TRANSCRIBED FROM THE BENTON COURIER OCTOBER 10, 1918 P. 2
Mr. Editor
If you will allow me a little space in the good old Courier, I will try to write a few lines.
The boys are all sick here and about to freeze out. The truck came around this morning leaving more blankets. You should have seen the rookies pushing each other around to get the first pick at them.
We don’t have much to do here for excitement. We had some rough riding here to pass off the time. It is like being in jail to be in this camp now. We can’t go anywhere at all. I haven’t seen any of the boys that I know in two weeks, and it seems like two months. I have a good company, but that isn’t like the old boys you knew at home.
Some of our boys are going to the Officers Training School. Hope they get there and make good.
I got The Courier this morning and see where Mr. White let some of the boys around Grover Cunningham and Fred Dawson; guess that makes them mad, but maybe they will get in yet. The soldier life is the life that will suit you. Of course, you will have to do K.P. some, but you will find that you will like that. I have done a little of everything since I have been here. When they brought me to Camp Pike they lined us up in columns of four and run us through the receiving station and gave us our blue bags. Of course, we didn’t know where we were going next. Then we got orders not to leave the barracks. I stayed there ten days, and was transferred in the ambulance company, and there I remain yet.
We don’t know when we will get to leave here, but hope it will be soon, for we are anxious to get over there and help close this thing down.
Private Henry D. Smith,
Ambulance Company 50
Camp Pike Ark.
NOTES: This letter was written by Henry D. Smith.
TRANSCRIBED LINDA MATTHEWS
Mr. Editor
If you will allow me a little space in the good old Courier, I will try to write a few lines.
The boys are all sick here and about to freeze out. The truck came around this morning leaving more blankets. You should have seen the rookies pushing each other around to get the first pick at them.
We don’t have much to do here for excitement. We had some rough riding here to pass off the time. It is like being in jail to be in this camp now. We can’t go anywhere at all. I haven’t seen any of the boys that I know in two weeks, and it seems like two months. I have a good company, but that isn’t like the old boys you knew at home.
Some of our boys are going to the Officers Training School. Hope they get there and make good.
I got The Courier this morning and see where Mr. White let some of the boys around Grover Cunningham and Fred Dawson; guess that makes them mad, but maybe they will get in yet. The soldier life is the life that will suit you. Of course, you will have to do K.P. some, but you will find that you will like that. I have done a little of everything since I have been here. When they brought me to Camp Pike they lined us up in columns of four and run us through the receiving station and gave us our blue bags. Of course, we didn’t know where we were going next. Then we got orders not to leave the barracks. I stayed there ten days, and was transferred in the ambulance company, and there I remain yet.
We don’t know when we will get to leave here, but hope it will be soon, for we are anxious to get over there and help close this thing down.
Private Henry D. Smith,
Ambulance Company 50
Camp Pike Ark.
NOTES: This letter was written by Henry D. Smith.
TRANSCRIBED LINDA MATTHEWS