TRANSCRIBED FROM THE POCAHONTAS STAR HERALD MARCH 1, 1918 P. 7
From Camp Beauregard
Feb. 1, Alexandria, La.
Dear Editor:
I wish to place a few phases in my county paper, the star Herald. I certainly am proud of the paper and we boys read it every week. It tells us what our homefolks are doing while we are away. It seems that we are far away because we can’t go home for several reasons. First, we are some distance from home and most of us haven’t the means to come home if we had a chance, second, quarantine has been a great obstacle; third and greatest, our nation needs us and we must know how to use the gun.
As most of you know I was called to take my place as one to prepare to fight for Liberty. This call was made Sept. 18th, which brought several of we boys together at the county site, Pocahontas. We ate a real lunch at Hoxie on the 19th after which B. B. Raglin, Ernest Harris and Ben Johnson lined us up and called the roll. Then we marched to the Iron Mountain depot at Walnut Ridge. All were in good spirits. We were greeted there by yells and cheers on all sides. We marched to the court house where we were given plenty of cold drinks given us by the good people of that town and surroundings. As soon as the Randolph boys passed around, the Lawrence county boys came and received their treat. After a few hours wait our train finally came and the boys began their yells. About thirty minutes after our train rolled out we were in the midst of a Boy Scout revival. Hite Mock and Donald Jackson were the main preachers. Several sermons were preached and several songs sung.
Our train stopped at Newport and among the faces of the girls who greeted us there was that of Miss Neta Belle Mock, who bade us a happy return some day. We arrived at Camp Pike at 3 o’clock on the 20th and it was a curious place for we boys as we grabbed our traveling bags and walked up to a little fire. In about twenty minutes we were called on to march. I heard a brisk “Forward, march, right, left, right, left,” and we began to realize what was up. To our glad surprise we were marched to barrack No. 61 and got a bite to eat. We had been up all night and could hardly march for we were so sleepy. After a few rights and lefts, we heard a command, “Halt, one, two,” and the commanding officer gave us permission to sit down and every boy hit the ground like a bombshell.
Mr. Harrison, who had accompanied us, now had to leave, to our regret, and after bidding him goodbye, we were called to “attention”. Of course we knew to give attention but we did not know what real attention meant.
We were kept at Camp Pike until Nov. 12th but before that time we received several good drills and enjoyed many scenes. We became acquainted with our officers and I for one admired everyone of them Several of our homefolks gave us a visit which we enjoyed. One day Capt. Jarboe announced that 60 men could leave on a 48 hour furlough one day and 60 more on the next and the rest when the first crew got back. I never tried to get in with the first bunch because the top sergeant told me to help him till the boys got back and he would get me a pass for eight days. But the worst came when we found that one boy had gone to bed with the measles. “What about it sergeant?” was my first question. He said he would try and get my pass before the captain found it out. But he had already found it out and we were soon placed under quarantine. So I was completely knocked out.
On the 12th of Nov. we boarded the train for Camp Beauregard, La. We were put in the First Arkansas and joined the Machine Gun Co., 153rd Inf. While we were waiting Lieut. Joe Decker greeted us.
We began to drill and I drilled five days when John Owens took the mumps. This caused us to move to the woods, after being there a few weeks I took the same disease and on Dec. 10th I was brought to the Base Hospital Ward 10. Lieut. Jackson said I had Cerebro Ostistis Media. Call it what you please but I know one thing, I had rather be on the firing line for 6 years as to have that again. I stayed at Ward 10 for 3 days then was moved to Ward 1 then to No. 8 where I now am. I feel at home here as Lieut. Pratt has charge of this Ward. They have given me the contract to wash dishes so I am studying domestic science. Look out girls for the downfall of the Kaiser for you know if a Sammie can learn dishwashing, Sammies can get Kaiser Bill.
I remain,
A Sammie,
J. N. Pratt.
NOTES: This letter was written by Jacob Newton Pratt. He was born in Izard County, Arkansas on March 1, 1889 and died in Pocahontas, Arkansas on February 14, 1980. He was a prominent businessman in Pocahontas and served as the city’s longest tenured mayor. He is buried in the Masonic Cemetery in Pocahontas.
