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July 1, 1917
July 4, 1917
July 8, 1917
July 15, 1917
July 22, 1917
July 22, 1917R
July 29, 1917
Letters to Eva, July 1917
Dear Mother,
This week just gone by marks the middle week of the camp; my
chief thought in connection with it is a hope that at the end
of another six weeks I'll know more than twice as much more how
to be a lieutenant than I do now. We have been introduced to
a brand new subject this last week, to last thru this, and about
the hardest thing I have had yet; this is map sketching. There
are two kinds of sketches, position sketches and road sketches;
its the former we have been working on, three hours a day, this
last week. We are given a certain area to map out to scale, indicating
slope by contour lines, indicating roads, telegraph lines, trees,
houses, and many other things by standard signs used in the U.S.Army
for the purpose. We are equipped with a board, in which a compass
is set, & from which is suspended a 6 in.long triangular
piece of wood, around which is wrapped paper with various scales
- known technically as an alidade, but more popularly as an Adelaide.
I guess I won't attempt to describe the details of how we work
it; its job enough to do it. I guess we've been quite a trial
to automobilists & wagons, for there are certain "critical
points" on the road where a large number will be gathered
together at a time, trying to get accurate sight with the alidade
across the board in the exact direction to be traveled , or trying
to get the board "oriented", that is, get it into the
position where the compass needle points exactly north, - at
least, intent on something we don't want to be disturbed in,
and horns may be blown till doomsday, for they don't move anybody.
The only force to whom one gives right of way is a railway train,
of the approach of which we have ample warning, if we are working
on the track.
I got two bull's eyes on Wednesday's shooting, but I didn't shoot
consistantly well, so the total score wasn't any improvement
on previous ones. We have had two very interesting mornings of
field work, or terrain exercises, as they are called, this last
week, one a problem in attack, the other a broblem in defence;
I think I have gotten more out of these terrain exercises than
anything we have had. Major Tibbotts, who conducts them, is a
very good instructor, & Incidentally a man of pleasing personality,
& one who commands your attention because his voice or personality
or something about him makes you like to hear him talk; that's
my experience, at least. Then because the problems are worked
out right on the ground, they mean very much more than the principles
which they embody do when just read in the abstract out of the
Field Service Regulations.
The Saturday evening entertainments are being constantly enlarged,
and now performers are being brought up from New York every week.
Last night they had a very good bill, including a hoop-roller,
two strong men in some quite marvelous gymnastic feats, a comedy
skit or two, singers, a boxing match, and two chaps with a silly
but amusing dancing act - these last when they were thru told
the audience it might call for any dance it wanted and they would
do it; someone in the rear shouted to them to do the St.Vitus',
but I noticed they took somebody else's choice. They have added
Sunday evening entertainments, too. I think the last two weeks
they have had moving pictures and music by the post band, but
tonight Sousa's band is on the schedule, with an entertainment
by various members of the Lamb's Club, famous stage artists;
and next Sunday evening, as I have heard, the Boston Symphony
Orchestra is to be here! I certainly hope it's true. They are
charging admission for the entertainment, but only 25 [cents],
and that carries you in both Saturday & Sunday evenings.
I have never heard Sousa, and so am looking forward especially
to hearing him to-night.
This morning I took quite a long walk with Tom Beers, and another
fellow that worked at Pierson's & is up here - his name is
Cotterelli (or something like that). We went up to the Hotel
Champlain [the word "trenches" is crossed out and overwritten]
grounds (somebody behind me was just talking trenches, that's
why I made the error); to see men around up there in their comfortable
white flannels & civilized blue serge coats, made our tight
fitting uniforms seem suddenly many times tighter. We got the
view there, and then walked back into the road & out into
the country.
Yes, there are quite a number of distinctive camp songs we regale
ourselves with when on the march, in the barracks, and at other
appropriate places. Co.4 has a song all it's own about the "finest
little company
"That ever did squads right and ran into a tree" [note
- I think "squads right" is a command]; something the
rest or most of the rest don't seem to have. The popular tune
in vogue a few summers ago, "I Want to Be in Dixie,"
has come back with some new words about wanting to be at least
a colonel and give the majors and captains "hell".
"Tipperary" is very popular, also one called "Pack
up your Troubles in Your old Kit-Bag and Smile, Smile, Smile,"
a popular song which maybe you've heard. There's a new song,
called "Over There" which is superseding them all;
its a good one, and will be, I think perhaps, the [note - "the"
is underlined] war song for our present war.
