Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 134, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 June 1917 — SOLDIER WRITES FROM KANSAS [ARTICLE]

SOLDIER WRITES FROM KANSAS

DEVERE YEOMAN, ENGINEER, TRANSFERRED TO FORT LEAVENWORTH. The'following letter has been received here by Mrs. Devere Yeoihan from her husband, who is now stationed at Fort Leavenworth, Kans., to which place he was recently transferred from the officers . training school at Indianapolis. The efficiency of Mr. Yeoman as an engineer has been recognized by the government and it would not be surprising if the Rensselaer boy was one of the first to be called to Europe. The lettef, in part, follows:, “Since I wrote you the card several surprises have «ome my way, or I should say our way. We had to begin with a hard day of preparation for our trip here from Fort Harrison. Up at 5:10 a. m. and our usual work of physical drill, breakfast, practice march from 7 till 10, under full pack, and then we began to break camp. We brought all of our equipment here except our canvas cots and pillows, which were supplied to us upon our arrival. We entrained at 5:30 p. m. Friday, having had mess before leaving, under full

pack. That is, all our belongings were in our haversacks and in our packs slung to our backs. The 9th Division Company and our company occupied 12 Pullman coaches. There were 273 men in the party, all the engineers at Ft. Harrison, under command of Capt. A. K. Lyman, our company captain. Several men were dropped at the last minute and I was more or less leary that I might go, too. Everyone felt shaky. We had a very enjoyable trip and our train was given right-of-way over all local trains, which enabled us to make very good time. We finally were under way at about 7:10 p. m. out of Indianapolis. At 8:30 we began to make up the berths snd crawl in. Went through Terre Haute about 9:30. Then I went to sleep and at 2:10 a. m. Saturday morning the lieutenant in charge called us to see the Mississippi river at S.t Louis. I drew the upper berth and had no window to look out of so I went to sleep again and awoke at 6:30 a. m., as we were near the “Big Muddy,” or the Missouri river. The tracks parallel the river for miles and we had our breakfast at 7:00 served to us by squads right in our seats. We enjoyed it very much, eating and viewing the several points of interest

as we rode along. At 8 a. m. the people along through the country had received word of a large troop train, evidently, as every little town had people oqt waving and shouting to us. We had a very bum noon mess and about 1 p. m. Saturday we hit Kansas City, Mo., and then crossed the river into Kansas City, Kans., and at 1:48 we pulled into the station here at Fort Leavenworth. We detrained at once and let me say right here that no one had a word to say, only “This looks like heaven to me.” Our surprises came fast and furious and are still coming. When finally located we awoke to the following conditions: We are in a bryik building large enough to accommodate twice our number, new cots, oiled floors, electric lights, hot and cold water, toilets, shower hatha, and. tubs also, a laundry department in our own building, and the most important of all, we hav esome mess. The mess hall is a separate building and easily seats the eight companies of engineers which are to be here for the next two months. Everything is a complete system of efficiency and cleanliness. Silver knives and forks, spoons, etc., china plates, tables of poplar lumber polished and spotless. Almost a hundred young boys, 14 to 18 years old, as waiters, in black coats, collars and ties and the food. Last evening beefsteak, potatoes and onions, corn bread, coffee and a large supply of prunes and real milk with them. We were dumfounded and could not realize that we were at last to receive decent fare and treatment.”