Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1917-10-25
BY Capt. Charles H. Browne.

Camp Doniphan, Oct. 18.-Editoi
Reflector The home folks at Abb
lene and thruout Dickinson county
should have had word from their
boys in Company H before this, but
conditions have been against writ
ing any story of our trip to Fort
Sill up until this time. However, nc
doubt many personal letters have
been received in various homes, so
the delay in getting a piece" back
to the paper can be partially over
looked
Company H had a splendid trip
down to Fort Sill over the Rock Is
land, the many boxes of good stun
provided by Abilene people being a
welcome addition to the prepared ra-
tions carried by the organization. The
company reached the camp about
1880 Friday morning and slept In
their cars until daylight. At 6 a. m.
the men unloaded, thoroly cleaned
the cars, and marched to an unoccu-
pied section of Camp Doniphan,
where they we're at once quarantined
so that the camp surgeons might
study the measles they were sup
posed to have. Nine men we're quar-
antined on the way to Fort Sill and
taken to the base hospital immediate
~ upon arrival Since then twenty
four other men have been sent to the
hospital, making thirty-three cases in
all. One of them was George Stein
born, who was one of the six who had
the measles" three weeks ago in
Abilene. Today fifteen of the thirty
three men were sent back from the
hospital, as the doctors there said
that their symptoms had all cleared
up. This looks to us very much as
II they never had meales in the first
place, and our guess is that the quar-
antine of this company will soon be
suspended, as not single man has
been really sick. Just what the
slight eruption is no one seems to
know for sure.
In spite of hard program of drill
and long hours in new and pecn-
liar climate, all of the boys of Com
pany H are we'll and in the best OF
spirits. AS soon as they are out OF
nf uyin
over and join Company H of the
199th infantry, which is commanded
by Capt. Joe w. Mcqueen. This COM
pany comes from Carrollton, Mo-,
and is made up of fine bunch of
young fellows-just the same type as
the Abilene boys-farmers, clerks,
high school students and the like. 1t
is said to be one of the best compan-
les of the 4th Missouri and 1t looks
like the Abilene organization was
lucky in being consolidated with such
a first class outfit. All three of the
Missouri officers are capable young
men and with Lieutenants McMan-
igal and Lucier looking after their
interests the Abilene boys are not
liable to get the worst OF 1t in any
way. The writer finds that he will
be separated permanently from Com
pany H, much to his sorrow. In COM
pany with twelve other captains from
the Third Kansas, he has been as
signed to the Depot Brigade, which IS
a sort of training organization for.
the entire 35th division. The men
to fill up this brigade will probably
come from the drafted forces at
Camp Funston, and the ohlcers are
hoping that they will be largely from
Kansas and Missouri AS soon as the
quarantine is lifted, Company H and
the writer will part. We will all
be in the same division and ! hope
it will be my good fortune to see the
Abilene boys quits frequently Any
way, the home folks can count on me
to help out any of the members Of
Company H to the best of my ability.
Should they want any information
about the boys at any time it would
be best for them to write either
Lieutenant Lucier or Lieutenant Nc
Manigal.
Before leaving the subject, ! want
to say that am very proud OF Com
pany H and its achievements up to
this time. The railroad men on the
way down told me that our company
was the best behaved one they had
seen moved to Fort sill, and We have
been paid many compliments OF a
like nature. Company H made an
almost perfect record in the ten
weeks 1t remained at its home sta
tion and l feel sure 1t will make just
as good a record here at Fort sill.
And the fact that the boys are we'll
behaved does not mean that they are