It looks as though the Stars and Stripes would be covering their
little share of the Western front pretty soon. We're surely all
glad the troops got over so successfully, and hope those who
follow will get across in as good shape.
We have a piano here in Co.4 barracks, but I haven't played except
for a short period a couple of times. Popular music seems to
have the call, and I'm not an artist with it; hear more than
enough of that style without adding my contribution. I think
I'll go up and try "Over There" sometime when I think
of it & there aren't too many folks around.
Everyone says I look as though I'd gained 10 pounds since I came
here, but according to my physical exam, I think I have gained
2 1/2. If I remember rightly I weighed 144 in N.Y.; & the
figure was 146 1/2 here. There's scarcely ever difficulty in
getting enough to eat. I have an unenviable reputation as the
biggest eater in the company; it naturally does no good to vow
I'm usually the last to leave the mess hall because I eat slowly,
but I think that's three-quarters of the story.
I don't believe there is a thing I need in toilet articles, thank
you. I have a celluloid soap case, which I brought up with me.
Every man in camp received a full tube of complimentary Kolynos
[Note - toothpaste, for anyone who doesn't remember that brand]
a while ago, so I don''t need any of that. If you could get the
Times of the 3rd & 10th of June, of course it would be fine,
but don't go to any trouble to do it. I don't know whether thee
vaccination took or not; it was a little sore and itchy for about
three days, and since then I haven't heard from it. That was
everyone's experience.
I don't know what the hot weather was the newspapers spoke of.
It hasn't been uncomfortably hot at all yet; we have had a few
days on the border line this past week, and I presume July &
August will furnish their full quota. It surely would be nice
if it were so you could spend a week-end here; each Sunday brings
more and more visitors, which makes the unvisited ones wish they
weren't quite so far away from home.
Thank you for the good things sent along last week. I passed
around the oatmeal wafers to two or three, who seemed to like
them very much. When you send back my laundry this week, please
include one of my larger bath towels; I use the smaller size
for hand & face towels and the other for bath towels - I
usually get in three or four showers a week in the early morning,
which is the best time of day for showers & shaving because
the lavatory building is then the least crowded.
It seems to be setting in for a rainy evening, which doesn't
augur well for the entertainment. Perhaps they'll be able to
fix up the gymnasium in time, but of course they can't use the
outside seats if it rains.
Wednesday of course we have a holiday but I don't know what's
on the docket. The next holiday will I hope will last for a couple
of weeks after the end of camp.
With much love to you & all
Sylvester.
to: George S. Butler, Esq
Connecticut Mutual Bldg.
Hartford, Conn.
Dear Dad,
Your letter and check were received O.K. last week; thank you
very much. It's not very businesslike to be acknowledging it
a week late, but I hardly took a minute to myself all last week,
and Sunday I couldn't finally get at it. We were finally paid
Saturday up to May 31st.
You surely would have sprung a surprise on me if you had appeared
up here last week. I wish it were so you could come up and see
me & the camp readily. Some Sunday I am going over to Burlington
with Burke & Briggs, and if you should by any chance ever
come without my knowing it beforehand and not find me, you'll
find a message on my bunk that I've gone there, with directions
as to how to get over.
Candidates are getting more & more frequent chances to show
what they can do as commanders, and I have had two in the last
week and a half. Mr.Ally, one of the older men in the platoon
complimented me on what I did yesterday, but how the captain
has me labelled in his notebook might be another story. If I
can make military precision more and more a part of second nature,
I feel reasonably confident that I can take charge of drills
satisfactorily. I've had a hard time with map sketching, and
haven't gotten a good conception of the thing yet, particularly
the matter of contours; am of course very slow at it too, and
the two record sketches we've had to hand in I haven't anywhere
near finished. I haven't gotten good scores on the rifle range
yet either - 26,20,21,21 out of 50 at 200, 300, 500, & 600
yds., respectively; then 19 out of 25 back at 200, using battle
sight (sight leaf down), which wasn't quite so bad. Yesterday
I had a bad day at 300 yds., using battle site, with only 19
out of 50; but I got an opportunity to shoot ten more shots which
weren't a matter of record, however, and made 40. So, I can do
better.
There is a lawyer from Hartford by the name of McCook now in
the company. His mother was a Butler, and he is a descendant
of Deacon Richard. Do you know him, I wonder? A quite short man,
perhaps 35 years old.
