TRANSCRIBED FROM THE COLUMBIA BANNER AUGUST 28, 1918 P, 4
Ft. McPherson, Ga.
8-18-18, 11:30 p. m.
My Dear Mrs. Jones:
I’m just back from lunch, so now will endeavor to answer your letter of recent date.
I’m now on night duty and have been here since July 31st. will serve one month. I’m still in love with the work and am getting along nicely.
I have only one patient to-night, a Lieutenant’s wife. When I first went on duty I was in the orthopedic ward, with 80 patients, of course all were not in bed. It makes my heart ache to look at those poor boys that left home in the bloom of manhood and are now crippled for life. No one can imagine what army life is until they get into it. There is so much to be done and you feel that you want to give all you can. I am glad that I’m in the service and hope I may do much good. We have a wonderful Government and a fine President.
All these men who are crippled and disabled are being taught in many lines of work, such as book keeping, stenography, typewriting, scientific farming, etc. and those who are not physically or mentally able to do that are given instructions in knitting sweaters, hand bags, belts, making hammocks, etc. we have women here teaching the reconstruction work. Their uniform is blue with white collar and cuffs, white caps with a touch of blue. We also have dietitians and lady bacteriologists.
We have had about 20 nurses to leave for New York since I came, of course that means France. We never know when we are to be called. The nurses go home for lunch some day and find their name posted and they leave the next night. No time to see loved ones and not allowed to telegraph.
Well you told me to write a letter for the paper. Now, my dear, you know I am not capable of doing such thing, but, if you find any thing in this letter which you could use, why do so. I tried to get some data on the Fort but it seems there is none, so I’ll tell you what I know.
Fort McPherson is a military post established by the U. S. Government in Atlanta at the close of the civil war, to commemorate the gallant Federal Officer, General James McPherson, who fell in the famous battle of July 22, 1864.
It is located 4 miles from the town center and is reached by two lines of railway, the Central of Georgia and the West Point. One of the finest military roads in the South gives direct communication with Atlanta and there is a double track street car line.
The site of the fort is beautiful. We have a large parade ground carpeted with green grass. In the center of this ground is the open air-dome where we have movies four nights in the week and religious services sunday evenings. The ground is bounded on the west by a beautiful entrance gate, fire station, signal corps office, receiving station and Red Cross buildings, on the south by the officer’s homes and nurses’ quarters, on the east by a beautiful woodland, on the north by the wards, “Y” buildings and barracks. The officer’s homes and about half the wards are of brick and painted red, the other wards and the nurses quarters are gray. We have wards named for every letter of the alphabet and then some more. The nurses new home will soon be completed. ‘Tis a two-story structure and every nurse will have a room alone. Near by is being built the reception hall and back of that the nurses infirmary.
The soldiers seem happy and contented, but they should feel that way for everything is done to make it pleasant for them. There are two “Y,” buildings and the Knights of Columbus have just finished a nice hall, bungalow style. All of these buildings have pianos, victrolas, library and desks and all writing material in each. We get mail three or four times daily except Sunday when we get it once. Most of the wards have a victrola and all the writing material.
In the afternoon when there is no drilling the boys have some lively games of baseball. Once in a while they have match games in the baseball park of Atlanta and then there is great excitement.
When the nurses are off duty the time is theirs to spend as they please. Often a crowd gets together and goes on a picnic to Stone Mt. and other places. They go with officers but are not allowed to go with privates.
When we get off night duty (there are 12 of us) we are going somewhere. We do not have time to go now, although some of the girls do go to the city, but it behooves us to get all the sleep we can for we are not suposed to sleep on duty. There is a corps boy on each ward and if the O. D. (officer of the day) finds him asleep he is put in the guard house.
I have met some fine girls and some are rough. Most of the nurses are northern girls and we southern girls are few but we stand our ground.
I have met two sweet christian girls, so when we get off night duty we are going to the churches in the city.
I received a lovely Woodman pin from the Woodman Circle in Shreveport.
I want you all to remember me in your Aid Society for my heart is with you. Pray that I may do much good and return to you all safely.
I do not know when I’ll be sent to France, if at all, but I hope not until next spring.
Oh, I forgot to tell you that when we join the army, we have to take off our Red Cross pin and put on the army pin – the Cadusa. When we start across we have to return cape and caps to the Red Cross headquarters. After the war we can wear our Red Cross pin. Once a Red Cross nurse, always one, unless you wish to withdraw or get a dishonorable discharge. In both cases you give up the pin. To get a dishonorable discharge you have to mis-behave or be incompetent. If you desire to withdraw you can do so without giving an excuse.
An army nurse is only for the duration of the war. We have as many army nurses as the Red Cross.
Write to me when you can. Give my love to all my friends.
Your same old friend.
Belle B. Smith.
NOTES: Army Nurse Belle B. Smith is writing to Mrs. Molly Jones, the wife of W. M. Jones, the editor of the Columbia Banner. Bonnie Belle Bazemore Smith was born on July 5, 1872 in Shreveport, Louisiana (her Red Cross info shows 1878) and died on December 21, 1923. She is buried in the Magnolia City Cemetery in Magnolia, Arkansas. Here headstone includes a large cross with Mercy engraved on it.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT
Ft. McPherson, Ga.
