The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-08-03
SOMEWHERE IN FRANCE.
Lieut.. H. D. Campbell Of Waterbury
Writes Home.

regiment of the United States army,
son of Il. 4. Campbell of Waterbury an
graduate of Norwich university, write
the following letter from France to tn
Waterbury Record:
Dear Sir: Somewhere in France! Sur
prisedi Most certainly not. | would
not have missed the chance to com
across the pond with the first contingent
and, in fact, that has been my ambition
ever since the U. s. entered this bloody
war TO do her share toward bringing
peace to the world.
just at present | am recovering from
a fever with many another of my com
rades, resulting from my third and last
innocuation for trench fever. As ] lie
here on my bunk, which, by the way
might be likened unto so much east iron
or bed rock on the Hump, it occurred
to me that you and possibly others from
that pretty little town 1900 miles away
might like to know something of what is
going on over here. therefore give you
full permission to publish or use in any
way you wish this hastily written mis-
sive from one who thoroughly appreci-
ates what Waterbury and Waterbury
people have done for him. First, how
ever, let me state that on account of
strict censorship regulations | cannot
give you much military information and
consequently this message will be brief,
indefinite and uninteresting. have often
tried to get something by the censor, all
to do avail, but now that | am the Off
cial censor / would not think of breaking
the rules. We are not allowed to de-
scribe the city, its location or position
of the camp.
When / left home and the ties that
bind-you know, soft stuff went di-
rectly to Port Royal, S. c., where with 90
other young officers ! spent two weeks
on the rifle range under the instruction
of Sergt. Farquason, one of the best shots
in the service. How well / remember
those notorious phrases of old "Bills,"
Lets snap in a few more boys, squeeze
'em off" "Time for three more we'll
aimed shots" Thanks to Bill, / quail
fed as an expert riheman. One day an
order came for 20 officers to fill up the |
9Th regiment, U. S. marine corps, which |
was being assembled at Philadelphia for |
the American force to France. A little |
prevarication on my part, an art at
which | have become very adept, was
necessary on account of my shortage of
which | got around all right
by borrowing. However, | managed to
get in as one of the 20, as did two other
Norwich men, and let me state right
here, if ever / was grateful for anything
| am exceedingly grateful to the guiding
spirits that landed me at Norwich uni
sersity. 1t is a grand old institution,
mans institution, and one TO be proud
Of. My training there has surely put
me in right here, and III take off my hat
TO none.
But to go on. Seven days there are in
A week, and we made good use of them
N Philadelphia. Remember, girls, every
Law hath its night. A baby may not
know much, but you notice it never calls
'or its dad when it's hungry. We also
seemed to possess that same sixth sense
n intuition and enjoyed our last few
lays in the old U. S. We sailed from
early one morning, and aft
r laying around another large American
'ort for several days, the first American
ontingent steamed off for foreign waters.
The trip across was of course uninterest
ng, as well as uneventful, except for a
ouple of submarine attacks and the bad
abit which some of the men possessed
or sticking their heads overheard and
eeding the fishes. You have probably
cad of our arrival, ETC., and to repeat .
ere would be waste of my time and
ours.
We were royalty welcomed by the
'rench people, and the greeting which
re received made me glad that / was not 7
gain at Fort Ethan Allen digging bath =
ooms. One is impressed, first of all, by r
he severest conditions of poverty, the
bsence of young and able-bodied men,
omen doing mems wor, and the count
SIS numbers of children, who all learn
, say one penny tone cent? with re- =
larkable alacrity. Thanks to the good,
ind, untiring efforts of Prof. Reimherr n
nd his assistants, | am able to carry on a,
ute decent conversation in French,
nd / enjoy talking to the natives. Ger !;
ian prisoners are in great abundance =
ere and seem to be better cared for than
lie people themselves. They appear to vi
elcome the American troops, and | GER w
linly believe they think our presence
cans their release. As we passed a vi
inch of them hard at work, one of their r
lmber piped up in very good English: d,
It's great life, isn't it," meaning of
urse that Sherman was right. al
Our camp is located in one of the most d,
.autiful and picturesque spots that /
I've ever seen, and where as the Good m
,ok would put it: "The sun shall not
mite thee by day, nor the moon by bs
ght." We get our oats-more often nj
lied chow in the army, at in the
orning, IL noon, and $3.50 at night. II w
good, wholesome, and always plenty so
il, but none wasted | am in the III
achine gun company and hope to get a la
ance to turn few of them loose on a
lie of German trenches before long On W,
e other hand, Won Hindenburg says he nj
going to make short work of the
nericans. That fails to alarm US, and w
is my belief that he will soon be a an