Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1908-08-13
Some Letters of War Time.

--OLA w CoI DSuu IOCpLCADE4 L. LOVL'
He served just three years TO a day,
when he was honorably discharged,
having risen from the rank Of private
to that of first sergeant Of his com
gany. He was before enlisted, one OF
the editors Of the West Bend Post, a
paper that has since then suspended
publication.
After coming to Camp Randall
with his company he began to SEND let
ters to the Post so that the West
Benders might know how their boys in
Company D were getting along, ana
what service the company and regi~
ment were giving their country.
These letters 50 of them written al
different times during Comrade Wal
dos three years OF serVice,-aIsO some
letters written by others of the com
Dany-haye been hidden away in the
Old files Of the paper from "A to Al
years. Lately the publishers of the
West Bend News have discovered
them, and they are publishing them.
One letter appears in every issue OF
the paper and they are now very in
teresting reading. They tell about the
war and camp life just as the soldier
in the ranks saw it day by day; and
then "Charlie' was good writer
He knew what was interesting and he
had direct way Of telling things.
The editor says that the finding OF
these old letters is like the discovery
OF a valuable vein Of ore. He seems
to realize the worth of such a source
Of history.
In Comrade WaIdo's fifth letter he
puts down some facts a State Journal
reporter had compiled from the de-
scriptive book of the 18th regiment, as
follows:
The whole number of men is 1910
of whom y or Is were in the LIST regi-
ment three months. The average age
is rs years.
The average height Of the men is
feet S12 inches. In the companies ana
the band there are 100 men feet tai
and upwards, The taIlest being feet
3 inches, the shortest t feet The to-
tai height is rs miles.
The average weight is 1885,
pounds Eleven weigh 200 pounds or
more. The heaviest man weighs 2lS,
the highest 90. The total weight is
81 tons. This regiment, like all others
has gained in weight since coming to
camp. One company was weighed q
few days ago. and it was found that
every man had gained, no one less
than 5 pounds. 1t would be safe to
put the present average weight at l6o
pounds. This speaks well for the COM
mjssary department.
Birthplace.
"Of those whose birth place is re
corded, we find that 252 were born IN
New York, Is in Ohio, 81 in Pennsyl-
yauia, 45 in England, As in Wisconsin,
40 in Norway, 40 in Vermont, 81 III
Canada, SO in Maine, 80 in Germany
80 in ireland, % in Illinois, il in
Ma TachusetJs, IA in Indiana, II in
Connecticut, II in Michigan, 10 in
Prussia, in Wales, 9 in New Jersey,
9 in New Hampshire, in Kentucky,
in Sweden, 3 in Scotland, 4 in EIr
ginia, 4 in Prince Edwards Island; !
each in Missouri, Iowa, Switzerland
New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Den
mark; each in Maryland, SaXony and
Belgium; and one each in Tennessee,
Albania, Delaware. North Carolina
isle of Man, British America, Hungary,
Brussels and France, 1t also appears
that one was born in bed"
Occupants.
There are 551 farmers, 5o lumber
men 81 Iaborers, 81 carpenters. Is
b,acksmiths, II clercks, 10 sawyers, 8
printers; each of teachers, miIlers
and co-pers; : each oflawyers, shoe
makers and riyermen; 6 each of sal
Iors. painters and miners; . each Of
engineers. machiuists and gunsmiths;
4 each of mil,wrights, masons and inn
Keepers; 3 each of mechanics, hunters,
wagon makers and editors; clergy
men; . each of book keepers, physI
clans. lin and copper smiths, saw fl
ers, students, shOwmen. rOyers. single
weayers. brick makers. harness MAX
ers. bakers and raftsmen; l each of
fisherman, Accountants. tarrier. tailor,
plasterer, banker, YheeIwright. saver
Of stone. confectioner, collier, furnace
worker. caulker, pilot, clothier, grocer,
distiuer, tobacconist, photographer
ship carpenter, butcher. mail carrier.
veterinary surgeon. musician. plow-
grinder wood chopper and char
maker"
I have been looking over the Journal
from which Comrade Waldo took the
above statistics. find there the aver.
age weight and height of the men in
the different companies, which I VIII
put down.
Company Weight. Height,
a Isl ID. IT, * in,
3 152 ID. it 10I2in.
9 80 Id. oft. in.
D 1924 lb. IT. SAin
E 154 ID. II y IN
F 155 ID. TT So III
G 155 ID. 5 #. in
H 154& lb. TT. SIS in
155 ID. 5 #. ~ in
K 1924 lb. f. in
Raod 15rat II, < r. on in