There are a great number of visitors up here to-day, and I suppose
Plattsburg will be quite a social center all summer.
Affectionately yours
Sylvester.
[Note- Deacon Richard Butler is our direct Butler line, there
being a second Butler line, of which Elnathan was a part. El's
daughter Anna married Sylvester Butler, and they had George Henry,
who had George Sylvester, who had Sylvester Benjamin. Deacon
Richard came to America in 1633, first to Cambridge, MA, then
to Hartford, CT with Rev.Thomas Hooker. He had 3 daughters and
5 sons and we descend from 2 of the sons, Joseph, who is the
direct line, and Samuel who was a secondary line. Elnathan descended
from a John Butler, born about 1653, who settled in the New London
area.]
Dear Mother,
My brain seems to move more or less at a standstill this morning,
as I have spent at least an hour on a very short letter to Mr.Wachter.
I guess it must be a typhus fever innoculation I got yesterday;
it's given most everyone a fine sore left arm (lame from shoulder
to wrist), and I presume is likely to affect the rest of the
body. We have to get stuck for three successive weeks for this
innoculation the same as for typhoid and yesterday's was only
the first. We ought to be pretty immune from disease by the time
the camp is over. I've heard it hinted that the next innoculations
will be against sunburn and toothache. [Note - I think he was
right about his brain at a "standstill" and in the
following paragraphs I am putting in brackets what I think he
means for a couple of obvious misspellings]
The performance of the Lamb's Club Sunday evening was very entertaining.
Before it was half over it began to rain by showers, so that
the band had to scuttle, and we didn't hear much of it. The crowd
stuck for the most part, and the majority had provided themselves
with protection; I had my poncho with me. The entertainers were
an aggregation of well known stage men like DeWolf Hopper &
Raymond Hitchcock. Besides their stunts, four well known cartoonists
- among them Goldberg of the New York Evening Mail, who used
to draw those "Foolish Questions" cartoons, and more
recently the "It Ain't Right, Oswald" pictures, and
Geo. McManus, who makes the newlyweds and Rosie's Beau pictures
for the Sunday comics - those men drew pictures while the crowd
looked on.
Fourth of July evening we had a camp talent performance, which
was good for the most part but too long drawn out. A near riot
was started at the very beginning when a group of singers from
one New England company was on the stage and started a song to
the tune of the Battle Hymn of the Republic which went something
like this: "New England will be leading when we're marching
up the Rhine New York will be the read guard and will follow
far behind" I said "started" - they finished it,
too, but you couldn't hear much of it. From then on the New York
representatives were cheered vociferously by the New York part
of the audience everytime they came on the stage, and New Englanders
by New Englanders; also the New Yorkers in the audience started
a chorus beginning "Lord, have mercy on New England"
but they never had a chance to finish. I think in general New
England had the best of it in the sound combat.
Last night it rained pitchforks in the early evening, so that
the scheduled vaudeville performance took place in the gymnasium.
It was the best one yet, except the Lambs, of course. There was
a very skillful juggler starting the bill, who juggled with knives,
and all sorts of things. And there were two of the cleverest
acrobats I ever saw, who by the way didn't dress in athletic
uniforms but in full dress, and one wore a monocle all the time
he was doing his stunts; imagine for instance, one man grabbing
another, the latter being tossed over the former's head, taking
a complete somersault, and landing on the other man's back, his
hands on his shoulders, and his feet along the other man's hips,
help [held?] up by the latter's hands. Well this is the kind
of thing they were doing, and usually after they completed some
crazy stunt like this one would grab a cigar out of the other's
mouth & put it in his own & take a puff, as though he'd
done nothing at all. There were two singing acts and a little
playlet called "Findin's Keepin's", also a little pleasant
nonsense from a couple of black-faced comedians. Some woman singer
is going to be here tonight; I've forgotten what her name his
[is?]. The Boston Symphony rumor must have been a false alarm.
I spent a quiet Forth, among other things making a very poor
attempt at washing one of my government pair of breeches. It
was such a poor attempt that I sent them home with the laundry
to be washed again. I hadn't missed the nickel I accidently left
in the other trousers, so I can't be credited with any generous
intention toward the laundress.
Map sketching ended the day before the Fourth, but I've been
expecting the schedule would be altered so as to give us some
more, after some of the sketches handed in had been looked over.
The new work we have started this week hasbeen bayonet drill,
which is the most strenuous physical exercise of anything we
have had. Tuesday our squad had to show what we could do as commanders
at company drill.
