Old letters: Sgt. Freddie Cagle to his wife, Mattie, 1949

In this post, Sgt. Fred Cagle writes from Fort Bragg, NC to his beloved wife, Mattie, in Rosebud, TX.

[FROM: Sgt. Fred Cagle 384187214, "C" Company, 758th Hvy. Tk. Bn., Fort Bragg, North Carolina, TO: Mrs. Mattie Cagle, Box 353, Rosebud, Texas / April 25, 1949]

Sgt. Fred Cagle
Co C 758 Tk Bn.
Fort Bragg NC.

My Dear Wife:

This is my second letter to day and my second day has now gone by since I heard from you. Well I don't know what's happening but to me you are messing up. When you left me you said you would write me every day, and that is what I expected but you have failed. Well you have fail in things before and that just bring back memberese. 

Some how I don't think you will ever understand me, but if I were you I would try. In the past I have done a lot of thing out of the way just to try to keep that impression on your mine. But when it look like you are failing I began to think it was all in vain. Now if I were you I wake up and stay awake. Now I don't want to have to warned you anymore, and do believed me that I will check and check good when I come. So be careful. 

(over)

Nice as I have been to you means one misstake can mean all of me far as you concern.

Now before you decide to do what you are big enough to you better think about how many chances you have to get by with it.

Sweet letters are alright but some of them will lead a weak man wrong. But I am wrong. 

Now I will close hoping you and family are well. I don't expected to do this again (that is warned you). Well the boys just called me and told me that I had a letter so you can just forget about what I have said in this letter. (smile) I also read it you were telling me about the radio well if you get any thing let me know for I want to get a combination from the PX for $97.00. I finally got off for the week end. 

I am writing by a home made light some time I see and some time I don't (smile)

The shoes that I picked out for the kids will cost me $27.25. For I will get enough for them to change every once in a while. I don't want them going barefooted for it don't look good for little girls going that way. It makes them have big feet. (smile)

I am getting three pair for Jean and three for Jane and four for Betty. You can look for them right after pay day. I ain't going to take any weak chances this pay day but I will try to when me a thosand dollars with my cards. (smile) That sound like a lot of money but I will go over and play with the white boys. If I win pretty good I will get and send you that combination. (smile) So keep your finger cross. Well baby I still love you, and I know you still love me don't you. (smile)

Now I'll say again for you to keep sweet and remember the first day that I come. (smile)

Love Freddie

----------------

O M G

Can you BELIEVE what he wrote??

HOOOOOLY CRAP

Obviously we have no idea what was going on between him and his wife but HOLY CRAP, he is MEAN!!

Also, why would he have sent that letter when, halfway through it, he got Mattie's letters and was like, "nevermind what I said earlier, hahaha." Why not just throw away that first letter and write a new one, starting with, "I got your letters, yay!"

I tried to find some information on Freddie and Mattie Cagle. Ancestry.com has a record for a Freddie Mozelle Cagle born 26 Sept 1923 to William Asberry Cagle and Nettie Mae Hendricks. That would put him at about the right age for being in the military and writing this letter in 1949.

I couldn't find anything on a Mattie Cagle, or their kids. So maybe this isn't the right Freddie Cagle, because it doesn't even show that he had a spouse or children. :-(

All it said about Freddie Cagle is that he died in Texas, but nothing for when and where. 

I clicked on his father's name and if I have the right Freddie, he had a lot of siblings, of which he was the youngest.

Clara Anna (b. 1907)
Vanie Viola (b. 1910, d. 2001)
Frank D. (b. 1912, d. 1977)
Bernest William (b. 1914, d. 1967)
Leona (b. 1918, d. 1993)
Freddie Mozelle (b. 1923)

His family's records go way back, at least on Ancestry.com. Generations going back to the 1700s, all in Tennessee.

Just Googled Rosebud, TX and now I am feeling like I need to make a road trip this weekend. Just for fun.