The Mankato free press., 1917-11-16
FROM BOYS
IN The ARMY CAMPS
rrom Thursday's pa::y.

Mrs. George E. Black. 620 South
Second Street. Dear Mother and All
No doubt you have been rather an
xious having not heard from me.
wrote short letter from England ant
another when we first landed in
France. We are now we'll into
France and have the distinction of be-
ing the c.osest American troops tC
the front. We are able to hear the
big guns and see airships very often
France is very pretty country but
very wet and cold at this time of the
| year. 1t has rained all day and very
chilly. The French people are very
nice and l admire them very much fo1
they are so loyal and patriotic. am
picking the language little at time
and they try so hard to make us un-
derstand and are trying to learn Eng
lish. We are the first American sol
| diers that have ever been in this
town end there is no Y. M. G. A. here
or any places of amusement conse-
quently we have to go to bed early
| to keep warm
| The soldiers are billeted that is sc
many in house or barn. We al
| sleep in barnes here but expect tC
have our quarters soon l hope.
| have made a few acquaintances with
| French soldiers who can understand
me and l keep my mind occupied
talking to them when | am not busy
The town that we are at had up to a
few months ago been deserted. The
people have started coming back
now that the German line has been
pushed back. The town is a histor-
ical place not very large but old and
If | remember correctly is mention
ed in history as being headquarters
| for Napo'eons army for a month OF
| so. The buildings are very old and
quaint. The streets are rather dir
ty, but we are cleaning them up.
We had pleasant trip coming over
but it was long and tiresome and we
were all g'ad to put our feet on land
| once more. We saw Ireland, were
in Scotland, England and now Some
where in France" and hope to be
somewhere in Germany before long
and then we hope to come back. We
have not received any mail as yet,
IL
/ wish / had my heavy clothing that
| | had while on the surveying crew
last winter The boots, heavy socks
coats and all would go very good over
here.
Our regiment has been separated
and Harold Jorgenson and George
Schwanenberg are no longer with me,
and 1 guess Twit's company is to
move soon. That will leave us with
| out a Mankato boy But / have
many good friends and will get along
all right. l wish could write more
| mother dear, but all our mail is CEN
sored by the captain and he is very
| busy, and l know he will appreciate
| it if we do not write too much Write
me often and send me all the news !
guess we will have 2Cto be sending
| Christmas greetings soon because the
| mail is very slow now. l hate to
| think of Christmas for it is the first
one l ever spent away fom home. Now
dearest mother will have to close
Much love to all at home and my
| friends. Your son, George Black
Headquarters Detachment, Second
United States Engineers American
Expeditionary Forces. 5gAe
Company K, M. O. T. G, Fort Benz
Harrison, Ind. November 6, 1917
To The Free Press: A few lines this
! afternoon to let the people of Man
kato know how ! am progressing in
the army. Everything is going in the
| best of shape at the present time,
and have the best of health.
| Two weeks ago, 1 took the SER
geants' examination in the branch OF
/ the medical department, and yester-
day l found out that l had made
good, for my sergeant warrant ar
rived from Washington, D. c. This
came through & the surgeon generals
office and was dated October 81, 1917
| / see by the Mankato papers thai
the people of Mankato have sub
scribed very literally towards the
Liberty loan The soldiers at this
fort, in which at the time of the
campaign was going on. subscribed
also very literally. The amount wher
the campaign WAS over amounted tC
$1,175, 10000, distributed among 15,.
900 which was the number of mer
here at that time. l also did my
share as the rest did, and took ou
a bond Of 500. e.
About ten days ago, we were visit
ed by real winter weather, it having
showed at different times during the
week and the ground was covered
with about four inches.
BY the 1st of December, the entire
medical camp, consisting of officers
and enlisted men will be gone. The
medical division will be split intc
small groups and be sent to differen
camps and forts in the south ant
east.
l haev been transferred into new
company, but you need not change
my address for 1 will be here only {
short time, will let you know wheI
I wish to have it changed, giving m!
new address. Have been getting the
papers very regularly and it bring:
good cheer to one, when they receive
home news
This is all the news | have to say
at the present time. Wishing all the
Mankato people good health and bes
wishes. l am remain Sincerely {
Sammy, Gregory Klein Lamm, ser
i geant Medical Department. U. S. r. A
II
Sunday afternoon fire broke out in thu
barn of Abe Chozen at Winnebago. Fift,
i tons of rags stored therein were destroyed
Mr. ChoZen places his loss on barn anC