The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1917-06-29
LETTER FROM
FORT STEWART
DWIGHT SMITH TELLS DETAILS OF
SOLDERING
Recruits Get Ten Hours of Hard Work
Daily and Like il. Rations
are Good

Company A, 2nd Bait. Mounted En-
gineers. Camp Stewart.
El Paso, Tex, June 15, 1917.
Mr.. Reed,
Editor Clio Messenger
Dear Mr.. Reed-Received your pa
per this week and have read it even
to the ads with interest, and thank
you very kindly for the paper.
We are working hard every day,
on the average of 9 to 10 hours.
That means about 18 hours of old
Michigan weather taking into con-
sideration the extreme heat and hot
winds. 1t has been from 106-110
every day, and this hot, light air is
pretty hard on US boys from the north.
For myself, | am enjoying the train
ing. 1t is hard to define the effect
on one, it seems ostraighten one up
and put anyone in fine shape.
Will try and tell you one of our
days work at present At o'clock
comes the first call. We have to get
up, dress, wash and strap on our 45
Colt ammunition belt with 80 rounds,
and also our Winchester and fall out
for reveille at 5:15, so you can imag-
inc the general scramble Reveille is
morning roll call and inspection of
aims. II one is late he is liable to
two weeks hard work, so that is an
incentive to pile out.
Then, after reveille, $50, break
fast. We have cups holding about a
pint, pan, in shape of skillet, spoon,
fork and knife. We line up in front
of Company mess hall and file in. One
man gives the meat, another potatoes
so on, until you have seceived all you
want. If you desire seconds you can
get it. Uncle Sam gives good
"chuck," as we call it. After break
fast, file out and wash your own
dishes and have half an hour to clean
up tent and then comes first drill in
calisthenics-and they are simply
fine = taking AS minutes, and from
then on AS minutes, with 15 minutes
between drills; ones shoulders get
real tired before noon. At noon
have same thing as at breakfast,
with one hour rest, and from l to
80 drills. Then comes retreat be-
fore supper time and general inspec-
ton of arms, and-believe me-they
simply have to shine.
Two days each week are spent in
engineering work The other day,
Company A (my Company built an
Office building in as minutes, it being
about the size of small bungalow.
We also have drills in surveying,
bridging, etc. At present my work
on these work days is teaching school,
called army schools for foreigners; |;
teaching them how to talk English
and write English; also three after
moons in headquarters office auditing
office supplies.
Next week we get our horses, and
then we expect our fun. The horses
we get are in herds, unbroken. We
are told to pick our mount and then
tame it. Forward march; halt; fours
right and left; the same as we are
learned before getting them. The
horses are beauties and l can hardly
wait until get my choice, as it means
friend and something to take care
OF anu CTalH. III is certainly SurprlS-
ing to see them start off at the word,
March; quick time, trot; and double
quick, lope. Also at the word, Halt,
to stop quickly.
Last week pitched ball for Com
pany team and defeated the champion
cavalry team, 81; their first defeat
this year, so the boys are simply hi
larious about it.
Must close, again thanking you for
your thoughtfulness in sending me
your paper; appreciate it very much
and would be pleased to write you a
letter telling all about army, army
Y. M. C. A. and our good times, to
publish.
Yours sincerely,
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