River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1917-08-02
With The Marines
Letter From Wilbur Ensign, Who Is
In Training Camp Near
Philadelphia
Recruit Depot, Marine Barracks,
Co. l. Philadelphia
July %, 1917

Wednesday and are now all settled.
1t is far from being as convenient
as our last camp for we have to
walk back several blocks to the
malnscamp to procure the comfort 8
OF civilization, including water, that
we cannot carry back with us. We
won't be living here permantly,
however, SO | am not worrying
about the slight inconviences we
are put to for the present.
When we moved over here we
were assigned to tents according to
the squads we were in rather than
our former location or choice. This
meant a general shifting of tent
mates. I lost my former ''bunkie''
but drew another who is a fine fell
low; came down from ST. Paul on
the same train did. He was gen.
eral yard man in retail lumber
yard at Wayzata, near Minneapolis,
SO we have some things in common.
| have certainly been fortunate, so
far, in my bunkies, but l hope that
we aren't shifted many more times,
for In this kind of a lottery there are
quite few losing numbers.
We received our rifles last Friday
but no ammunition as yet. Now we
can really begin to feel like soldiers,
for gun over the shoulder adds a
good deal to the warlike appearance
of khaki clad Individual. We have
ammunition belts and a bayonet to
bangle at our side. If the kaiser
could only see us now, | am sure he
would give in without struggle.
We are glad to have the rifles, al
though they will make us extra
work, as they have to be kept clean
and we'll oiled in order to prevent
trust. With bodies, clothes, tent, gun
to clean, besides the various roll
calls and extra duties that are as
signed, our leisure time slips rapidly
away.
AS an instance of the extras which
take up our time, we received or
ders the other night, about Z o'clock
to have our leggings darkened with
a preparation that only few Of our
men had on hand; that meant that
the rest Of us had to scurry around
and buy, beg or borrow enough of it
to have our leggings properly fixed
for the next morning for inspection.
Then the inspecting officer hardly
looked at them.
My arrangements for the day yes
tcrday suffered a slight disarrange-
ment, that illustrates the uncertain
ty of events in this kind Of a life.
Some organization arranged a big
picnic for the Marines and Sailors at
Valley Forge, which is about SO
miles from Philadelphia. Autos
were provided for the trip 50 it was
naturally quite an event around
camp. Sixty-three men could be
taken from Co, L and got my name
in among the first on the list. We
were to leave shortly after 8 o'clock.
| got myself "dolled up" as much as
the limits of khaki uniform would
allow, and was all ready for the
starting signal. About ten minutes
before 8 o'clock a call came from
the First Sargent's tent for Ensign.
| responded to the call and found
that l was detailed to go on guard
duty for "a hours to Ia e the place
of a fellow who had been taken sick.
My mental picture of myself spin
ming over the roads in a nice, big
car quickly vanished from my mind
as returned to the tent to get my
gun and other necessary equipment.
Being Of a philosophical turn OF
mind I didn't waste any more time
and energy than necessary in cry
ing over spilled milk" It is all in
the days work Of U. S. Marine. ]
will probably have greater disap-
pointments than that in my career.
Guard duty is no snap although
there is no heavy work CONNECTED
with it. We walked our post
for two hours, then had four
hours off during the "a hours from
9 a. m Saturday until 9 a. m. Sun.
| day. | had beat about one quarter
of a mile long, with just a narrow
foot path to walk on. By the time
a person walks along a path like that
for two hours, with heavy rife
and bayonet for baggage, it begins