I feel that there is a day coming and not far away when we will all be together again..." In his fortieth letter home to his sister Minnie Riggle, US Army Wagoner (mule team driver) Lester Scott, a World War I soldier from Wheeling, West Virginia, says it's a rainy day but all are in good spirits and...
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From Camp Lee to the Great War: Episode 57 [September 6, 1918]

September 4, 2018 • 3 mins
"Somewhere in France..." In his thirty-ninth letter home to his sister Minnie Riggle, US Army Wagoner (mule team driver) Lester Scott, a World War I soldier from Wheeling, West Virginia, says he sees Charles [Riggle] every day. He received a card from Walter Toland, who is in England. They've had some frost in France. Lester has rubber boots and warm clothes for winter. He hopes Minnie has received his Liberty Bonds. He's sending ...
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From Camp Lee to the Great War: Episode 56 [August 6, 1918]

August 4, 2018 • 3 mins
"When you answer write a big long letter and tell me all the news...." In his thirty-eight letter home (and his first from France), to his sister Minnie Riggle, US Army Wagoner (mule team driver) Lester Scott, a World War I soldier from Wheeling, West Virginia, doesn't have much of substance to say, probably in part because of security restrictions on what he can write. He's in good health. He saw Will Riggle. It's raining in Fran...
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From Camp Lee to the Great War: Episode 55 [August 1, 1918]

July 30, 2018 • 4 mins
"I think the Germans is nearly licked now. I want to see it over in time to go to the Jacktown fair next year..." In his seventeenth letter home (his second from France after fifteen from Camp Lee) dated August 1, 1918, PFC Charles “Dutch” Riggle, a WWI soldier from Wheeling, WV, tells his brother James “Abe” Riggle he supposes Abe will be getting "the call" [for the draft] soon, since all the other young fellows from the ridge ar...
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From Camp Lee to the Great War: Episode 54 [June 22, 1918]

June 21, 2018 • 3 mins
"Somewhere in France...It's is a nice country alright. It's no wonder the French is fighting so hard for it." In his sixteenth letter home from Camp Lee, Virginia, dated June 22, 1918, PFC Charles “Dutch” Riggle, a WWI soldier from Wheeling, WV, tells his brother James “Abe” Riggle, in a letter addressed "Somewhere in France," that the weather is dandy and that he likes France just fine, but he's not sure how he will like it when ...
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From Camp Lee to the Great War: Episode 53 [June 18, 1918]

June 16, 2018 • 2 mins
"I have arrived safely overseas..." In what is essentially his thirty-seventh letter home, US Army Wagoner (mule team driver) Lester Scott, a World War I soldier from Wheeling, West Virginia, writes, this time courtesy a signed, Red Cross form postcard announcing his safe arrival in France addressed to his brother-in-law (his sister Minnie's husband Jame Riggle), "I have arrived safely overseas." The postcard was sent from Newport...
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From Camp Lee to the Great War: Episode 52 [The Cleo Episode]

May 30, 2018 • 9 mins
"My own darling Less, How can you doubt my love for you?" Who the heck is Cleo?! That was a question from a listener who said he's heard every episode of "From Camp Lee to the Great War," but still can't figure it out. If you've also been listening but not necessarily reading all of the accompanying blog posts on Archiving Wheeling dot org, you might have the same question: Who the heck is Cleo? Well, the short answer is that Cl...
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From Camp Lee to the Great War: Episode 51 [May 23, 1918]

May 21, 2018 • 3 mins
"Please write and tell Cleo Good Bye for me...Well Boss, all I can say is, Good Bye and Good Luck..." In his thirty-sixth letter home from Camp Lee, Virginia, to his sister Minnie Riggle, US Army Wagoner (mule team driver) Lester Scott, a World War I soldier from Wheeling, West Virginia, says he weighs 172 pounds. Dutch is in good spirits and nearly as heavy as Les. The boys are in good spirits. He sends best regards to every one ...
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From Camp Lee to the Great War: Episode 50 [May 19, 1918]

May 18, 2018 • 2 mins
"We han't allowed to write any military information anymore, and you see a fellow hasn't got much to write" In his fifteenth letter home from Camp Lee, Virginia, dated May 19, 1918, PFC Charles “Dutch” Riggle, a WWI soldier from Wheeling, WV, tells his brother James “Abe” Riggle that he's still in Battery F but doesn't know for how much longer. He's drilling a great deal but he can't talk about the military anymore. He had his pic...
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From Camp Lee to the Great War: Episode 49 [May 18, 1918]

May 16, 2018 • 5 mins
"What has become of Cleo?" In his thirty-fifth letter home from Camp Lee, Virginia, to his sister Minnie Riggle, US Army Wagoner (mule team driver) Lester Scott, a World War I soldier from Wheeling, West Virginia, says he's done some excellent firing at rifle practice, hitting four bulls eyes from 100 yards left-handed. Then he got seven out of ten hits right-handed. They have to shoot different distances from different positions....
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From Camp Lee to the Great War: Episode 48 [May 12, 1918]

May 11, 2018 • 4 mins
"I am going to send some money home before long. Maybe you can use it now to buy cows with. I only have two more months to pay my liberty bonds out in..." In his thirty-fourth letter home from Camp Lee, Virginia, to his sister Minnie Riggle, US Army Wagoner (mule team driver) Lester Scott, a World War I soldier from Wheeling, West Virginia, says he's been busy packing mule harnesses and drilling. He's qualified on gas mask school....
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From Camp Lee to the Great War: Episode 47 [May 6, 1918]

May 4, 2018 • 4 mins
"P.S. Boss don't you worry while me and Less is gone, for we will be back in about a year from now. Ha Ha!" In his fourteenth letter home from Camp Lee, Virginia, dated May 6, 1918, PFC Charles “Dutch” Riggle, a WWI soldier from Wheeling, WV, tells his brother James “Abe” Riggle that he's as well as ever and having a good time eight miles from Camp Lee on military police duty. They are guarding an electrical power plant, a waterwo...
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