River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1917-11-29
DR.. A. E. GENDRON
WRITES FROM CAMP
Describes Army Camp Life at
Augusta, Georgia--Medical
Men Have Busy Time


Taggert Of this city:
My Dear Tag.-I was we'll pleased
to get your letter and the papers
Frost has hit the persimmons so
they ought to be good. 'Possum
hunting is strenuous job. One ex-
perience is enough for me, as the
last quarry we got was not worth
skinning, but we had a jolly good
cine DR.. Byrns of st. Louis and |
have quarters in camp since last Sat
urday. The O. D. lent us a tent.
1t is soldiers tent for eight, so we
have plenty of room. We have cleo
trio lights and stove, plenty of
wood, and plain food but good
enough for anyone and | notice that
the plates are generally cleaned, so
everyone seems to have good appe-
tite. Augusta, population about
100000, built only a few feet above
the waters of the Savannah river.
has seen severe floods. A dixie of
earth and rock has been built, which
may prevent further disaster, as
many or most of the southern cities
buildings denote both wealth and
poverty. There are many swamps
around the city, SO malaria is quite
prevalent during the summer
months. On the hill west Of the city
are three large winter hotels and
many beautiful homes, as the people
are deserving the lower parts.
Going west as you leave the last
residence our camp is situated. It
covers about 5000 acres, | believe.
1t should prove one of the healthiest
camps, being built on an elevation
and sandy soil which makes for good
drainage. Minimum Of flies. There
is quite a number yet, thought
Nights are generally cold and
some of them are very cold. The
sun shines every day and it is de-
lightful Am glad to be in camp, as
| did not like to ride every day the
"a miles we had to do The roadbed
is none too smooth and the dust due
to large traffic is fearful. Sprink-
ling of streets is not in vogue.
Streets in Augusta are i'll kept and
dirty-more dirty than rough.
Yesterday I got my last inocula-
ton of triple typhoid serum. [ had
four infections in all, about days
apart. The next day | generally
feel grippy. We have "A hours off
duty after each infection, so | did
not go to work this morning. Stay
ed in my tent and had breakfast
there. We are fixed pretty swell in
this tent and | suppose that as soon
as the ordinance department has its
full quota Of men | will have to
move again, but we enjoy our stay
here as long as we can. AS | said
we have tent for 8 men. We have
a table and two cupboards. Of
course, the furniture is all home
made out Of boxes. | can't tell you
the kind of wood. 1t is not mahOg-
any furniture though, but it fills the
bill. We have two camp chairs. |
have spring bed as my cot got very
tired before daylight came. sign
ed for this cot and am responsible
for it. so when | leave twill have to
see that it is returned or pay for
same. You can't leave camp I'M
less you have clearance papers from
every store in camp. Then we have
three gallon empty Karo cans
one to heat water in and one
to cook apples in, also some
empty quart cans to make soup, etc.
We have some beef cubes, crackers,
jello, canned milk, soups and few
other things in our commissary, so
when we don't feel like getting up
to go to mess we eat in the tent like
| did this morning. The stove we
have is a conical one, like an invert-
ed funnel, so | will make you ida
gram to show you how to cook an
apple or heat water on this kind of
stove. Of course, there might be
other ways. but so far this has
worked very nicely. We have pail
or bucket for water, some tin wash
basins. spoons, etc., SO you see we
are pretty we'll equipped.
/ The bad weather here is due in
December, but what is the use to
cross the bridge till you get to it.
i Evorvono IL Tlrorayincr for If All of