TRANSCRIBED FROM THE BENTON COURIER DECEMBER 20, 1917 4
If you will give me space in your valuable paper I will try and give you a few of the happenings and tell you something about the life of a soldier.
We have first call at five-twenty, reveille at five-thirty-five, mess call at six-twenty, sick call at seven, setting up exercise from eight to eight-fifteen, from eight-fifteen until ten platoon drill or a hike, from ten to eleven a lecture on first aid or duties of an ambulance company. We are dismissed from eleven until one. From one until two we have another lecture and from two till four a little drill or a hike. Some times we hike down to Pineville or Tioga and fall out and go in some cold drink and fruit stand and buy them out and then fall in march back to camp. Some times we just make it back to camp in time for retreat at five thirty. We have Wednesday and Saturday afternoon off. We usually do our washing then and have a baseball game when it is not too cold.
I have met quite a number of Saline county boys since I have been here belonging to the 153rd Ambulance Company.
The worst objection the boys have to this camp is that they don’t see as many pretty girls here as they did at Camp Pike.
Health seems to be improving. We have had only one case of measles and two of mumps in our company since we have been here, but we have not yet had our quarantine removed. We think maybe we will get our for Christmas.
We have the pleasure of watching a sham battle most every day directed by French officers. We happen to be located near a line of trenches.
Last Monday we were given our final examination for tuberculosis.
I am always glad to get The Courier. I like to read all the letters, especially those from Paron.
If this misses the waste basket I will try and write again.
A Private
NOTES: Written by an unidentified Private at Camp Beauregard, Louisiana.
TRANSCRIBED BY KAREN PITTMAN
If you will give me space in your valuable paper I will try and give you a few of the happenings and tell you something about the life of a soldier.
We have first call at five-twenty, reveille at five-thirty-five, mess call at six-twenty, sick call at seven, setting up exercise from eight to eight-fifteen, from eight-fifteen until ten platoon drill or a hike, from ten to eleven a lecture on first aid or duties of an ambulance company. We are dismissed from eleven until one. From one until two we have another lecture and from two till four a little drill or a hike. Some times we hike down to Pineville or Tioga and fall out and go in some cold drink and fruit stand and buy them out and then fall in march back to camp. Some times we just make it back to camp in time for retreat at five thirty. We have Wednesday and Saturday afternoon off. We usually do our washing then and have a baseball game when it is not too cold.
I have met quite a number of Saline county boys since I have been here belonging to the 153rd Ambulance Company.
The worst objection the boys have to this camp is that they don’t see as many pretty girls here as they did at Camp Pike.
Health seems to be improving. We have had only one case of measles and two of mumps in our company since we have been here, but we have not yet had our quarantine removed. We think maybe we will get our for Christmas.
We have the pleasure of watching a sham battle most every day directed by French officers. We happen to be located near a line of trenches.
Last Monday we were given our final examination for tuberculosis.
I am always glad to get The Courier. I like to read all the letters, especially those from Paron.
If this misses the waste basket I will try and write again.
A Private
NOTES: Written by an unidentified Private at Camp Beauregard, Louisiana.
TRANSCRIBED BY KAREN PITTMAN