The Russell Brown papers contain nearly fifty letters from him to his wife from 1918 through 1919. These letters describe his experience as a soldier in World War I. Being late additions to the war effort, he and his fellow soldiers drilled almost incessantly for several weeks to expedite their deployment to France. This continuous activity combined with the humid Virginia weather gave Russell a strong dislike for Army life, but by October 1918 he was en route to join the Allied forces in France. Upon reaching European soil, Private Brown became ill with influenza and was transferred to a rest camp. Once recuperated, he did not return to his former regiment, but was placed with the Machine Gun Company of the 120th Infantry and scheduled to be at the front on November 13th. Although armistice prevented him from receiving combat experience, Russell did observe the lifestyles of French civilians and soldiers, noting differences in their manners of dress and rail transportation when compared to American practices. With combat operations at a close, the 120th Infantry returned to the United States in April 1919. One letter of response is present as well as several letters where Russell is neither the author nor the recipient. These appear to be between his relatives and acquaintances, and make no mention of Russell or his activities. Few of the original envelopes are present; those that are remain with their respective letters.