8-18-18, 11:30 p. m.
My Dear Mrs. Jones:
I’m just back from lunch, so now will endeavor to answer your letter of recent date.
I’m now on night duty and have been here since July 31st. will serve one month. I’m still in love with the work and am getting along nicely.
I have only one patient to-night, a Lieutenant’s wife. When I first went on duty I was in the orthopedic ward, with 80 patients, of course all were not in bed. It makes my heart ache to look at those poor boys that left home in the bloom of manhood and are now crippled for life. No one can imagine what army life is until they get into it. There is so much to be done and you feel that you want to give all you can. I am glad that I’m in the service and hope I may do much good. We have a wonderful Government and a fine President.
All these men who are crippled and disabled are being taught in many lines of work, such as book keeping, stenography, typewriting, scientific farming, etc. and those who are not physically or mentally able to do that are given instructions in knitting sweaters, hand bags, belts, making hammocks, etc. we have women here teaching the reconstruction work. Their uniform is blue with white collar and cuffs, white caps with a touch of blue. We also have dietitians and lady bacteriologists.
We have had about 20 nurses to leave for New York since I came, of course that means France. We never know when we are to be called. The nurses go home for lunch some day and find their name posted and they leave the next night. No time to see loved ones and not allowed to telegraph.
Well you told me to write a letter for the paper. Now, my dear, you know I am not capable of doing such thing, but, if you find any thing in this letter which you could use, why do so. I tried to get some data on the Fort but it seems there is none, so I’ll tell you what I know.
Fort McPherson is a military post established by the U. S. Government in Atlanta at the close of the civil war, to commemorate the gallant Federal Officer, General James McPherson, who fell in the famous battle of July 22, 1864.
It is located 4 miles from the town center and is reached by two lines of railway, the Central of Georgia and the West Point. One of the finest military roads in the South gives direct communication with Atlanta and there is a double track street car line.
The site of the fort is beautiful. We have a large parade ground carpeted with green grass. In the center of this ground is the open air-dome where we have movies four nights in the week and religious services sunday evenings. The ground is bounded on the west by a beautiful entrance gate, fire station, signal corps office, receiving station and Red Cross buildings, on the south by the officer’s homes and nurses’ quarters, on the east by a beautiful woodland, on the north by the wards, “Y” buildings and barracks. The officer’s homes and about half the wards are of brick and painted red, the other wards and the nurses quarters are gray. We have wards named for every letter of the alphabet and then some more. The nurses new home will soon be completed. ‘Tis a two-story structure and every nurse will have a room alone. Near by is being built the reception hall and back of that the nurses infirmary.
The soldiers seem happy and contented, but they should feel that way for everything is done to make it pleasant for them. There are two “Y,” buildings and the Knights of Columbus have just finished a nice hall, bungalow style. All of these buildings have pianos, victrolas, library and desks and all writing material in each. We get mail three or four times daily except Sunday when we get it once. Most of the wards have a victrola and all the writing material.
In the afternoon when there is no drilling the boys have some lively games of baseball. Once in a while they have match games in the baseball park of Atlanta and then there is great excitement.
When the nurses are off duty the time is theirs to spend as they please. Often a crowd gets together and goes on a picnic to Stone Mt. and other places. They go with officers but are not allowed to go with privates.
When we get off night duty (there are 12 of us) we are going somewhere. We do not have time to go now, although some of the girls do go to the city, but it behooves us to get all the sleep we can for we are not suposed to sleep on duty. There is a corps boy on each ward and if the O. D. (officer of the day) finds him asleep he is put in the guard house.
I have met some fine girls and some are rough. Most of the nurses are northern girls and we southern girls are few but we stand our ground.
I have met two sweet christian girls, so when we get off night duty we are going to the churches in the city.
I received a lovely Woodman pin from the Woodman Circle in Shreveport.
I want you all to remember me in your Aid Society for my heart is with you. Pray that I may do much good and return to you all safely.
I do not know when I’ll be sent to France, if at all, but I hope not until next spring.
Oh, I forgot to tell you that when we join the army, we have to take off our Red Cross pin and put on the army pin – the Cadusa. When we start across we have to return cape and caps to the Red Cross headquarters. After the war we can wear our Red Cross pin. Once a Red Cross nurse, always one, unless you wish to withdraw or get a dishonorable discharge. In both cases you give up the pin. To get a dishonorable discharge you have to mis-behave or be incompetent. If you desire to withdraw you can do so without giving an excuse.
An army nurse is only for the duration of the war. We have as many army nurses as the Red Cross.
Write to me when you can. Give my love to all my friends.
Your same old friend.
Belle B. Smith.
NOTES: Army Nurse Belle B. Smith is writing to Mrs. Molly Jones, the wife of W. M. Jones, the editor of the Columbia Banner. Bonnie Belle Bazemore Smith was born on July 5, 1872 in Shreveport, Louisiana (her Red Cross info shows 1878) and died on December 21, 1923. She is buried in the Magnolia City Cemetery in Magnolia, Arkansas. Here headstone includes a large cross with Mercy engraved on it.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT