Newark post., 1917-11-14
MAKING SOLDIERS
FOR UNCLE SAM
1t, M. R. Mitchell Writes of
Life At Camp Lee,
Virginia
315th M. G. Br. Camp Lee, Va.
Nyemher 7th, 1917

315th M. G. Br. Camp Lee, Va.
Nvember 7th, 1917
My dear Mr.. Johnson:
There is nothing so good for the
Newark brand of homesickness as
the Newark Post. / received my
second copy of it today and want
you to know tina tt read it from one
end to the other-ads and all, just
like one reads letter.
l get especially lonesome down
here because all Of the Delaware
College men have been transfer
red, Don't know whether they
were too good for this place or
what, but Coach McAvoy, Alex
Crothers and several others have
been moved on to other camps.
Only Samowisky, Carl Plumbley,
and myself are here now. Sam
owisky is in the A. M. Training
School and expects to be trans
ferred to jacksonville, Florida.
Eearl is "big cheese in the 32Oth
Infantry. They gave him some
thirty thousand dollars worth of
stock, a large two-story building,
and the title Of Regimental Ex-
change Officer. He must have
learned store keeping from his
brother; for he has the best can
teen in the entire Division.
was in the 230th myself for a
while, and had to pay several
prices for everything, but on Oct.
10, was transferred to the 315th
Machine Gun Battalion. M. g..
Battalions are branch of the ser
vice just being organized and one
about which no one knows very
much. As yet we have no horses,
no machine guns, no pistols and
will never receive rifles. But a
school has been started for the Of
fcers and we are beginning to feel
our way into the subject. The
lectures are given in part by Brit
ish and French officers who have
lust been in service. This morn
ing we learned the nomenclature
of the Lewis Machine Gun. They
are wonderfully thought-out
piece of machinery. While we
learn about the new work We in
struct the men in close and extend
ed order drill.
They're splendid group of men,
and it is a pleasure to work with
them. They are loyal and true to
America as we see by hundred
little acts every day and as was
proved in general by this alnos'
unanimous subscription for Lib
erty Bonds. Even the Negro
troops have a fine spirit in tn
wholematter. They swing happll!
along at trout step" singing a
only a colored company can. Yes
terday as l marched the compan,
on a hike we passed company o
Negroes. They stood to one sid
of the road, and as we passed CAV
a cheer that couldn't have bee
beat by the Delaware Student
when the ball went over the line t
win over Haverford. And whe
we turned the next corner W
halted to rest. And as the othe
company passed us in turn, me
cheered with equal spirit. That
the spirit that only war could max
possible.
Most of our men were foreigl
ers. and great many do not spea
English. But they are all Amer
cans now. Five or six from tn
company have, or have had, brot
ers in the Austrian Army. b
they are fighting with all the
spirit for America and for Wh
they think is right. :.
There is no problem of dl
cipline. l find the foreigners WI
ing enough to yield a few OF o.
american Personal Rights IN I
turn for the assurance of a war
place to sleep, good food a.
clothes. They are not famll
enough with the ideal of ''libert
to mind having every minute OF t
day definitely prescribed for the
Yesterday when | had finished
half hours lecture on the matter
"desertion in time of war" l a:
ed if there were any question
o. nr;,oto volunteered, "Ai