TRANSCRIBED FROM THE SCOTT COUNTY ADVANCE REPORTER FEBRUARY 28, 1918 P. 4
Camp Beauregard, La.
February 17th, 1918
Dear Mr. Cox:
I have just read the Advance Reporte, and as I always enjoy reading the home news, I thought perhaps some of my friends there would like to read a line from me. I have been in the army now about five months and am liking it fine.
We were taken from the Infantry at Camp Pike and formed into an Ambulance Company as soon as we reached here. We will not get a chance to fight if we stay in the Ambulance Company, and as I am not much of a scrapper, this suits me fairly well. We will have to work about 20 hours per day when we get “across” so I hear, and if that’s the case, I will be up against it for I hate work as much as I do fighting. We work about eight hours a day now and get Wednesday and Saturday afternoons off. The worst thing we have to put up with now is the quarantine. We have been out of quarantine only about four weeks since September 5th. I have an idea they can’t run me out of camp when the quarantine is raised.
All the Scott County boys here are looking well. I managed to see some of them almost every Sunday. Loyd Robertson is the only one with me now from home. We are in the same tent, and when I see that far away look in his eyes, I know he is thinking of a certain little girl over on the hill. No, Mr. Cox I’m not guilty. You know I won’t know what Calico looks like when I get out of here.
Now, if I could have a few of Edd Hon’s experiences, life would be “sorter” worth living. But that’s impossible here for there’s no white folks live around here, at least I have seen none but soldiers.
Was glad to hear of the company being formed at Waldron. Am sure they will be better satisfied after being called into service than if they were scattered as the rest of us are.
I am expecting to see service in France before summer, but we can only guess about when we will go across.
With best wishes to the Editor and all my old friends and classmates, I am,
Very Truly Yours.
Sergeant Guy L. Cross.
156th Ambulance Co.
NOTES: Cross was a self-employed farmer born on January 27, 1894 in Scott County, Arkansas and died there on May 19, 1982. He is buried in the Oakwood Cemetery in Wewoka, Okla. His military headstone identifies him as a Clr. Sgt. In the US Army during WWI.
TRANSCRIBED BY LINDA MATTHEWS
Camp Beauregard, La.
February 17th, 1918
Dear Mr. Cox:
I have just read the Advance Reporte, and as I always enjoy reading the home news, I thought perhaps some of my friends there would like to read a line from me. I have been in the army now about five months and am liking it fine.
We were taken from the Infantry at Camp Pike and formed into an Ambulance Company as soon as we reached here. We will not get a chance to fight if we stay in the Ambulance Company, and as I am not much of a scrapper, this suits me fairly well. We will have to work about 20 hours per day when we get “across” so I hear, and if that’s the case, I will be up against it for I hate work as much as I do fighting. We work about eight hours a day now and get Wednesday and Saturday afternoons off. The worst thing we have to put up with now is the quarantine. We have been out of quarantine only about four weeks since September 5th. I have an idea they can’t run me out of camp when the quarantine is raised.
All the Scott County boys here are looking well. I managed to see some of them almost every Sunday. Loyd Robertson is the only one with me now from home. We are in the same tent, and when I see that far away look in his eyes, I know he is thinking of a certain little girl over on the hill. No, Mr. Cox I’m not guilty. You know I won’t know what Calico looks like when I get out of here.
Now, if I could have a few of Edd Hon’s experiences, life would be “sorter” worth living. But that’s impossible here for there’s no white folks live around here, at least I have seen none but soldiers.
Was glad to hear of the company being formed at Waldron. Am sure they will be better satisfied after being called into service than if they were scattered as the rest of us are.
I am expecting to see service in France before summer, but we can only guess about when we will go across.
With best wishes to the Editor and all my old friends and classmates, I am,
Very Truly Yours.
Sergeant Guy L. Cross.
156th Ambulance Co.
NOTES: Cross was a self-employed farmer born on January 27, 1894 in Scott County, Arkansas and died there on May 19, 1982. He is buried in the Oakwood Cemetery in Wewoka, Okla. His military headstone identifies him as a Clr. Sgt. In the US Army during WWI.
TRANSCRIBED BY LINDA MATTHEWS