TRANSCRIBED FROM THE GREEN FOREST TRIBUNE MARCH 8, 1918 P. 2
I enlisted in a special regiment of mining engineers, which will soon go to France for front line duty. This regiment is the only one of its kind.
The test was very rigid and only men of the highest standard accepted.
I didn’t want to be a slacker so I hurriedly rounded up my business and enlisted. From a standpoint of business sacrifice no class of soldiers in the war have probably given up so much.
There are several of our boys who have given up fat jobs worth $6,000 a year to become lonely privates in ranks for their country’s service.
I am with a bunch of old heads of miners and engineers.
Such things count for nothing however in war. The only thing that commends you in the army is to be able to play ball.
We are told that we are needed badly in France for first line work, such as digging underground quarters, driving tunnels under the enemy’s works, and, most important of all, for reclaiming of metal mines that have been recaptured from the Germans. This is characterized as the most hazardous work in the service, and the casualties in our rank is bound to be great, but I am not afraid to die in a good cause, and what could be greater than in defense of our beloved country?
The change from the Arkansas hills and the great difference in the character of our work intensified by the extreme weather conditions, made drill life very hard for many of us who have just walked off from a rather easy berth.
It is not like sitting on a seat box in the Lucky Dog engine room near St. Joe, or some other easy jobs that I have held.
We have just had a 16 mile hike and inspection today, and this in the face of the dreadful cold weather. Our guards are coming in almost frozen to death.
We have men from everywhere in this regiment, but most of them are from the West. A few are from Joplin, Mo. This organization is new, but the ranks are filling up rapidly.
I had splendid service papers and stood a good civil examination, but as I said such do not buy you much as a soldier. I am figuring, however, on being along with the best when we have lined up for actual duties.
All soldiers whom I have met want to go across, but to hear some people talk they seem to think that Germany is made of steel and lead. It seems strange to me that water will run up hill in Germany when it wont hardly run down hill here.
Ras M. Coatney,
Camp Meade, Maryland, Co. B.
27 Engineers
NOTES: Ras Martin Coatney was born on December 10, 1891 in Marshall, Arkansas and died on October 13, 1955. He is buried in the Maplewood Cemetery in Harrison, Arkansas. When he entered the military he was employed as an engineer for the Lucky Dog Mining Company in St. Joe, Arkansas. He departed from Hoboken, NJ on June 30, 1918 onboard the Siboney. He was serving in Co. C., 27th Engineers. He departed St. Nazaire, France on March 7, 1919 onboard the Dakotan. He arrived in Hoboken on March 20, 1919.
TRANSCRIBED BY LINDA MATTHEWS
I enlisted in a special regiment of mining engineers, which will soon go to France for front line duty. This regiment is the only one of its kind.
The test was very rigid and only men of the highest standard accepted.
I didn’t want to be a slacker so I hurriedly rounded up my business and enlisted. From a standpoint of business sacrifice no class of soldiers in the war have probably given up so much.
There are several of our boys who have given up fat jobs worth $6,000 a year to become lonely privates in ranks for their country’s service.
I am with a bunch of old heads of miners and engineers.
Such things count for nothing however in war. The only thing that commends you in the army is to be able to play ball.
We are told that we are needed badly in France for first line work, such as digging underground quarters, driving tunnels under the enemy’s works, and, most important of all, for reclaiming of metal mines that have been recaptured from the Germans. This is characterized as the most hazardous work in the service, and the casualties in our rank is bound to be great, but I am not afraid to die in a good cause, and what could be greater than in defense of our beloved country?
The change from the Arkansas hills and the great difference in the character of our work intensified by the extreme weather conditions, made drill life very hard for many of us who have just walked off from a rather easy berth.
It is not like sitting on a seat box in the Lucky Dog engine room near St. Joe, or some other easy jobs that I have held.
We have just had a 16 mile hike and inspection today, and this in the face of the dreadful cold weather. Our guards are coming in almost frozen to death.
We have men from everywhere in this regiment, but most of them are from the West. A few are from Joplin, Mo. This organization is new, but the ranks are filling up rapidly.
I had splendid service papers and stood a good civil examination, but as I said such do not buy you much as a soldier. I am figuring, however, on being along with the best when we have lined up for actual duties.
All soldiers whom I have met want to go across, but to hear some people talk they seem to think that Germany is made of steel and lead. It seems strange to me that water will run up hill in Germany when it wont hardly run down hill here.
Ras M. Coatney,
Camp Meade, Maryland, Co. B.
27 Engineers
NOTES: Ras Martin Coatney was born on December 10, 1891 in Marshall, Arkansas and died on October 13, 1955. He is buried in the Maplewood Cemetery in Harrison, Arkansas. When he entered the military he was employed as an engineer for the Lucky Dog Mining Company in St. Joe, Arkansas. He departed from Hoboken, NJ on June 30, 1918 onboard the Siboney. He was serving in Co. C., 27th Engineers. He departed St. Nazaire, France on March 7, 1919 onboard the Dakotan. He arrived in Hoboken on March 20, 1919.
TRANSCRIBED BY LINDA MATTHEWS