The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1917-08-16
LETTER FROM X. T. FAIRE1.
Bambergian in Ambulance Corps
Writes OF Hike to Gettysburg.
The following by Prof. R. 7. Fairey
is reprinted from the Sunday State:

Judging from the record made by
the men of section No. 26 OF tie
L. S. \. A. C. on their hike to and
from the old battlefield of GETTYSBURG,
Pa. the physical stamina Of the
soldier boys of the old Palmetto Stc>o
| has not been lowered since the days
their forcfathers fought, bled, and
died on the old battlefield. The
| distance from Allentown to GettEs-
burg by the course the men pursued
| is about 133 miles, thus making the
entire distance traversed 2I0 miles.
On the morning of July IS, we, to-
gether with five other sections, a
total of 1S9 men and officers re-
ceived orders to pack up our tent
halves, in which we're placed all
necessary clothing and toilet articles
| for the soldier, and get ready for a
hike to some point somewhere
in America.'- In an hours time
every man was ready and rear
ing to CO." Much to the dis
appointment of our boyish en-
thusiasm, We were oredered to pitch
tents and spend our first night Sleep
ing on the soft side of our kind old
mother earth, within the walls of Our
own camp grounds. Before being
allowed to turn in for the night we
were all taken to the hospital tent
and given the first incubation of the
paratyphoid treatment. We had
previously received the three "shots'
of the typhoid inoculaticn, so little
was our dread of the mild para
typhoid treatment. Sufficient to say
that we all awoke the next morning
with our left arms fit subjects for
sings.
But before 11o'clock the noun was
changed for the verb, and we were or
dered to sling our packs across our
backs for our first days march. We
made quite an imposing sight (we
thought as we marched out of the
gates, followed by21 Ford ambulances
one Ford touring car, three Packard
trucks, with field kitchen attached to
one side car motorcycle. AS it
passed headquarters the battalion
was reviewed by Surgeon General
Gorgas, Lieutenant Colonel Goodwin,
| R. A. NJ. C. British Army, Major
Noble of the surgeon generals office,
Lieut.. Col. Percy Jones, second
in command of the U. S. A. A. c., and
Capt. C. P. Franklin, adjutant. The
battalion was commanded by Captain
Brinton, NJ. R. c., First Sergt. L. NJ.
Smith, of our section, acting sergeant
major.
The First Meal.
On account of leaving late, we halt
ed after nine miles marching, ard
partook of our first meal from the
army field kitchen, said meal con-
sisting of a sandwich and a cup OF
cafe noir. We we're fully confident
that we would starve before the
evening meal, but we hadn't yet
learned that we were under men who
knew more about our welfare than
We did. After mess we all climbed
into ''livvers. and rode into Read
ing, a distance from Allentown of Sc
miles.
At Reading we pitched our tents in
the old fair grounds, and were given
no leave that night. The sound of
taps at 9 o'clock bade us all good
night and the reveille at 5 the follow
ing morning was the first sound OF a
new day to us. Before six we had cur
morning mcss-German fried po:a-
toes bacon, bread and coffee this
time with milk and sugar. At $50 we
had struck tents, packed our rolls and
were ready to go.
Reading is no village by any means,
and we had the pleasure of marching
through the city. On our arrival 1t
Columbia, a manufacturing town on
the susquehanna, we had an idea that
We could be in Columbia, 1.-The square
meal city," Judging by the number OF
pickanninies We saw. Over the Sus-
uuehanna at this point we passed over
the longest river bridge | have ever
seen, a mile and a quater in length.
It was combination railroad and
highway bridge.
March and Ride.
On this day (Friday) we marched
about 16 miles before tumbling into
our "flivvers" for another lift into Ian
caster (not South Carolina). At our
midday mess we were allowed to take
off our shoes and socks and battle cur
feet in the coolest water I ever felt