TRANSCRIBED FROM THE WHITE RIVER JOURNAL OCTOBER 24, 1918 P. 1
15 Vet. Hospital Unit,
Vet. Training School,
Camp Lee Petersbury, Va.
Dear Mother and Brother:
Will answer your letter I got yesterday. How are you both? I am all O.K., am feeling fine. I got a couple of shots the other day, which makes five, and my last ones while in the United States. We boys came over here in a kind of a whirl. It is almost like a dream to think of being so far from home. It sure is comical to watch the boys that never knew what it was to be away from home, or knew what it was to work. They are the most homesick crowd I ever saw in all my travels. As for myself I stood the trip fine. They have me in a Vet training school here. I am going to do my best and if I make good it will be worth a great deal to me when I get home. Well mamma have a good time while on your visit to Eureka Springs and I will be home to see you as soon as can step across the little branch and get that Kaiser Bill by the tail and a few more of those Huns and drag them up Salt Creek and let him get a small of we Yankee's blood who stand for the right and are going to fight for the "Red, White and Blue."
You hear people say it is awful to be in military service, you know it is awful for some nice folks to be in anything. I never was treated better in my life. The official all seem to think well of me. This is all easy work here. I have been in a great deal worse places, this beats a timber camp bad. I only have to drill about an hour and listen to lectures and study the rest of the day. We took a little hike the other day, about five miles to the fields and pitched our little pup tents and stood inspection. They only weigh about six or sevn pounds and two men to the tent. They are 5 feet long, 5 feet wide and three and one half feet high. They are only large enough for a fellow to crawl in and say his prayers on his stomach. There were six hundred and fifty tents, two men to the tent. It was real funny to watch the boys fall out on the road; there were about twenty of them fell out. We had to run about half the way but I did not mind it at all, I could have went that much farther. Willis those boys fell out like those chickens did we had so much fun with on the Baum place at Beebe. Well I am getting fat out here, they sure feed. I get just as much as I was ever use to at home. It looks funny to see twelve or fifteen hundred men sitting around on the ground eating. We usually have ham, beefsteak, butter, raisins, apricots, prunes, apples, sausage, beans, and most anything you could call for, of course, not all of it every meal. Well, Uncle Sam gave all of Little Sammies a razor each, so they were proud of that. We are examined twice a day so no disease will break out among the sheep. You know Uncle Sam could not afford to loose a lamb after he gets him good and fat. There are all kinds of boys here. Lots of gambling on the sly from the officers, but that don't bother me one bit. I usually go fly up on the perch pretty early but the boys make ss much racket I can't sleep before eleven o'clock, but we sure have a good easy time; of coure we would all rather be home; we are all taken care of all alike. We were informed this week that we would be crosing the pond within a very short time. I don't mind it at all, and when I have finished my course of school I will give that Kaiser a pill made of lead instead of powder for a wounded horse. Six hours later, I will finish my lettr. We boys were just called out to roll up our over sea pack and put it on our back and take a little hike just the thing we sammies like. Our pack weighs about forty pounds and consist of a half tent one tent pole, five tent pins, one haversack to roll the pack in, one heavy over coat, one rain coat, one pair hob nail shoes, two pair shoe strings, leather, one pair leather mittens, three pair wool socks, one heavy wool blanket, one safety razor, one tooth, brush, bar soap, mess kit spoon, knife, fork, comb, drinking cup, hair brush, canteen, holds one quart of water, and one cap. The 15th Unit leads all other units. We were complimented by the general officer as being the best and that from this on we would lead all other units in all works. We boys sure are getting anxious to cross the deep. Oh, yes! Orlander Roberts has the measles in our camp, that is all the sickness I know of. Well, I will close and write more next time, hoping to hear from you soon with all love best wishes to home and country. I am as ever,
Henry O. Fudge
NOTES: Henry O. Fudge departed the US on October 18, 1918 onboard the Antigone. He was serving as a Pvt. in the Veterinary Hospital No. 15. He departed Brest, France onboard the Troy on June 20, 1919 and arrived in Hoboken, NJ on June 30. 1919. He was listed as a Pvt. in the Md. Vet. Hospital.
