Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1917-10-11
On Troop Train
To Camp Greene
Serg't Radford of Company
Gives Account of Trip to
North Carolina.

Some of the interesting points on
the trip to Camp Greene, North Car
olina, are told by Mess Sergeant Cy-
rils Radford, of Company E. in a
letter that was received by the fam
lily here in Langdon on Fridays
mail. Incidentally it may be news
to some to learn that since reaching
Camp Greene the Second Regiment
of North Dakota Infantry has all
been broken up. That Company E
has become the ll6th Trench Mortar
Battery. Captain Ross. as far as
has been learned, is still with his
men in command of Company E., all
though many of the regimental off.
GERS have been assigned to other
commands, in units of the army ether
than where they had been at first To-
Gated. The going out of existence
of the Second Regiment of North Da-
kota. came as complete surprise to
the boys when they reached the camp
last Friday morning and it will take
later letter tossproperly give details
of all that has happened.
Here follows what "Cy" Rad.
ford had to say to the folks back
home when he wrote from Chicago:
Tuesday, Octe ber 2, 1917, at 9:O4
p. m. - Written short distance out
of Chicago, with the train travelling
at about sixty miles an hour.)
Dear Folks at Home We are
hitting it up at great pace and the
train is riding over the track very
roughly. The railroad companies
over whose lines we travel seem to
be rushing US right through, as we
have stapadlfor nothing butt water, coal
and to change train crews. 1t is so
rough that it is very hard to write.
G.le has to kinder jump at the pa
per to make mark at all. The mess
proposition is no snap while enroute
For breakfast this morning we had
fried potatoes, bread and butter and
coffee. For dinner we had boiled
potatoes, (Howard's favorites) boilec
ham. bread and butter and coffe e.
s supper time we had a regular
" feed'' in warmed up potatoes, corn
ed beef, pork and beans coffee will
bread and butter.
We are slowing down now for an
ether stop-no we are not either
they are putting on more steam
= az ain.
The preparing of the meals is cas-,
enough but the serving of it is ex
ceedingly hard. Going through the
winding passages of a sleeper witt
pans and pots is no snap However
! most of the boys seem to realize tina
it is rather. difficult and dom ay any
thing a few are born kickers tho, bu
don't worry about that
There the train has stobpped with
jerk and it is much nicer writing.
If l can get time when l get tc
camp l will write you about my
travels. There we go again,
feel fine although l was up until
1910 and was callel again at 3:15
to help move our baggage. but got
to bed at 4 80 and didn't getup unit ]
6:3O. l don't think that l am go.
ing to be bit lone some, but I'll ad-
NIT that it does make me feel bad
when I think of our parting at the
depot. 1t is too bad that one has to
be affected that way Nearly every.
one had their eyes dimmed with tears
ard spoke as if they had big lump
in their throat. l even noted that
that prince Of good fellows, Ted Han.
key was feeling quite shakey, and
had all he could d. to keep up a
brave front when he said good bye to
US. l did net get chance to bid
Mr.. Bolton gaad bye although l look
ed for him among the crowd on the
platform, but suppose he was busy.
The whole crowd was evidently as
one in their feeling After all dear
old Langdon is some pretty fine kind
of home town to have to leave be
hind One never knows how many
friends he has unit it comes to go.
ing away and leaving them behind or
trip of this kind. don't think
that ever shook 80 many people
. by the hand before in all my life.
l guess that we were in Mime
apois for about an hour, but the
train was switching nearly all the
time. However, they stopped long
enough to let the boys drill along.
side of the train for fifteen minutes,
giving them chance for li-,le ex.
ercise after their long ride.
We have twenty coaches on the
train. Fifteen Of them are p llmant
loaded with men, Just think for 4
moment Of all the heartachas II