Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1917-12-20
Interesting Letters From the Junior.
Columbus, Ohio,

Columbus, Ohio,
December IA, 1917.
Dearest Dad-Iust now am sitting in
Barracks Is A, Company ii, after some
OF the most wonderful experiences that
any fellow ever had. There are fifty of
us in this one room and we have just
finished cleaning up, having had break
fast at 7 30.
We had time getting here. We left
Hagerstown at o'clock Tuesday. al
this point We were called out and march,
ed TO the camp barber shop, where we
stood in line for military" hair cut
Took two hours and a-halt TO get in the
shop. We got into Baltimore al ten,
about two hours and a-haf late We
were examined for the second time, and
then at II 30 left for Pittsburg. got an
upper berth and slept pretty we'll all night.
We got into Pittsburg about five hours
late. and had 10 lay over there from 80
until $50 that night. We went 10 the
movies and loated around seeing the
town. We left Pittsburg at 80 and got
here at seven Thursday morning, about
five hours late again. There were no
berthS 10 be had on the tram, so we had
to sit up. We managed TO get some
sleep. though, and were feeling pretty
fair when we landed IN Columbus.
In our crowd are Bill Selvey, Pete
Recher Amos Worthington and Bob SnY-
der The three latter from HagerStown.
There were more OF us starting, but we
five have punched together and II is get
ting mighty hard 10 separate
When we landed here we came straight
TO the barracks, where we checked our
suit cases. Then we wandered around
until we found the mess hall, where We
had quite breakfaSt-and we were ready
ior IT, Alter breakfast il took US several
hours finding out what We were supposed
TO 10. We finally found place where
we were assigned numbers, mine being
l3-345. Then we were meaSu ed for our
uniforms and equipment. We were taken
10 Barracks No. ?, where after wait OF
an hour or two we were called out, iltty
OF us. Fortunately all Of our crowd got
together, and we were taken to the hos
pilal, where we were given the final ply
steal examination This was by far the
most rigid examination, and SIX OF our
fifty were turned down. This eXamina-
ton took about two hours and a-half for
the whole bunch. Somewhere about
noon we had dinner at the mess hall
lust a word about the mess hall. the
building is a huge one and seats about
2, 500 men at the tables, and don't be-
lIeve there was vacant seat in the whole
place. Ii is eat or get left, and since the
food is pretty good and am always ready
for il, | haven't been left yet BY the
time we were through physical il was
supper time. After supper Corporal
Phillips, who is in charge of us, lined us
up again, and needless TO say that pass
the exam A No. /, and the whole crowd
OF us were sworn in together am now
Private Snyder, u. S. A., otherwise call
ed Rookie" With Corporal Phillips in
the lead, we went over TO the armOry,
where we were first given a big white
canvas bag Then we lined up, and !
never saw men get equipment so fast in
my life. We fifty went in al 7 O'Clock
and got behind line OF about hundred
men, and in less than an hour we were
back in the barracks. We got hat,
uniform, two shirts, five pairs Of socks,
shoes, summer underwear. (the Their
mometer standing at zero legglngS and
other minor equipment. Then we came
back 10 the barracks and had some time
getting into our outfit. or rather unit.
Half the stuff was either too large or too
small. ard we opened 10 an impromptu
exchange right away, and after little
while everyone was pretty well fixed.
Overcoats gave out before we got in line
for them. and we have been wearing our
own overcoatS am going TO send my
&c &c I OF 10 q
express office. After we got into our
gave Columbus the once over We were
back in quarters by /. We got up about
30 and had roll call at 7.l5 and break
fast at 7 30.
lust now we are nearly all in the bar
racks, waiting for marching orders, as we
are expecting to leave at any time. We
are going 10 Kellyfeld, Texas, which is
Fort Sam Houston. We have not been
inoculated for typhoid, because they ran
out OF serum. Praise bel
| don't believe ! ever saw so much
confusion in my life. OF course, we
rockies don't know anything, and since
the men who do know are so scarce that
you can't find them, why we were more
or less at loss 10 get started; but once
started we went through with scarcely
hitch. When you think OF turning out
hundred men every hour, you can mag
inc what big JOB they have. II is Ger
tainy a wonderful system that can take
care OF these men as well as they are be-
ing taken IN. New men are coming in
by the hundreds, and we have 10 move
on TO make room for more. SO far every
thing has been fine, and there have been
very Jew spare minutes. Well. must
close. Love 10 all. BILL.