TRANSCRIBED FROM THE HELENA WORLD NOVEMBER 16, 1917 PP. 3, 5
Port Au Prince
Oct. 26, 1917
Dear Mom:
I feel like an old timer now but have been here only two weeks. The boys got mail today, the first in about three weeks, and they nearly tore up the barrack. I was not disappointed for I knew I mustn’t expect any yet.
I’m getting to be pretty good with the semaphore signalling and it won’t be long before I’ll have it down pat. We have plenty of time to study it now.
I feel more like a human being. in the former camp we had only two changes of clothes. Washing them all the time kept them dirty and we had to wash them ourselves. But down here it is different. I have two hats, two blankets, four pairs of pants, four sheets, six suits of underwear, two of pajamas and three pairs of shoes. We have our washing done for two dollars a month and get clean clothes every day. We have to be clean at all times.
It rains hears every night but the days are clear.
The Marines have been stationed here two years. There is no telling when there will be an uprising. But these “spicks” can’t fight. Three men can hold a whole company of them down.
Well, night before last about eleven thirty the bugle blew “to arms,” and the captain came running into the quarters hollering for the machine gun crew and eight men. We didn’t know what had happened, but it was reported that a bunch of bandits had held up the train between here and St. Mark and had gotten away with two million dollars, Haitian. We fell out of quick order and were piled onto trucks and away we went. We had our packs ready and enough food to last us three days. We rode about ten miles out of town and then caught a special train on to St. Mark. A squad of men were stationed on the “cow-catcher” and a machine gun was mounted on it. Some in the cab and the others scattered around. We got to St. Mark without any mishap and found that some “spick” had got drunk at a town this side of St. Mark and shot a gendarme and intended robbing the train , so they sent for us. The train had not left St. Mark so we came back on it and with the money and it really was two million dollars. We slept on it on the way back thirty boxes (thirty million gourds which is two million dollars U.S. we got back all right and, being tired, the captain gave us the whole day off. We surely were excited for a while, but everything turned out all right.
Things are very comfortable here, fine barracks and good chow. We drill about an hour in the morning and then have inspection and we’re (SEVERAL WORDS TOO FAINT TO READ) we doll up and go sightseeing around town and try to learn French. We get into the awfulest arguments with the storekeepers about the price of things, they talking French and we English.
I’ve told everything exciting, so it’s time to stop.
As ever, with love,
EDWARD B. CARVILL
NOTES: Edward Bruce Carvill was writing to his mother, Sarah Carvill of Helena, Arkansas. He was born on July 21, 1897/98 and died on December 22, 1987. He is buried in the Maple Hill Cemetery in Helena. He enlisted on July 8, 1917 and was discharged on October 20, 1919. He was serving as a Corp. in 63 Co. Marine Barracks, Port Au Prince, Haiti
TRANSCRIBED BY MIKE POLSTON
Port Au Prince
Oct. 26, 1917
Dear Mom:
I feel like an old timer now but have been here only two weeks. The boys got mail today, the first in about three weeks, and they nearly tore up the barrack. I was not disappointed for I knew I mustn’t expect any yet.
I’m getting to be pretty good with the semaphore signalling and it won’t be long before I’ll have it down pat. We have plenty of time to study it now.
I feel more like a human being. in the former camp we had only two changes of clothes. Washing them all the time kept them dirty and we had to wash them ourselves. But down here it is different. I have two hats, two blankets, four pairs of pants, four sheets, six suits of underwear, two of pajamas and three pairs of shoes. We have our washing done for two dollars a month and get clean clothes every day. We have to be clean at all times.
It rains hears every night but the days are clear.
The Marines have been stationed here two years. There is no telling when there will be an uprising. But these “spicks” can’t fight. Three men can hold a whole company of them down.
Well, night before last about eleven thirty the bugle blew “to arms,” and the captain came running into the quarters hollering for the machine gun crew and eight men. We didn’t know what had happened, but it was reported that a bunch of bandits had held up the train between here and St. Mark and had gotten away with two million dollars, Haitian. We fell out of quick order and were piled onto trucks and away we went. We had our packs ready and enough food to last us three days. We rode about ten miles out of town and then caught a special train on to St. Mark. A squad of men were stationed on the “cow-catcher” and a machine gun was mounted on it. Some in the cab and the others scattered around. We got to St. Mark without any mishap and found that some “spick” had got drunk at a town this side of St. Mark and shot a gendarme and intended robbing the train , so they sent for us. The train had not left St. Mark so we came back on it and with the money and it really was two million dollars. We slept on it on the way back thirty boxes (thirty million gourds which is two million dollars U.S. we got back all right and, being tired, the captain gave us the whole day off. We surely were excited for a while, but everything turned out all right.
Things are very comfortable here, fine barracks and good chow. We drill about an hour in the morning and then have inspection and we’re (SEVERAL WORDS TOO FAINT TO READ) we doll up and go sightseeing around town and try to learn French. We get into the awfulest arguments with the storekeepers about the price of things, they talking French and we English.
I’ve told everything exciting, so it’s time to stop.
As ever, with love,
EDWARD B. CARVILL
NOTES: Edward Bruce Carvill was writing to his mother, Sarah Carvill of Helena, Arkansas. He was born on July 21, 1897/98 and died on December 22, 1987. He is buried in the Maple Hill Cemetery in Helena. He enlisted on July 8, 1917 and was discharged on October 20, 1919. He was serving as a Corp. in 63 Co. Marine Barracks, Port Au Prince, Haiti
TRANSCRIBED BY MIKE POLSTON