Tom Beers had told me about Margaret Pierson's keeping her own
name. If Foster can stand for that, I should think he could stand
for anything. [note - Dad is pretty sure that this is Mrs. Foster
who taught Kindergarten in Cromwell, which means she decided
at some point to change her name to that of her husband.]
I don't think I showed in either of the postals I sent last week.
I'm sending one to Lucinthia today in which I appear, also Burke.
This afternoon I'm going to take a walk with Ralph Gabriel, or
expect to, anyway. I had a nice letter from Cousin Anna this
week. I had a letter also from Miss Dagnall of Portland, and
she said it was reported that Avery Hallock had been killed;
do you know anything about the report? Thank you ever so much
for the writing paper and cookies, and I feel quite honored to
have the first nasturtium.
With much love to you and all
Sylvester.
Dear Mother,
Goodness! you have been having some experiences, indeed! I do
hope Aunt Lucy won't have to suffer long from her injury, and
can be around on her feet again. And Raymond is certainly getting
lots more than his share.
I have some fine sore muscles in my left arm again today after
the second typhus inoculation, but it hasn't affected me all
over as last week.
I saw by yesterday's New York Times that the National Guard from
all the New England states was going into camp at Charlotte,
N.C., so it looks as though Ralph had a long journey before him.
I hope it won't be too frightfully hot down there. Ralph wrote
me last week about wrist watches; please tell him that if he
can get one he believes to be good for me while he's getting
one himself, I'd be very glad to have him do so, and appreciate
it. I'll need to have one.
Our practice on the rifle range ended this week. I wish we were
to have more, so that I could improve on my record, as I feel
that I could with practice. The last four or five shooting days
were at rapid-fire practice at different ranges; this means that
the ten shots have to be fired in a specified time, one minute
at 200 yards, a minute & ten seconds at 300 yards, a minute
and twenty seconds at 500 yards. My showing in this was much
poorer than the slow-fire, where we could take all the time we
wanted on each shot. We had target practice with the pistol this
week, too, the targets are only 10 yards away but it isn't as
easy to hit them as one might think.
Two of our mornings at field work this week have been manoeuvres
of forces against each other. They're not sham battles; in fact
we were distinctly told by the major of our battalion (normally
four companies, but only two for the purposes of the exercise)
that they should not "degenerate" into sham battles;
though the attacking force is provided with blank ammunition.
But the main purpose of them is practice in patrolling to get
information of the enemy, and in making dispositions of troops
in accordance with the information received, one side taking
the attack, the other the defense, and each being given a general
situation to start out with. Different candidates act as leaders
from day to day, but I haven't had anything to do yet except
act as signal man for the fourth platoon on the morning we had
the defense. That morning's manoeuvres were reported in some
Boston paper as a severe engagement which resulted in our force
being driven across the Saranac river. I notice from time to
time a number of curious narratives about Plattsburg life in
the daily papers. This next week I believe most of the field
work is to consist in digging trenches; and one night we are
to be out away from the camp all night, starting out at one and
getting back at twelve the next day, taking our full packs along,
pitching tents, cooking meals, and establishing outposts, just
like a regular body of troops on the march. It ought to be pretty
good fun, I should think.
Our afternoons are at present occupied with a new subject known
as Battle Fire Training. This consists of a great many subdivisions,
of which we have thus far had Determination of Ranges and Target
Designation. The work consists of both study and practice outdoors.
Under Determination of Ranges we study different methods for
estimating distances to any named target, and then have exercises
in it. I have usually been able to come reasonably close. Target
Designation includes the study of standard methods for indicating
the location of targets, so that subordinates and men may understand
without question what is meant. And in this, as in all our work,
the point of view of teaching us how to teach others is maintained.
Evening study is now on the manual of Courts-Martial; as any
officer is eligible to sit on a court-martial we must know about
its organization, procedure, rules of evidence, and so on. So
you see, I am not only trying to be a soldier but a lawyer.
Company 4, and others, were somewhat disturbed this week by new
discharges. One morning without warning twelve of our men were
notified to report to the commanding officer and were told that
they were relieved from further duty, for various reasons, in
general, that they were not believed to possess the qualifications
requisite in an officer. Eight of our men were reinstated, though,
after they had talked with our "skipper", Captain VanHorn,
who is surely very just and will give a man every chance that's
due him. Many of the men were men one wouldn't dream of, and
it made everybody uneasy and shaky. Phil Buzzell was one of the
eight who were first to be discharged but were reinstated. He
was the biggest surprise of any, for he is a very level headed
and very smart fellow, and I think he will make a fine officer.
