TRANSCRIBED FROM THE LONOKE DEMOCRAT JANUARY 2, 1919 P. 7
Dear Editor:
Will try and write a few lines to let you know that we are still in the most God forsaken country in the United States. We are having some time with mud, and it is mud with a capital M. some places it is hub deep on the wagons, so you see we are in trouble, and need help. Well, we got about 100 D. S. O. men from Camp Beauregard, (they were sent from Camp Taylor, Kentucky) to help us. They were not enough, so we had to get 150 negroes from the labor battalion also to help us ---and still we have mud.
All the boys from Lonoke that are here are all O. K. Poor old John Glenn seems to be home sick. He has been longing to become a noncom., so they could give him a little toy whistle to blow. Ira Irby is still in the horse shoeing business, so he is a Sergeant.
William H. Mann of Carlisle, is the only one of us boys that have been transferred since we have been here. He was sent to Camp Johnson, Fla. Old Joe Bond was transferred before we came to Beauregard, and has had a taste of the war. I think Sherman made a very mild remark when he said war was h---. Joe thinks so anyway.
And another thing that has happened to one of our boys from Lonoke, and that is the most serious thing that could happen to a fellow---one of them has launched his ship into the sea of matrimony, (therwise known as getting hitched.)
Most of the fellows are dreaming of the day when they will get back home to stick their feet under dear old dad’s table. There has been guesses and calculations of all kinds some say we will be here two weeks and some say two years, and sofar we have missed our guesses on the two weeks. But one thing certain we are going to stay here ‘til the stock is sold or sent away to some other Remount.
We are planning for a three days sale of horses and mules to begin soon---there will be about 2000 head sold and it might be that there will me more than that. Anyone can buy this stock---they will be sold in pairs of car load lots. Men from all over the south will be here to get them---some good stock.
We certainly have a fine bunch. We have only about a 6000 head now as we sent some to the Division, and some of them died. If there are any stock dealers in Lonoke that cares to get any further information about this sale they can write the Commanding Officer, Captain Edward B. Allen, 314 Remount Station, Camp Beauregard, La. All this stock will be auctioned off and a fellow is sure to get some good stock for reasonable money.
Well how is old Lonoke progressing, these days? I hear the Government is going to build a new post office, which sure is needed in Lonoke. Whenever Uncle Sam takes an interest in a town or a city he certainly believes in making it beautiful. There is one thing I am proud to say and that is that I am an American.
How did Lonoke and the Lonoke pepole suvive the shock which the signing of the Armistice caused, bet there were some rejoicing in the dear old town, as the old song went “There was a Hot time in the old town that night”. The only thing for the people to do now is to wait very paitently until we come home. KEEP THE HOME FIRES BURNING UNTIL THE BOYS COME HOME and write cheering letters to them and not beg them to hurry home, for what is the use to do that, when they cannot come home. It is a very large task to discharge the men and it took quite a while to get them and it will take quite awhile to turn them loose so we must all be patient and wait, for all good things come to those who wait.
Wishing all the people of Lonoke a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year I remain,
Emmette M. Hartley
December 18, 1918
NOTES:
TRANSCRIBED BY MIKE POLSTON
Dear Editor:
Will try and write a few lines to let you know that we are still in the most God forsaken country in the United States. We are having some time with mud, and it is mud with a capital M. some places it is hub deep on the wagons, so you see we are in trouble, and need help. Well, we got about 100 D. S. O. men from Camp Beauregard, (they were sent from Camp Taylor, Kentucky) to help us. They were not enough, so we had to get 150 negroes from the labor battalion also to help us ---and still we have mud.
All the boys from Lonoke that are here are all O. K. Poor old John Glenn seems to be home sick. He has been longing to become a noncom., so they could give him a little toy whistle to blow. Ira Irby is still in the horse shoeing business, so he is a Sergeant.
William H. Mann of Carlisle, is the only one of us boys that have been transferred since we have been here. He was sent to Camp Johnson, Fla. Old Joe Bond was transferred before we came to Beauregard, and has had a taste of the war. I think Sherman made a very mild remark when he said war was h---. Joe thinks so anyway.
And another thing that has happened to one of our boys from Lonoke, and that is the most serious thing that could happen to a fellow---one of them has launched his ship into the sea of matrimony, (therwise known as getting hitched.)
Most of the fellows are dreaming of the day when they will get back home to stick their feet under dear old dad’s table. There has been guesses and calculations of all kinds some say we will be here two weeks and some say two years, and sofar we have missed our guesses on the two weeks. But one thing certain we are going to stay here ‘til the stock is sold or sent away to some other Remount.
We are planning for a three days sale of horses and mules to begin soon---there will be about 2000 head sold and it might be that there will me more than that. Anyone can buy this stock---they will be sold in pairs of car load lots. Men from all over the south will be here to get them---some good stock.
We certainly have a fine bunch. We have only about a 6000 head now as we sent some to the Division, and some of them died. If there are any stock dealers in Lonoke that cares to get any further information about this sale they can write the Commanding Officer, Captain Edward B. Allen, 314 Remount Station, Camp Beauregard, La. All this stock will be auctioned off and a fellow is sure to get some good stock for reasonable money.
Well how is old Lonoke progressing, these days? I hear the Government is going to build a new post office, which sure is needed in Lonoke. Whenever Uncle Sam takes an interest in a town or a city he certainly believes in making it beautiful. There is one thing I am proud to say and that is that I am an American.
How did Lonoke and the Lonoke pepole suvive the shock which the signing of the Armistice caused, bet there were some rejoicing in the dear old town, as the old song went “There was a Hot time in the old town that night”. The only thing for the people to do now is to wait very paitently until we come home. KEEP THE HOME FIRES BURNING UNTIL THE BOYS COME HOME and write cheering letters to them and not beg them to hurry home, for what is the use to do that, when they cannot come home. It is a very large task to discharge the men and it took quite a while to get them and it will take quite awhile to turn them loose so we must all be patient and wait, for all good things come to those who wait.
Wishing all the people of Lonoke a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year I remain,
Emmette M. Hartley
December 18, 1918
NOTES:
TRANSCRIBED BY MIKE POLSTON