TRANSCRIBED FROM THE DEQUEEN BEE JANUARY 4, 1918 P. 2
Co. A. 316 M. G. BN. Camp Jackson, S. C.
Dec. 25, 1917
De Queen Bee:
We are two Sevier county boys and are spending Christmas quarantines in our barracks, so we thought instead of having the blues about it we would spend a part of the time with our friends and loved ones at home or at least coming in touch with them through the Bee.
When you think of us being quarantined most of all on Christmas day, you may get the idea that we are having a very dull time, but our chief thought in writing this letter is to change that idea. This is the first Christmas we ever spent with our Uncle Sammie and he is indeed, doing his best to make conditions agreeable, even if he did have to keep our company in on account of a few cases of mumps that broke out yesterday.
To give you some idea of how we have been spending the day, we will go a little into detail. First, the regular sound of the bugle at 6:15 a.m. which means “Rookies get your breeches on.” You can imagine one hundred boys jumping from between their blankets on a cold morning without any fire and all the windows open. Next comes revile, ten minutes after first call, at which we must be fully dressed and in line or suffer the consequence. Then comes breakfast, which always finds us lined up at the mess hall door with messkits in hand, ready to rush when the signal is given. Then we deal the K. P.’s misery for the next twenty minutes.
Ordinarily we hit the grit on the drill ground at 7:30 a.m., but as this is holiday, we just policed quarters after breakfast, then have the rest of the day to ourselves.
We have a Bible class, which is a voluntary movement organized and carried on by the boys of the company, of which we are very proud and though we are still in the minority, we are growing in membership, and influence. We meet regularly every Sunday morning at 8:30, and had a special Christmas service this morning with an attendance of thirty-two and we feel that all present were benefited, in fact it brightened the whole day. After the service we had a few minutes in which to get ready for the dinner that “Uncle” had ready for us. After thanks had been offered we sat down to the following menu: Turkey, boiled ham, sweet potatoes, cranberries, celery, coffee, bread, pumpkin, pine apple and mince pies, fruits, nuts and candy.
We entertained ourselves in the afternoon in various ways until retreat.
Awhile after supper we were all lined up and each member of the company received a sweater which was donated by the Red Cross, immediately after which we were called into the mess hall to enjoy a feast, which consisted of cake, peaches and cream, fruits, nuts and candy, old fashioned clay pipes with cane stems and Prince Albert tobacco with which to fill them. Also cigars and cigarettes were passed around.
After we had eaten our fill we enjoyed a real social which consisted of songs, yells and speech making, in which the general theme was to express our gratitude for the fact that we were attached to “Co. A, 316 M. G. Bn.” The merry bunch continued until “taps” were blown when every rookie made a center rush for his barrack.
Will close hoping to get the Kaiser’s “goat” and be able to spend next Christmas day with you.
Good night,
Ernest B. DeLaney
James D. McKinley
NOTES:
TRANSCRIBED BY CALEIGH PICKARD
Co. A. 316 M. G. BN. Camp Jackson, S. C.
Dec. 25, 1917
De Queen Bee:
We are two Sevier county boys and are spending Christmas quarantines in our barracks, so we thought instead of having the blues about it we would spend a part of the time with our friends and loved ones at home or at least coming in touch with them through the Bee.
When you think of us being quarantined most of all on Christmas day, you may get the idea that we are having a very dull time, but our chief thought in writing this letter is to change that idea. This is the first Christmas we ever spent with our Uncle Sammie and he is indeed, doing his best to make conditions agreeable, even if he did have to keep our company in on account of a few cases of mumps that broke out yesterday.
To give you some idea of how we have been spending the day, we will go a little into detail. First, the regular sound of the bugle at 6:15 a.m. which means “Rookies get your breeches on.” You can imagine one hundred boys jumping from between their blankets on a cold morning without any fire and all the windows open. Next comes revile, ten minutes after first call, at which we must be fully dressed and in line or suffer the consequence. Then comes breakfast, which always finds us lined up at the mess hall door with messkits in hand, ready to rush when the signal is given. Then we deal the K. P.’s misery for the next twenty minutes.
Ordinarily we hit the grit on the drill ground at 7:30 a.m., but as this is holiday, we just policed quarters after breakfast, then have the rest of the day to ourselves.
We have a Bible class, which is a voluntary movement organized and carried on by the boys of the company, of which we are very proud and though we are still in the minority, we are growing in membership, and influence. We meet regularly every Sunday morning at 8:30, and had a special Christmas service this morning with an attendance of thirty-two and we feel that all present were benefited, in fact it brightened the whole day. After the service we had a few minutes in which to get ready for the dinner that “Uncle” had ready for us. After thanks had been offered we sat down to the following menu: Turkey, boiled ham, sweet potatoes, cranberries, celery, coffee, bread, pumpkin, pine apple and mince pies, fruits, nuts and candy.
We entertained ourselves in the afternoon in various ways until retreat.
Awhile after supper we were all lined up and each member of the company received a sweater which was donated by the Red Cross, immediately after which we were called into the mess hall to enjoy a feast, which consisted of cake, peaches and cream, fruits, nuts and candy, old fashioned clay pipes with cane stems and Prince Albert tobacco with which to fill them. Also cigars and cigarettes were passed around.
After we had eaten our fill we enjoyed a real social which consisted of songs, yells and speech making, in which the general theme was to express our gratitude for the fact that we were attached to “Co. A, 316 M. G. Bn.” The merry bunch continued until “taps” were blown when every rookie made a center rush for his barrack.
Will close hoping to get the Kaiser’s “goat” and be able to spend next Christmas day with you.
Good night,
Ernest B. DeLaney
James D. McKinley
NOTES:
TRANSCRIBED BY CALEIGH PICKARD