But I learn that his trouble was not a matter of ability, but
a constitutional stoop to his shoulders, and a poor voice for
commanding. I'm mighty glad he was allowed to stay.
I took a walk with Ralph Gabriel last Sunday, and he took a picture
of me out in the pine grove south of the camp, where, by the
way, I am writing at present, on a field desk which was used
when we had gallery practice out here. The picture came out pretty
well, I thought, and I am having half a dozen extra ones printed.
[note- in AEF Scrap Book] I have a postcard I'll send somebody
at the house today, which shows us getting a little drill in
handling the pistol [note- also in AEF-SB as well as other postcard
pictures of aspects of training he talks about]. We don't have
enough to go around, so some have to watch while others work.
The photographer happened to catch us as I was watching. The
picture was taken right back of the barracks, and as you see
more of me than in the other you probably won't think I look
very thin. Our squad had its picture taken on the range a few
days ago, and all are getting fair sized ones to keep as momentoes
of each other. It's very poor of myself and Neeld, but is pretty
good of the rest. [AEF-SB 8x10 and I think it's pretty good of
all of them. Everyone signature is on the back, but people aren't
identified individually so I'm not sure who Neeld is. He could
be talking about one fellow with his hat pulled a little low,
which might also be his objection to his own picture.]
It is very interesting to follow up this new situation that is
developing in Germany, and I have become somewhat more attentive
to the daily paper for the past week, stealing twenty minutes
or so out of the free hour in the afternoon. I think it's early
to make predictions as to the outcome.
The laundry didn't reach me until Saturday noon, but I got it
right back to you in the afternoon, so hope you get it in time
Monday morning. The doughnuts kept pretty fresh, and tasted first
rate. Don't send any Alumni Weeklies or Current Histories along.
We were paid yesterday again, up to June 30. I am keeping my
money in a safe deposit box at the camp Y.M.C.A.; it seemed the
best plan to me to keep it here, as I might need it before I
go, for uniform and various impedimenta, and of course I didn't
want to carry it all around with me, and there would be no purpose
served in banking it for this short time.
I don't hear much of any Pleasantville news; I haven't heard
from the Winches since I acknowledged their sending my trunk
home, and I haven't heard a word from Joe Davis, up in May's
Landing - I'm scared to death lest he got himself into trouble
spouting off his mouth about his pet antipathy - England and
the English. The best toast I could get from Davis and Carey
before I left was "the safe return of Butler but the discomfiture
of England" or words to that effect. I had a letter from
Ephraim Mitchell, one of my Freshman boys, who lives in Absecon,
yesterday. He's been writing to two or three camps trying to
find where I was; he had to leave school early in May on account
of ill health so didn't see me at the end just before I came
here. He was a splendid boy - sixteen and over grown - one on
whom you knew you could depend - direct, honest, and manly; I
thought a great deal of him, and was surely glad to hear from
him. Eva is in Philadelphia living with an uncle and aunt in
Highland Park, one of the suburbs ; I judge that they are pretty
well-to-do people [Note- Dad says this would be Harvey &
Amelia Battersby and they weren't all that well to do, just comfortable].
She is taking a summer-school course at the University of Pennsylvania,
and is going to take the kindergarten teachers' examination in
the fall, if I have the "dope" correctly. She and Miss
Tolbert have been working in an office together, too. They see
quite a little of each other and go out on lots of little trips
together. Eva finds pleasant acquaintances out near her aunt's
home; she tells me more about two little cousins and other kiddies
in the neighborhood than anyone, for she is very fond of small
children, and they of her. She writes most entertainingly and
originally.
Some poor chap who was in the hospital when we had map making
has just come by and interrupted me for several minutes. I was
thankful, though, that I was able to give him some assistance,
for I had a decided fellow feeling for his mental haze.
I am making a practice of signing out Sunday night suppers now,
as the menu is inevitably bologna and cheese. I usually go to
a restaurant down town with Mr. Short, and consume something
more edible. I run across Tom Beers quite often - had ice cream
& a long chat with him yesterday.
