The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1917-09-07
/ INTERESTING LETTERS FROM OUR
SOLDIER BOYS.

Derr Friend Fred
Well how is the boy? 1t seems like
] get TO write to you only once in a
great while Well Fred, | think OF
YOU and the boys up there, but there
Is always SO much TO DO here. II we
aren't drilling we are studying, or
eating, or sleeping. We are I'm the
sunny south now, training in ournew
camp We have been here just a
week and have been in several riots
already with cUlored troops who mutt
mated and terrOriZed the town Of HouS
ton and killed Il and wounded many.
They killed our Captain Mates right
at the start. We were all SO happy,
just enjoying our evening smoke and
chat in our tents, when we heard rap
id firing in The direction Of town. Our
\ Captain was called to officers meeting
by the bugle. The officers hada meet
ing and decided TO go ahead in a car
and take IN the situation. We were
ordered out and issued ammunition and
! followed in government auto trucks
| Is truck loads. well armed. Our Cap
tain was killed three hours before we
heard about it, or there would have
! been more trouble in store for them.
| We captured thirty in old shacks in
the cQlQred district that we searched
We had to batter In some doors and
pulled some out Of bed.
They captured a large bunch yester
day who were surrounded I'm large
hole out in the woods. Several bodys
Of colored men have been found in
our camp. Our Lieutenant picked up
little girl who had been shot in the
scrap 10y stray bullet. Houston is
under martial law now. and will be
for while. Every one in Houston
was carrying gun, even little kids.
Things are pretty well under control
now, but there is still some shooting
going on. The whites are trying to
drive out the colored troops or kill
them off They have shipped large
number out.
We have fine camp here, covering
six sections, with mess halls, shower
baths and electric lights. The first
| few days we were under the showers
most of the time, for 1t was the only
way we could get relief from the heat
1t has been around los in the shade.
Say, | thought Dakota was dry at
times, but Texas has the world beat |
think Old timers said that they
| have not had rain in four months,
and it certaiy looks and feels like it.
The dust is six inches deep and it is
white and powdery soil that burns
your eyes out. There is always lit
tie breeze blowing though. Right a
round Houston it Is just a ranching
country and good timber land. We
| had fine camp in Chicago before we
left. The rest Of the regiment, five
! battallions, are still there along the
| Lake shore, just north Of the large
new pier and south Of Lincoln park.
| Just one battery from our regiment is
here nov, l6O men. The rest will
get here about September lst. Hous-
ton is quite town with $1,000 popu-
ation. The people walk around like
they had a week to 20 before break
| fast. We have had some ten mile
| hikes since getting here which will re
duce a fellow quite a bit. Fred, you
ought to be with us here for d month
and III bet ycu will loose pound
day.
Yesterday we had a funeral march
while escorting the Captains body to
the depot, and shot two yollcys over
him and blew taps for him. Everyone
here feels go bad about him There
has not been a smile in camp since he
left. He was an old and experienced
soldier and loved by all Of his men
We would follow him anywhere. The
training is wonderful. 1t certainly
develops fellow fine. Many Of the
boys from the Offices drop by the way
side in q march ! guess my western
experience has toughened me little.
Our food is good plain food and we
get plenty of ice water We carry a
canteen all the time, and first aid kits
and Colts automatic pistols. We dis
armed 60 negro troops who belonged
in the same troop as the mutineers,
but were faithful. SO we had rifles
with fixed bayonets to do guard duty
with.
We don't expect to leave here until
the first of the year. ! hope you are
all doing fine out there and have good
crops. How is our town Of Wood and
what future has she now? ! hope
you get the rail road and she will
turn out to be the best little town in
the west. Well now does the draft
80 I'LL, VA, ,.ut thorn II IL flinnIpu