The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1916-08-11

Inc IollOWluB are eXcerplS from a
letter written by Corporal Vernon
Swihart to his parents. Mr.. and Mrs.
George Swihart, of this place. 1t was
written on the 3lst of July at Camp
Ferris, near Grayling, and gives many
interesting glimpses of how the soldiers
put in their time at that post:
Camp Ferris, July 81, 1916.
Dear Folks Il started to write to
you yesterday, but just as | started
ire alarm was turned in and we had to
march four miles and fight fire the rest
of the day. We went on hike last
Friday and someone failed to put out
their camp fire at noon. Consequently
we fought fire all day Saturday and
nearly all day Sunday. It's sure great
SPORT don't think. The fires up here
are getting pretty bad, but we are in
no danger. The worst fire is right
across the lake from US, it has been
burning about two weeks.
We don't know yet when we will
move or where we will go. We have
received nearly all our equipment now,
but not quite all. At the present time
my outfit is: One woolen suit. two cot
ton suits, one suit government under
clothes, two pair government socks,
one hat, one hat cord, one belt, one
shirt, two pair leggings. three pairs of
>shoes. one pack, one meat pan and
cover (plates), one canteen; one cup,
knife, fork and spoon; one bayonet,
one ammunition belt, one first aid
package, one extra bolt for rifle, two
wire cutters with cases, and one metal
identification tag worn like locket-
under the shirt think this is all that
has been issued me yet. ! have some
undercothes and sox that l brought
with me. There is still to be issued
one rubber blanket, one pup tent (shel-
ter tent with pins and poles, one bolo
Qarge knife) and more undercIothes
and socks.
Last Monday | received my first pro-
motion. | am now Corporal Swihart, if
you please, and wear two stripes on
my arm. A private gets about fifty
cents per day in addition to board,
clothes, etc., and a corporal gets about
! seventy cents. A corporal has control
of the mess tent, where we live, and
has charge of the men in it. / have to
see that the men get up in time and get
to bed on time to report the sick ones; :;
see that the tent is kept clean and in
order q don't have to do the labor, but
| have to see that the men do it). In
short, | am pretty busy man. When
we are marching or drilling | have
charge of eight men. am what is
known as non-commissioned officer
Above the corporals are the sergeants,
then the lieutenants and then the cap
tains. The lieutenants and captains
and others above them are known as
commissioned officers. don't like to
brag, but | am pretty proud of my
stripes, for have men under me who
are old enough to be my father-some
of them have been in the service five
or six years.
! am all over my "shots-in- the arm"
and my vaccination. | was pretty sick
for three or four days but have never
felt better in my life than do now. l
am working off little flesh and am
hardening up a whole lot. There is
nothing strange in that though for last
Friday when we were on the hike, we
marched about fifteen miles, part
through heavy sand and the rest of it
right through the woods, single file, up
hill and down. through swamps and
underbrush with never a sign of path
or road, and the thermometer at 102
degrees. All we had to eat was two
sandwiches for dinner, and canteen of
water.
Then the next day we went right
back about four or five miles and
fought forest fire all day. I, with ten
men under me, had a stretch of about
three-quarters of mile of woods. We
had to keep the fire from spreading,
but did not have to put it out. where it
was already burning good. We fought
it entirely with picks, shovels and axes.
We thought we had it out, but it runs
in the grass roots and stays in old logs
and is almost impossible to kill and
Sunday it was as bad as ever. We did
not have to go out today and guess we
have got it nearly all out now. You
know from 1900 to 1900 men can do
quite bit of work in couple of days.
Well, / guess | must close now as il
is nearly time for taps (bed time)
Don't worry about me, for | like this
| life and am feeling great