With much love to you and all,
Sylvester
[Another "for your eyes only" insert in with this letter]
Dear Mother,
I don't care who knows this, but perhaps I'd better write the
details just for the immediate family. I have resigned my teaching
job. You know I wrote some time ago that the Doctor agreed to
keep open the position until at least July 1st, in case anything
should develop making it possible for me to teach, such as indications
of peace, or of my receiving a commission at the end of camp,
but not being called into immediate service. I had a letter from
him the early part of the week, asking me what my decision was
and urging me to decide to come back. (As if it were for me to
decide!) So I wrote him that as there was no likelihood of any
of the developments mentioned transpiring to make it possible
for me to teach, and as even if I didn't secure a commission
I should seek some other form of active military service until
the war was over, I had decided to resign. There would have been
no point in holding him off any longer, and he might just as
well have the time to pick as good a successor as he can get.
I can use his name as a reference any time, and with a year's
experience behind me, together with the fact that I was reelected,
I shouldn't have much difficulty in placing myself satisfactorily
when the war is over. I don't believe I ever told you, did I,
that I was to have been vice-principal of the High School next
year, and acting principal whenever the Doctor was away. Just
after I came back from New York & before I got your telegram
he told me that was what he had planned.
I received a reply from the Dr. yesterday with regrets &
best wishes, and last night sent off my formal resignation to
the Board. I thought probably the easiest thing to tell anybody
who asked was that I had resigned in July as I saw no chance
of the war being over & being able to teach. Any other details
you want to throw in you can. Being decidedly brainless this
morning, I'll let you make the selection.
With much love
Sylvester
Dear Mother,
There are two or three things I want to ask to have done before
I forget it. The first is to have someone find out if they can
what my red ink draft number was, and in what order it was drawn;
I think that will be posted up in Cromwell. If my name is among
those drawn for the first contingent, I suppose I'll have to
go thru some technicalities at once in order to have my name
exempted, on ground that I'm already in the military service
of the government. What those technicalities are, I don't know,
but I presume there will be some special arrangements for men
at these camps, which will be announced to us. I suppose the
exemption boards will have their hands full.
Another thing I would like is to have you send with the laundry
some old torn pair of B.V.D.'s; it makes pretty good gun-cleaning
cloth, just as good, I imagine as the cloth one buys for the
purpose. I have been buying cloths, and patches for cleaning
out the barrel, and it occurred to me that I might save a nickel
this way.
We took our overnight hike on Monday and Tuesday instead of Tuesday
and Wednesday. The 4th and 5th companies went out together (the
5th is the company Payson Hayward of Middletown is in, also "Nubs"
Blanchard, Yale'13 and Zete). Our equipment consisted of rifles
and belts and full regulations army pack. This weighs about fifty
pounds and includes a half-tent, usually spoken of as a shelter-half,
one's poncho, a blanket, cooking utensils & food containers
with rations, toilet articles, change of clothing, and intrenching
shovel. We started out at one o'clock in the afternoon, and walked
northward nine miles, arriving at the encampment place, a large
grove by the side of the road, about four o'clock. Then we undid
our packs and pitched tents; as I said, each man has a half-tent,
so that two men button their halves together, and with the necessary
poles & pins make shelter enough for two to sleep under,
and for the equipment carried. After that we got stones and firewood
together and built our fires for supper. The rations we were
furnished & carried - to cover both supper and breakfast
- included bacon, potatoes, onion, coffee, sugar, salt, and pepper
and a loaf of bread. It was the general custom to fry the bacon
first and then the potatoes (and onions for them as will eat'em)
in the bacon fat. The results for me were perfect, and I made
two very tasty meals. I suppose it wasn't quite playing the game
to the limit but I carried along two large cakes of Baker's [note-
chocolate, I assume] as well - to do this was, from appearances,
the rule rather than the exception. Nobody had to stay on outpost
against an imaginary enemy all night, as I had supposed would
be the case; we just worked on an outpost problem, and acted
it out, for a couple of hours in the evening, then it was all
over. I couldn't get very comfortable for sleeping purposes,
and was glad enough to see the morning come. We got up at six
- or were supposed to; for it must have been about half past
four when I began to hear chopping and there must have been about
two-thirds of the men up when the bugle blew, while the other
third grumbled and growled about "this blamed bunch of Boy
Scouts." After breakfast I tried to get my utensils cleaned
down at a nearby stream, but didn't find enough sand or have
enough time to do a thorough job so that I wrapped the frying
pan in an undershirt rather than dirty the place it goes in on
my pack, with results that you may have noticed in my laundry.