TRANSCRIBED BY PAYTON DHOOGE
From Camp Beauregard
Feb. 1, Alexandria, La.
Dear Editor:
I wish to place a few phases in my county paper, the star Herald. I certainly am proud of the paper and we boys read it every week. It tells us what our homefolks are doing while we are away. It seems that we are far away because we can’t go home for several reasons. First, we are some distance from home and most of us haven’t the means to come home if we had a chance, second, quarantine has been a great obstacle; third and greatest, our nation needs us and we must know how to use the gun.
As most of you know I was called to take my place as one to prepare to fight for Liberty. This call was made Sept. 18th, which brought several of we boys together at the county site, Pocahontas. We ate a real lunch at Hoxie on the 19th after which B. B. Raglin, Ernest Harris and Ben Johnson lined us up and called the roll. Then we marched to the Iron Mountain depot at Walnut Ridge. All were in good spirits. We were greeted there by yells and cheers on all sides. We marched to the court house where we were given plenty of cold drinks given us by the good people of that town and surroundings. As soon as the Randolph boys passed around, the Lawrence county boys came and received their treat. After a few hours wait our train finally came and the boys began their yells. About thirty minutes after our train rolled out we were in the midst of a Boy Scout revival. Hite Mock and Donald Jackson were the main preachers. Several sermons were preached and several songs sung.
Our train stopped at Newport and among the faces of the girls who greeted us there was that of Miss Neta Belle Mock, who bade us a happy return some day. We arrived at Camp Pike at 3 o’clock on the 20th and it was a curious place for we boys as we grabbed our traveling bags and walked up to a little fire. In about twenty minutes we were called on to march. I heard a brisk “Forward, march, right, left, right, left,” and we began to realize what was up. To our glad surprise we were marched to barrack No. 61 and got a bite to eat. We had been up all night and could hardly march for we were so sleepy. After a few rights and lefts, we heard a command, “Halt, one, two,” and the commanding officer gave us permission to sit down and every boy hit the ground like a bombshell.
Mr. Harrison, who had accompanied us, now had to leave, to our regret, and after bidding him goodbye, we were called to “attention”. Of course we knew to give attention but we did not know what real attention meant.
We were kept at Camp Pike until Nov. 12th but before that time we received several good drills and enjoyed many scenes. We became acquainted with our officers and I for one admired everyone of them Several of our homefolks gave us a visit which we enjoyed. One day Capt. Jarboe announced that 60 men could leave on a 48 hour furlough one day and 60 more on the next and the rest when the first crew got back. I never tried to get in with the first bunch because the top sergeant told me to help him till the boys got back and he would get me a pass for eight days. But the worst came when we found that one boy had gone to bed with the measles. “What about it sergeant?” was my first question. He said he would try and get my pass before the captain found it out. But he had already found it out and we were soon placed under quarantine. So I was completely knocked out.
On the 12th of Nov. we boarded the train for Camp Beauregard, La. We were put in the First Arkansas and joined the Machine Gun Co., 153rd Inf. While we were waiting Lieut. Joe Decker greeted us.
We began to drill and I drilled five days when John Owens took the mumps. This caused us to move to the woods, after being there a few weeks I took the same disease and on Dec. 10th I was brought to the Base Hospital Ward 10. Lieut. Jackson said I had Cerebro Ostistis Media. Call it what you please but I know one thing, I had rather be on the firing line for 6 years as to have that again. I stayed at Ward 10 for 3 days then was moved to Ward 1 then to No. 8 where I now am. I feel at home here as Lieut. Pratt has charge of this Ward. They have given me the contract to wash dishes so I am studying domestic science. Look out girls for the downfall of the Kaiser for you know if a Sammie can learn dishwashing, Sammies can get Kaiser Bill.
I remain,
A Sammie,
J. N. Pratt.
NOTES: This letter was written by Jacob Newton Pratt. He was born in Izard County, Arkansas on March 1, 1889 and died in Pocahontas, Arkansas on February 14, 1980. He was a prominent businessman in Pocahontas and served as the city’s longest tenured mayor. He is buried in the Masonic Cemetery in Pocahontas.
TRANSCRIBED BY PAYTON DHOOGE