TRANSCRIBED BY LAEL HARROD
15 Vet. Hospital Unit,
Vet. Training School,
Camp Lee Petersbury, Va.
Dear Mother and Brother:
Will answer your letter I got yesterday. How are you both? I am all O.K., am feeling fine. I got a couple of shots the other day, which makes five, and my last ones while in the United States. We boys came over here in a kind of a whirl. It is almost like a dream to think of being so far from home. It sure is comical to watch the boys that never knew what it was to be away from home, or knew what it was to work. They are the most homesick crowd I ever saw in all my travels. As for myself I stood the trip fine. They have me in a Vet training school here. I am going to do my best and if I make good it will be worth a great deal to me when I get home. Well mamma have a good time while on your visit to Eureka Springs and I will be home to see you as soon as can step across the little branch and get that Kaiser Bill by the tail and a few more of those Huns and drag them up Salt Creek and let him get a small of we Yankee's blood who stand for the right and are going to fight for the "Red, White and Blue."
You hear people say it is awful to be in military service, you know it is awful for some nice folks to be in anything. I never was treated better in my life. The official all seem to think well of me. This is all easy work here. I have been in a great deal worse places, this beats a timber camp bad. I only have to drill about an hour and listen to lectures and study the rest of the day. We took a little hike the other day, about five miles to the fields and pitched our little pup tents and stood inspection. They only weigh about six or sevn pounds and two men to the tent. They are 5 feet long, 5 feet wide and three and one half feet high. They are only large enough for a fellow to crawl in and say his prayers on his stomach. There were six hundred and fifty tents, two men to the tent. It was real funny to watch the boys fall out on the road; there were about twenty of them fell out. We had to run about half the way but I did not mind it at all, I could have went that much farther. Willis those boys fell out like those chickens did we had so much fun with on the Baum place at Beebe. Well I am getting fat out here, they sure feed. I get just as much as I was ever use to at home. It looks funny to see twelve or fifteen hundred men sitting around on the ground eating. We usually have ham, beefsteak, butter, raisins, apricots, prunes, apples, sausage, beans, and most anything you could call for, of course, not all of it every meal. Well, Uncle Sam gave all of Little Sammies a razor each, so they were proud of that. We are examined twice a day so no disease will break out among the sheep. You know Uncle Sam could not afford to loose a lamb after he gets him good and fat. There are all kinds of boys here. Lots of gambling on the sly from the officers, but that don't bother me one bit. I usually go fly up on the perch pretty early but the boys make ss much racket I can't sleep before eleven o'clock, but we sure have a good easy time; of coure we would all rather be home; we are all taken care of all alike. We were informed this week that we would be crosing the pond within a very short time. I don't mind it at all, and when I have finished my course of school I will give that Kaiser a pill made of lead instead of powder for a wounded horse. Six hours later, I will finish my lettr. We boys were just called out to roll up our over sea pack and put it on our back and take a little hike just the thing we sammies like. Our pack weighs about forty pounds and consist of a half tent one tent pole, five tent pins, one haversack to roll the pack in, one heavy over coat, one rain coat, one pair hob nail shoes, two pair shoe strings, leather, one pair leather mittens, three pair wool socks, one heavy wool blanket, one safety razor, one tooth, brush, bar soap, mess kit spoon, knife, fork, comb, drinking cup, hair brush, canteen, holds one quart of water, and one cap. The 15th Unit leads all other units. We were complimented by the general officer as being the best and that from this on we would lead all other units in all works. We boys sure are getting anxious to cross the deep. Oh, yes! Orlander Roberts has the measles in our camp, that is all the sickness I know of. Well, I will close and write more next time, hoping to hear from you soon with all love best wishes to home and country. I am as ever,
Henry O. Fudge
NOTES: Henry O. Fudge departed the US on October 18, 1918 onboard the Antigone. He was serving as a Pvt. in the Veterinary Hospital No. 15. He departed Brest, France onboard the Troy on June 20, 1919 and arrived in Hoboken, NJ on June 30. 1919. He was listed as a Pvt. in the Md. Vet. Hospital.
TRANSCRIBED BY LAEL HARROD