Beschreibung:

Archive relating to First Lieutenant Denny D. Wright of the 315th Field Artillery, comprising: 1. Manuscript, entitled "A brief history of the 315th Field Artillery from its infancy to the time when it became but a memory; some of my impressions of France and its people and experiences 'au front'," approximately 135 pp, written during early 1919 in a ledger book, folio, half calf, worn, lacking spine. Together with a typed transcription, lacking 20 pages. 2. Approximately 70 Autograph and Typed Letters and Postcards Signed from Denny Wright ("Denny"), mostly various places in France, a few of the earlier letters from bases in the US, October 2, 1917 to June 1, 1919, to his family in Tappahannock, Essex County, Virginia. 3. Approximately 50 Autograph Letters Signed from Denny's brother Ernest, nearly all from on board the battleship U.S.S. Virginia, June 22, 1917 to May 19, 1919, to his family. 4. A small group of photographs, training documents, official letters, a map of France, visiting cards and letters from French ladies, a 4-page Autograph Letter Signed from Russell "Red" Reeder discussing baseball kit sent to him by Wright. A young Virginian relates his experiences at the front: "Right this minute, I am out in a field under a shelter half and it is raining brick bats and a few shells. I haven't had off my clothes in over a week ... It is indescribable." At times, Wright's regiment is attacked by German airplanes: "they began peppering away at us with machine gun bullets. No, it is not the pleasantest sensation in the world to have one of those devils diving directly at you and can see a flame of bullets shooting out." A letter of November 14, 1918 describes the scene on Armistice Day: "the same as any other morning, constant bombing from planes and shelling but also there was a degree of expectancy ... Finally, between 11 and 12 o'clock the good news commenced to trickle back. You can imagine the expressions of joy and the French people and soldiers were literally crazy."