This collection contains correspondence from Charles Schley Gardner, one as a young man in 1907 and fourteen from his military service in France during World War I, dated 1918-1919. In addition, Gardner’s papers include his military identification card from 1917, Red Cross Christmas seals from 1918, certificates from college and the military, and newspaper clippings that follow his later life to his death in 1950. The bulk of the collection is Gardner’s correspondence home addressed to his mother, his brother Jesse, sister Mary Lois, and friends and other relatives. The letters describe the relative peace of his camp in early 1918, and later descriptions of air wafare and trench-digging. One letter mentions the involvement of the Young Men’s Christian Association (Y.M.C.A) in maintaining morale. Another letter, dated 10 Sep 1918, includes Gardner’s personal reflections about African American soldiers. In the same letter Gardner instructs his mother on personal finance matters.