Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-08-26
Letters from
Maine Boys In
Border Service
Laredo, Texas,
Aug. Il. 1916.
MY Dear Mother:

Aug. Il. 1916.
My Dear Mother:
viii write you a few lines this morning
as l am most tickled to death and be-
lieve me 1 am not alone In my joyous
feelings Last night we received our long
looked for pay, and 1t seems nice to
handle a little coin Of the realm after
being practically on the rocks for over
a month. After paying few Of my
debts 1 still have some left and am buy
ing few necessities and also few nov
elites to take home with me. I am going
to buy small trunk such as the army
officers use and may be OF use to me
later Believe me we were some tickled
boys as we have been broke so long that
we were almost desperate. In one of
your letters Of a week or 80 ago you
spoke Of seeing in the paper that we had
been paid off. 1t must have been false
alarm as we hadn't received red cent
until last night, August Is.
Last night was the worst one that
have ever seen or even heard Of. 1t be-
gan to rain q little before supper and 1t
rained all night long until about o'clock
this morning. The wind blew hurricane
and nearly every tent in our line was
blown down with the exception of the
three tents occupied by our band. They
have wooden frames and will stand A.
most as much as a small house. Inc
camp of the New Hampshire troops was
a sight as you would not think OF 1t be-
ing a military camp unless you saw the
tents scattered about on the ground ana
men busy at work repairing them
Well. I never want to experience such a
night again. l slept about an hour be-
tween 100 and 200 A. NJ. If hadn't
been tired 1t is doubtful II I could have
slept then as the wind howled and roared
and the heavy rainfall on our canvas roof
added to the noise. Our tent held very
we'll until the storm was the heaviest
about 200 A. NJ when the side rails be-
gan to buckle. I woke up and found |
was living in pool Of water where 1t had
run down from the head OF my cot INTO
tho inflow on which l laid. It was very
cold for this part Of the country and !
was wet TO the skin. Everything we had
was wet except my extra clothing which
had packed in a small box under my
cot We had to run around wet and we
didn't have a lamp chimney for our lamp
We had candies on manu- DoN AS-AN -
dry matches to light them with. the
rain beat through the canvas and dropped
down on our heads. We hunted around
in the dark and found a piece OF wood
which we nailed to one of the SIDE pos'S
! as brace We had no hammer and useo
the heel of shoe instead. You can
imagine and still you have no idea aoou'
this storm About A. NJ. four OF us Eel
lows decided to walk down town ana ge'
| a hot breakfast for we were chilled ano
nv throat was sore. We put on our WEI
clothes and a poncho and started oo"r
the track for town. a distance OF aoou'
a mile and a half. We waded IN water
up to our knees on the way to town. Trees
were uprooted in many places. telephone
and electric light wires were down ane
the roads were running rivers. we go
our breakfasts at the railroad station an'
believe me 1t tasted good after such
nights experience.
All the boys are in the best OF healtf
and enjoying their stay in Texas. al
though all will be glad to get orders II