We cleaned up the camp, or policed it, as the army term goes,
made up our packs, had a conference, then started back about
half-past eight, arriving in camp a half hour before noon. I
came thru first rate; of course tired, but without any foot blisters
to amount to anything; many suffered a good deal in this way.
Wednesday and Thursday mornings we dug trenches, which is hot
work. A whole system of trenches was dug, different companies
taking different sections; they were worked out on the general
system in vogue on the Western Front at the present time. A Pathe's
Weekly Moving picture man took us at it, and how the dirt did
fly while his machine was going! We also went thru the motions
of mopping the brow for the benefit of your motion picture audiences
back home, and George Clarkson, our company humorist, did a few
comics with a sand bag.
In connection with our study of court-martials, we have had two
mock trials this week, Wednesday and Thursday evenings. The first
one was a continual laugh, in which Clarkson was the prisoner
and was alleged to have been drunk - the defense was that he
had been simulating drunkenness to pay off a bet on a game of
golf, and he explained away testimony as to his having a breath,
by an alleged alcohol bath taken for his blisters on the return
from the hike. It was full of all sorts of hits, and the skipper
seemed to enjoy it; and we learned not a little from it. It would
have been too much of a good thing of course to do the same thing
the second time, and it was serious thruout.
Last evening I went down town for supper and then went around
to a place I had heard spoken of as the historic DeLord House
- a sort of private museum. It's a very interesting old place,
both from historical associations and from the old fashioned
things kept there. It was the headquarters of the British army
for five days before the battle of Plattsburg, in September,
1814; as the British had to evacuate it in rather a hurry, they
left behind an officers' mess chest full of silver; this chest
is still there, on exhibit. President Monroe visited the house
on July 26, 1817, just a hundred years ago this week; and I believe
several other notables have visited the place in days past. The
house is full of ancient things which belonged to the DeLord
family, old chairs, old furniture of all sorts, a 200 year old
upright clock, a saddle that was in use in the Civil War by some
member of the family. A very peculiar thing was a painting of
a scene in Havre, France, including the town clock. Where the
clock face should be in the picture was an actual little clock
face; and behind this when you lifted up the frame & picture
was all the mechanism of a clock; it keeps time, too, by the
way. There are some lovely old shrubs in front, among them two
giant lilac bushes, taller than the house, which are at least
a hundred years old. In the rear is an old- fashioned garden
with many flowers growing from bulbs decades & decades old,
brought over originally from England & France. I noticed
especially a flower called London Pride, of an orange color,
something like a phlox, something like a verbena. Out in the
shed in back is an old one-hoss shay. A Mrs. Tuttle, president
of the local historical society, who lives near, and is interested
in keeping up the place, conducted me thru, and made it an interesting
little excursion.
I am surely glad that Aunt Lucy is so much better. I have enjoyed
getting her letter and Aunt Sarah's this week. Thank Aunt Sarah
very much for the oranges and for the birthday cake. The little
squib was very good; it did indeed remind me of early experiences
here. It will be strange to think of Ralph being so far away.
With much love to you and all,
Sylvester.
Dear Ralph,
I wonder if you start off for Charlotte right away this week,
or wait around Hartford for awhile. I believe the papers said
you folks were going to travel in day coaches, so I expect you
won't be sorry when the journey ends. I am told it's not so frightfully
hot in the region of Charlotte; I don't have a very clear idea
of its location, but as I recall it the place is well in from
the seaboard and probably on fairly high ground,
I suppose you have many experiences ahead of you similar to mine
of the last ten weeks, and I'll be interested especially to hear
of them if you have time, from the viewpoint of such a comparison.
If things aren't in any better readiness for you than this place
was for us when we came, life will probably seem one line after
another, as I've heard it expressed - lines at the post-office
window, lines at the quartermaster's window, lines in front of
one street hydrant supplying water for several hundred men; perhaps
you'll have, too, the Saturday afternoon lines waiting for Typhoid
innoculations, vaccinations, and soon. Here they allow fifteen
minutes to jab a company, & so companies are scheduled to
appear at the dispensary at intervals of that length. As a matter
of fact it takes nearer three-quarters of an hour, with the result
that there are hundreds of men in line at one time. We went out
yesterday for our last para-typhoid shot at two o'clock; I got
my shot at four, and so it goes. Probably you'll find the army,
too, the greatest place for gossip and rumors that ever existed;
somebody will have it straight that you're going to the Mexican
border, somebody else will have it straight that you'll celebrate
Christmas in Paris or Cork or somewhere. How many will get commissions,
when they will get them, how the skipper is picking them out,
and so on, furnishes a basis for countless varied stories which
furnish the principal zest to life at this camp.
