The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-10-24

Sergeant Melchior, one of the
Company B boys writes a letter that
is full of news, and proves that he is
strictly on the job. This young man
will go to the top just as anxious as
he is to go across" so he can have a
chance to go "over the top. He is
sending part of his pay home, and is
paying for a Liberty bond, the FIRST
one of the issue subscribed for by a
Company B man. He is the son OF
Mr.. and Mrs. w. j. Melchior of the
jackson apartments and is we'll
known in Fargo.
His present address is:
Sergt. A. w. Melchior,
Company B, 164 lnfp
IL Division.
Camp Greene,
Charlotte. N. d. Oct. II.
Dear Folks:
/ certainly have been a long time
getting q reply to my letter. Be
lieve me / am anxiously awaiting
We had a most wonderful trip.
told you of the main features De-
fore, u,
but expect to get floors and walls
for our tents pretty soon. we WIN
be obliged to put twelve men In q
tent on account of shortage OF
tentage. At that rate will nave 10
sleep double decked. We sure can
do it If they want us to.
Under the new reorganization we
will be raised to a strength OF ESQ
men to a company. The second
North Dakota has all been split up
as YOU have read. Those who were
not assigned to some other branch
were used to fill in the First regi-
ment. We did not get any so 1t looks
as though we will get drafted men.
II sure will make some company
The way it looks now we Will nave
four second lieutenants, two hrst
lieutenants and one captain. we
have two reserve officers as addition
al second lieutenants, also Lieutenant
Hill. Lieutenant South, captain
Colley and a lieutenant from the
Second North Dakota. We VIII lose
the reserve officers though. They
are both fine fellows. don't see
much chance yet but you can never
tell. / am hitting the pail every
minute. Several rumors have hoated
about. One is, they are going TO
make 200 promotions in our regl-
ment. Another is they are going 10
take a certain number Of men from
this division and school them ior
officers. l sure will make a bid for
any chance that may present itself.
We drill trifie more than eight
hours a day. The drill consists OF
sighting and aiming, ordinary close
order drills. short hikes without rest,
signaling. estimating distances and
afbIetics. Condition is the one thing
they insist on. Believe me 1t Is the
onlv thing. We arise at 5:45 and Eet
to bed at 10 or before.
Conditions here are far better than
on the border Electric lights, not
and cold showers. There is a big
city close and everything is fine.
The people here treat us well. They
are much surprised to md us as
civilized as we are. They even
Thought we carried guns, etc, and
were awfully tough. SO TAR we have
entirely changed their minds They
give dances, parties, etc. for us and,
in fact, are very cordial. 4 nave met
several young ladies and ma them
very interesting. nave even
progressed SO far as to discuss
Dixon's famous book, The Clansman,
with a truly southern girl. Charlotte
and this vicinity were the centers OF
that famous reign OF the Ku Klux
Khan. Charlotte was mentioned in
the book. They were considerably
surprised to ind my opinion such as
IL was. / love to hear them talk.
They have the real southern dialect