Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1917-05-30
GEORGE MEMKEE
TELLS OF LIFE IN THE
TRAINING. CAMP
WRITES ANOTHER LONG IETTrI
TO lis RELATIVES. TRAIN
ING is STRENUOUS
Brownsville, Texas, May, 1917.

don't even know the date. / know
though that it is Tuesday and-that
is all. You see US recruits have gone
in quarantine for ten days. l guess
we will get out of here next Satur-
day if no one gets sick with some
communicable disease. There has
been quite lot of sickness among
the fellows especially since last Sun
day, when we were innoculated
against typhoid fever or some other
DANCED thing. have had two vac
cinations and two shots in the arm
and still one more shot to go. Ken
meth was separated from Leo and l
and / guess he is down at the fort.
Clarence Bailey was not in that pic
ture because we could not find him
when it was taken. 1t has been ter
rible hot here but we are getting U.s.
ed to it. One of our fellows came
down with appendicitis today and they
took him to the hospital. We have
about five or six hours mounted drill
day and about two hours of foot
drill. It's pretty strenuous and
wouldn't advise a baby to enlist in
the cavalry. Don't worry about us
going across the border as we are
strictly forbidden and its too danger
Gus. The recruits when we came
here were divided up into lunches and
put into different troops. i am In
Troop II and it is supposed to be the
best at the fort. | think there are
supposed to be hundred and eighty
in a troop at war strength. We get
up at $40 in the morning, then go
to the stable and feed our horses
oats. We have to go at q trot TO
the stables and back, then we eat
breakfast. We have foot drill for an
hour or an hour and half, then come
back and get our curry combs and
brushes and go TO the stables and
saddle up. Then we have trotting
and galloping drills for two and
half or three hours. We have to drop
our reins and put our arms horizon
tally and move them TO the front and
back as far as we can, at the same
time following our hands with our
eyes. Then we rotate our arms and
at the same following hands with
our eyes. Then we pat our horses
on the shoulder, tanks and haunch
with our right hand and also left,
then pat our horses haunch on the
left side with our right hand and vice
versa with our left hand. 1t is hard
work and some fellows have an aw-
full time doing it. | have fallen off
twice and as yet haven't hurt myself.
We will have to do all these exercises
at gallop and also at charge that
is a very fast gallop. Then also we
have to do different formations at
trot and gallop, so a fellow is ready
TO hit the hay at night.
When we get through exercising we
oo back to the stable and curry and
brush our steeds, then water them.
BY that time it is noon and we eat.
The afternoon is same as the fore-
noon. We are busy until about five
p. m. then we have supper. They
are rushing US through to beat the
band
They say we leave Brownsville for
the east as soon as the state militia |
gets here about the tenth of next |
About twenty-one cars of
Texas militia came right past the |
camp this noon and are encamping a |
mile east of here. So we will prob
ably move soon. They say there
won't be any cavalry going to Eu-
rope. | hope not myself. will be |
glad though when we get back to
Gods country. All you see here are
Mexicans and there isn't hardly any |
sand storms, but have drilled never
theless when we couldn't see twenty
five feet ahead and the wind nearly |
blew us off the saddle. Well, it is so
dark can't see, so will quit until to-
Wednesday. / will try and fin
ish this missive. We have been very
busy today. Last night about nine
&c
into the camp. We had to get out
some tents and spread them on the
ground so that they would not be
quite so uncomfortable as the bare
ground, and they are lucky that they
got that much. This afternoon we
we're told to pack up our clothes and
saddles and other equipment and then
down to the Fort Brownsville
and that is where we are
At this time. Tonight we are sleep
ing on the porch and tomorrow we
will be assigned our equipment and
regular bunking place. Leo and my
self were very agreeably surprised to
get the Bedding Banner that was
sent to us and we both wish to thank
hem for their thoughtfulness. 1t
seems good to get the news
rom home and / know of no better
way than the Banner. Please thank
hem for us. / was surprised to find
hat letter of mine in the paper as
didn't think it was worth publish
ng. / am glad to know that Clar-
,nce Bailey has gotten in with a good
punch of fellows. A whole lot de-
bends on this in the army.
The grub is fine here and / don't
.hink anyone has right to kick. For
supper to night we had potatoes fried,
'ried liver, apple sauce, cold tea,
warm biscuits, baked beans and all
you wanted. / think will like it
irst-rate If nothing out of the or
iinary happens, and / guess / will
Iuit for this time. Don't forget to
write and say hello TO all the fellows.
With love,
George.
Troop III, 10th Cavalry. Fort Brown.