Here's wishing you the best of luck and good health in the Charlotte
camp, and as restful a journey as possible down there. Write
me when you can - here until Aug.11th; after then one can never
tell; they might send me down to Fort Myer to the second camp
for another three months before I can put any insignia on my
collar. I suppose that wouldn't [be] so frightfully far from
you. Binky writes that he's signed up for it, and I hope that
he'll be able to make it.
Be good.
As ever,
Syl
Thanks for writing about the wristwatch & for whatever you've
done about it.
Dear Mother - also Aunt Sarah, Aunt Lucy,
Aunt Elizabeth, Father, Ralph and Lucinthia,
I am ever so much obliged to you all for the fine birthday remembrances,
the useful and handsome wrist watch, the letters, and to Aunt
Lucy for the stamps, and cards, and big chocolate lumps, and
to mother, or whomever it is I should thank, for the Baker's.
I wish I might have the time to thank you all individually.
This last week has been a scorcher from start to finish; from
all reports it's been that way everywhere. It is a great deal
cooler today, however, and I hope this augurs more civilized
weather for the coming week. We spent two fine hot mornings at
trench building but we work in 20 minute shifts, so that it isn't
particularly fatiguing. We have had some more rifle firing on
the range this week, but not anything that shows individual records;
it is what is known as combat firing practice, which involves
all the necessary things to be done before going into & while
in action - getting troops to the firing line, sending out patrols,
estimating range, designating target, division of portions of
the target (a line of figures across where the targets were in
individual rifle practice) among the various platoons & then
among the squads, etc. The first morning, Monday, it involved
merely firing by platoons from one position at a designated target,
when it appeared, ten rounds of ammunition. Wednesday morning
the whole company was on the firing line together, supplied with
sixty rounds of ammunition; fired first from 600 yards, then
at a prescribed signals were ordered by the proper leaders to
cease firing & led to a new position, opened fire again,
and so on thru ten or a dozen advances. As No.1 man in the rear
rank in my squad it was my job to fall in action after the second
rush, and play dead until it was finished. I never found resting
such hot work; it was out in a blazing sun and just before noon.
Another new feature of warfare in which we are now getting instruction
is the throwing of hand grenades, which have become so important
in the present war. They have to be thrown very carefully and
with a special straight arm overhead swing; we only use dummies,
of course. The practice has consisted mostly in trying to throw
them into a trench from varying distances away; there is quite
a knack to it, which doesn't come easily. For study at present
we are taking up the Rules of Land Warfare, which our Teutonic
adversaries have made more or less extinct.
What Bubier and Ralph Gabriel received were recommendations for
appointment as provisional second lieutenants in the regular
army. About 18 or 20 men have been so recommended from each company,
the selections being made from those who signified a desire for
such an appointment. They will be called into service with the
regular army, as vacancies occur, provided they pass certain
special examinations. There were a large number from our company
who applied, & it speaks well for Gabriel that he was selected.
I think that the fate of all the rest of us in regard to commissions
has already been decided. Some think we shall know this week,
and others that we'll not know until Aug.15th, the date when
the camp will close. This date of closing was officially announced
this last week; the original schedule only outlined training
to the 11th (a week from next Saturday) and I presume the extra
days will be for turning in equipment, and in other ways getting
ready to leave. Those who are commissioned & assigned to
service will then be free until Aug 27th when they must report
to their regiments.
Last Sunday afternoon I took an excursion trip with Mr. Short
on the lake. "Sailing North among the Islands" is the
way the trip is described on the posters. It was needless to
say a very pretty ride.
I'll be interested to hear how the Wednesday evening entertainment
came out; I'm sure it must have been good - particularly the
execution of the Manual of Arms with hoes by the Home Gardiners'
Guard, which Lucinthia told me about. I'll have to begin practicing
the manual of the wrist watch - 1st count, pull up the sleeve,
2nd count, look at it, 3rd count, bring it up to your ear, 4th
count, back to the side smartly.
Thank you for sending all the things I wanted. I was glad to
see Binky wasn't drafted, & hope he succeeds now in getting
into the 2nd officers' training camp. Does Ralph know how long
he'll be in Niantic?
With much love to all
Sylvester.
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