TRANSCRIBED FROM THE POCAHONTAS STAR HERALD NOVEMBER 9, 1917 P. 5
Dear Editor:
If you will allow the space in the old home paper I will write a short letter to friends and relatives back home in regard to my few days service in the U.S army.
I left the little town of Birdell on the 19th day of August for Little Rock, with my friend Edmund Gates of Sharum with me. I took the examination for the navy the next day and was shipped to Jefferson Barracks that night. Mr. Gates failed to take his registration card and was delayed until Friday, but joined me on Sept. 1st. Twelve hundred soldiers were shipped out to different parts of the United States: Seventy-four others, besides myself came to this place.
I am a teamster on one of the large guns. Battery drill has ceased. Since the bad weather our guns have been stored away. Since that time our program has changed. We have one hour calisthenics, then we have to groom and water horses, etc.
The most exciting thing that has happened in our regiment was that of the second Liberty Loan bond sale. About every soldier in our regiment subscribed for three or four fifty dollar bonds. The 17th regiment has the honor of having subscribed for more bonds than any other regiment in the United States.
We had twenty-four inches of snow here, and it is snowing as I write this. I sure would enjoy the nice fall weather you are having down there.
We are not allowed to write when we are about to leave this camp, but I am sure we will not be here always.
I am hoping that the gun that I help pull will “can the Kaiser.”
Wishing you all good luck, I am,
Yours Truly,
Claude C. Barden
Camp Robinson, Wis.
Battery E. 17th Reg.
NOTES:
TRANSCRIBED BY BRENDA PRICE
Dear Editor:
If you will allow the space in the old home paper I will write a short letter to friends and relatives back home in regard to my few days service in the U.S army.
I left the little town of Birdell on the 19th day of August for Little Rock, with my friend Edmund Gates of Sharum with me. I took the examination for the navy the next day and was shipped to Jefferson Barracks that night. Mr. Gates failed to take his registration card and was delayed until Friday, but joined me on Sept. 1st. Twelve hundred soldiers were shipped out to different parts of the United States: Seventy-four others, besides myself came to this place.
I am a teamster on one of the large guns. Battery drill has ceased. Since the bad weather our guns have been stored away. Since that time our program has changed. We have one hour calisthenics, then we have to groom and water horses, etc.
The most exciting thing that has happened in our regiment was that of the second Liberty Loan bond sale. About every soldier in our regiment subscribed for three or four fifty dollar bonds. The 17th regiment has the honor of having subscribed for more bonds than any other regiment in the United States.
We had twenty-four inches of snow here, and it is snowing as I write this. I sure would enjoy the nice fall weather you are having down there.
We are not allowed to write when we are about to leave this camp, but I am sure we will not be here always.
I am hoping that the gun that I help pull will “can the Kaiser.”
Wishing you all good luck, I am,
Yours Truly,
Claude C. Barden
Camp Robinson, Wis.
Battery E. 17th Reg.
NOTES:
TRANSCRIBED BY BRENDA PRICE