TRANSCRIBED FROM THE WHITE RIVER JOURNAL SEPTEMBER 10, 1917 P. 1
Camp Pike, Sept. 10, ’17.
Mr. Chas. A. Walls, Des Arc, Ark.
Dear Sir:
Just a word to let you know about the Camp life here. We arrived yesterday in L.R. about 1 o’clock, at the R.I. Station; there we were met by large motor trucks and carried to Union Station where we started to order our dinner when the manager said, “you drafted men will get a regular dinner” which meant we got what they wanted to give us, which was a bowl of soup, six crackers for two of us, a slice of roast beef with brown gravy, two baked potatoes about the size of marbles, a teaspoon of English peas and a glass of sweet milk.
We were then loaded onto a train and brought out here, where we were first registered, then given a shower bath (which gave me a cold), then we were taken before a physician and given a preliminary examination and 2 shots in the arm, (no whiskey, but typhoid and smallpox). Then for the first time our bunch or squad was separated.
Morrison and Eddins were taken to one receiving station and quarantined and the other six were brought here, receiving station 13 and quarantined.
For supper it was better than dinner. We had roast beef and brown gravy, potatoes, fried country style, stewed apples and iced tea. But the beauty of it was that we were told that if we didn’t have enough to bring back our plates and to get some more (which we did). We then came back to our goose or rather prairie hay; and believe me, we are every one sore from our vaccinations.
Well, I hope all the folks around D.A. are well.
To those who are to follow on the 19th, I wish to say it’s not so bad, at least no worse than you make it. I think it will do me good.
Respectfully,
Cyrus W. Miles,
Camp Pike, Little Rock, Ark.
13th Company.
NOTES: Miles was born on February 21, 1893 in Davidson Station, Kentucky and died on May 3, 1929 in Tucson, Arizona. He had been admitted to a National Home for Disabled Volunteers the year before. He is buried in the Greenwood Memorial Park in San Diego, California. He enlisted on September 5, 1917 and was discharged on October 5, 1918.
TRANSCRIBED BY SHANNON SOUTHARD
Camp Pike, Sept. 10, ’17.
Mr. Chas. A. Walls, Des Arc, Ark.
Dear Sir:
Just a word to let you know about the Camp life here. We arrived yesterday in L.R. about 1 o’clock, at the R.I. Station; there we were met by large motor trucks and carried to Union Station where we started to order our dinner when the manager said, “you drafted men will get a regular dinner” which meant we got what they wanted to give us, which was a bowl of soup, six crackers for two of us, a slice of roast beef with brown gravy, two baked potatoes about the size of marbles, a teaspoon of English peas and a glass of sweet milk.
We were then loaded onto a train and brought out here, where we were first registered, then given a shower bath (which gave me a cold), then we were taken before a physician and given a preliminary examination and 2 shots in the arm, (no whiskey, but typhoid and smallpox). Then for the first time our bunch or squad was separated.
Morrison and Eddins were taken to one receiving station and quarantined and the other six were brought here, receiving station 13 and quarantined.
For supper it was better than dinner. We had roast beef and brown gravy, potatoes, fried country style, stewed apples and iced tea. But the beauty of it was that we were told that if we didn’t have enough to bring back our plates and to get some more (which we did). We then came back to our goose or rather prairie hay; and believe me, we are every one sore from our vaccinations.
Well, I hope all the folks around D.A. are well.
To those who are to follow on the 19th, I wish to say it’s not so bad, at least no worse than you make it. I think it will do me good.
Respectfully,
Cyrus W. Miles,
Camp Pike, Little Rock, Ark.
13th Company.
NOTES: Miles was born on February 21, 1893 in Davidson Station, Kentucky and died on May 3, 1929 in Tucson, Arizona. He had been admitted to a National Home for Disabled Volunteers the year before. He is buried in the Greenwood Memorial Park in San Diego, California. He enlisted on September 5, 1917 and was discharged on October 5, 1918.
TRANSCRIBED BY SHANNON SOUTHARD