TRANSCRIBED FROM THE SHARP COUNTY RECORD FEBRUARY 15, 1918, P. 1
Editor Record:
I received the Record last week and it was like seeing an old friend. If you will allow me just a small space I will share a few words in regard to life of the boys in training at Camp Beauregard.
As far as pastime is concerned, we pass the time off better on the drill field than we can in camp. Quarantined so close we all being as far from camp as the drill field. The quarantine will be raised soon and everybody will cheer up and be glad to see Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday evenings come. Those are the days we are off duty, there being no places can get very lonesome.
The boys seem to enjoy being on the drill field, and when we are on bayonet charge we can almost see ourselves in France “going over the top.” We have fought the dummies until we imagine the Germans will be as easy to get a bayonet into as the dummies are, and it won’t be much difference when the Third Arkansas gets to them. A few of the boys seem to be dissatisfied, but I know it is not because the officers fail to treat them right. People used to tell me that when I got into the army the officers would beat me to death. That is all a mistake. Our officers are all good to us and they are making soldiers out of us too. Some of the boys are not pleased with what they have to eat, but I think that matter is largely as our captain remarked to us. He said the one that was making the kick was doing better here and getting more to eat than he did at home. He said he knew some of the kickers were, because he was acquainted with them in civil life.
There are a few boys in our regiment who were on the Mexican border last year. They say there is no use to say you won’t enlist in the army the second time. They declare that just two or three nights without hearing the band play and the bugle call and you are longing to be back in camp, but I believe I could stand a furlough of ten days anyhow.
Sam Halliburton
Camp Beauregard, La.
NOTES: Halliburton is from Williford.
TRANSCRIBED BY MIKE POLSTON
Editor Record:
I received the Record last week and it was like seeing an old friend. If you will allow me just a small space I will share a few words in regard to life of the boys in training at Camp Beauregard.
As far as pastime is concerned, we pass the time off better on the drill field than we can in camp. Quarantined so close we all being as far from camp as the drill field. The quarantine will be raised soon and everybody will cheer up and be glad to see Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday evenings come. Those are the days we are off duty, there being no places can get very lonesome.
The boys seem to enjoy being on the drill field, and when we are on bayonet charge we can almost see ourselves in France “going over the top.” We have fought the dummies until we imagine the Germans will be as easy to get a bayonet into as the dummies are, and it won’t be much difference when the Third Arkansas gets to them. A few of the boys seem to be dissatisfied, but I know it is not because the officers fail to treat them right. People used to tell me that when I got into the army the officers would beat me to death. That is all a mistake. Our officers are all good to us and they are making soldiers out of us too. Some of the boys are not pleased with what they have to eat, but I think that matter is largely as our captain remarked to us. He said the one that was making the kick was doing better here and getting more to eat than he did at home. He said he knew some of the kickers were, because he was acquainted with them in civil life.
There are a few boys in our regiment who were on the Mexican border last year. They say there is no use to say you won’t enlist in the army the second time. They declare that just two or three nights without hearing the band play and the bugle call and you are longing to be back in camp, but I believe I could stand a furlough of ten days anyhow.
Sam Halliburton
Camp Beauregard, La.
NOTES: Halliburton is from Williford.
TRANSCRIBED BY MIKE POLSTON