Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 196, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 August 1918 — GUY M. CROWDER WRITES FROM CAMP SHELBY [ARTICLE]

GUY M. CROWDER WRITES FROM CAMP SHELBY

Camp Shelby, Miss., Sunday, Aug. 18, 1918. Dear Mother and All: — I expect you think by this tame that I do not intend to write, but I have not had time since last Sunday to write to anyone. Monday last we started on a five days’ hike. We went through New Augusta, Harry, Hattiesburg, Purvis, Brookhn and McLaurin, over eighty miles, with full equipment. I wish you could have seen us march through Hattiesburg. Our columns were about two miles long, Headquarters company at the head of the line. Everyone carried a shelter half (that is half a tent), one blanket, one change of underwear, two pairs of sox, in a blanket roll strapped to his saddle, also toilet articles, miscellaneous outfit, grooming brushes, comb, meat can, two horse shoes, sixteen nails in his saddle bag, feed bag and one feed of oats upon the top of the blanket roll. Believe me, that equipment on the saddle makes a load for a horse. There was a lot of horses with saddle sores, but they were not brother Floyd’s or mine. A good rider takes good care of his horse.

You should have seen us come in. We were tired, dirty, hungry. Gee, if I ever get home again I can tell you some interesting things about the army. _ It will soon be a year since I was at home. Some times it does not seem so very long, then again it seems a long time. I would give almost anything to be with you again, say to be there some Sunday. 1 would like to ask Herbert to hitch up my horse for me, or ask father for the car; gee, but that would be great. You remember the eight boys that were transferred from Co. M while we were in Rensselaer to the Rainbow Division. One of our boys got a letter from one of them. He said that he had been captured by the Germans and they cut his ears and nose off and he was in the hospital. He got away from them some way. O, yes, the boys that left here when Ray Lanham left have been on the firing line, and we are still at Camp Shelby, but our days are numbered. We will leave about the first of September if not before. I was over and ate dinner with Floyd and Goldie today. Had a real good dinner and it made me think of home, the best place on earth. That is the reason I want to get a chance to fight for it. We had church and a band concert this evening. 'I wish you could hear an army chaplain talk. Ours is one of the best men I ever met. We are living under field conditions now. All plain food, but it is good and all we want. I still weigh one hundred and sixty pounds, and can stand most anything. Only now I am in want of some sleep, so I will finish and get to bed. Not a bed like the one I had at home, but I can sleep on the floor or ground, use my shoes or saddle for a pillow, and sleep like I was in a feather bed, and I never cough any more. Mam, I am sending you a service pin to wear. I will send pop one if I can find one for a man to wear. When you thresh tell me how much grain you have, and Herbert, please write. You write fine letters and I miss you an awful lot. With love, your son and brother, GUY M. CROWDER. Hg. Co. 137th F. A., Camp Shelby, Miss.