The midland journal., 1917-09-21
sammy,s Reception In England.

Mrs. A. H. Porter, of August, Ca,
and q grandson of the late VIM. e.
Porter, of this county, enlisted in
Georgia regiment of U. S. Volunteers,
in the Engineering corps, and was
sent to France with the First
Expeditionary Force, to engage in
railroad construction. While enroute
he was commissioned 1st Lieut.. in
recognition of his qualifications
which were shown while in training
preparatory to going abroad.
The following is an extract from
his first letter home and breathes
patriotism and all-around fitness in
every line for the work ahead. Any
parent should feel proud in being
able to furnish such a son for his
country and the worlds democrat
ization.
American Y M. G. A.
On Active Service With The Amer
lean Expeditionary Force.
Dearest Mother:
/ am writing this with no express
sion on our own regiments number
or details about any of the other
regiments with the hope that the
Censors will pass it through and /
will be able to tell you how magnif-
icently the English have treated lis
and how they capped it all to-day
and we made history.
For the first time since William
the Conqueror the troops of a foreign
country under arms and with colors
flying marched through the streets
of London, and I was one of them.
To say that we have been treated
royalty since our arrival here would
be putting it mildly, and, as l said
before, to-day's demonstration cap
ped it all. The American troops
were carried up to London this
morning and forming started march
ing through the streets. For miles
we passed through two solid walls
of millions of people and they were
all cheering and waving flags and
handkerchiefs. 1t wasn't sporadic
cheer but one continuous hurrah for
the entire column. We were at at
tention all through the march but
out of the corner of our eyes we
could see the masses of women and
children and old men and those
physically unfit. All through the
crowds were women in black crying
and smiling through their tears and
calling "God bless you Sammy" and
Luck to you Sammy" 1t made
you kind of choky and mad to get at
those who are responsible for so
much misery. We don't realize in
the States what this war means to
the people over here and it wasn't
until they put us on this black bread
(Which by the way l like) and so
much meat, etc., that we began to
ton. But to get back to the parade;
we marched through the streets and
by the American Embassy, which we
saluted, and then past Buckingham
Palace where we were reviewed by
the King and Queen. They were in
front of the Palace on the sidewalk
and I passed within fifteen feet of
him and on the salute was able to
get good look at him. From this
point we passed into the st. James
Gardens and stacking arms were
served a light lunch. From the
quantity and quality of this same
lunch, every man is firmly of the
opinion that our own mess should
adopt it as permanent ration. The
people were massed on the picket
fence surrounding the grounds and
we walked over to talk with them
Everywhere hands were thrust
through and men, women and child
rem called to us won't you shake
hands with Sammy?", etc. One
lady said. .''I am so glad you all have
come. Hurry up and finish it and
send our husbands back to u.s. l
answered her 1--WE are going to try
to and there are five million more
back in the States who will be COM
ing over to help" An old man
standing near said "That is the talk
we like to hear Time after time
we heard this or similar expressions:
Good old Uncle Sam. Now We'll
win" They seem to have implicit
confidence that ours will be the
balance of power that will make a
complete victory certain and
amongst all of our men in this and
the other regiments you could hear
the men saying "By God, boys, we
have got to make good" One
English officer speaking to one of our
men asked how long had we been in
training, remarking that we drilled
well. One of the boys said tha'
hardly any of the men had had ovei
months training. He stared and
remarked, "By Jove, that is Just like
the bally Yankee. He can do an,
thing ~