St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1918-01-05
LIEUT.. B. MILLER
TELLSOFCAMP
LIFE SOME OF
SLANGN USE
Alexandria, La, Jan. l, 1918

AlcA0uOIlos Ad., J0A' - ASAo'
My Dear Mr.. Mason:
At last have gathered together
sufficient amount Of energy, station
cry and leisure time to write long
promised and long-deferred letter.
l am with the National. Guard at
Alexandria. and am really taken VI
with the place, and with the work
connected. As in all army camps at
present, the work, is hard and the
hours long, but every one takes that
as part Of the game. OF what We are
doing, and OF the camp itself, ! am
of course not at liberty to write. but
everything is in tip-top shape.
There has been of late a frightful
epidemic of stories going the rounds
concerning disease and death al, the
camps, but please do not allow your
self to be carried away in the popu-
lar hysteria. There is, Of course, q
bit OF sickness and a few deaths, but
of epidemics, it is to laugh. We were
under quarantine, it is true. but
nothing more 1ethal than mumpa and
measles. It II my personal opinion
that the people who Started these
stories did not know what they were
talking about. 1t may have been a
malicious lie, but really doubt that.
The population OF our camp Is
about 10000, and our death rate i5
about half that Of a normal city Of
the same popuIation. 90 IT'S really
nothing so terrible when you stop to
nono;dor ovorvthinr
Typhoid fever, the former scourge
of military encampments, is entirely
absent, not a single case. The same
with smallpox.
Camp life seems on the whole to
agree with the men. You wont KNOW
them when they return home. they
will be so improved physically. They
are all as hard as nails. and have ap-
petftes like the proverbial wolves.
Most persons are all mixed up on
slang, and l notice you have mis-
quoted a lot yourself, SO l am go
ing to give you a small vocabulary.
Remember this is entirely facetious,
and the kicking and growing i'm
piled should not be taken seriously.
because it is an old army saying that
the soldiers vii kick when they get
to heaven because the golden stair
isn't silver. Well here goes:
Sammy-The civilian name for the
American troops, hercely repudiat-
ed by the men themselves.
Mess-The best named thing. in
9rmy meal or meals in civil life.
Reveile-The curse OF bad soldiers
a "vetting up call'' about 5:15 a. m.
Taps-An end Of an imperfect
dav The lights-out call at night.
The Old Man-When used iby en-
listed men. 1t means the company
,ro1rm nder. When used by officers,
it des.gnates the Colonel.
Hoy Joe-The Chaplain.
Sky Pilot-Ditto.
Top Cutter-The first sergeant.
str'ker-An officers servant.
Dog Robbers-An officers servant
This is an odious term, and its USE
is a sure short cut to trouble.
Main Soutdge-A general officer.
| Shave Tail-A second lieutenant.
! Fogy-Extra pay for long service
| K. P.-K!tchen police, washing
pots and pans, scrubbing the Kitten
en- floor, etc.
ION the wood pile"-Extra ia
tigue, company punishment.
PHI Rollers-Pharmacy corps mel
| Bone Dtggers-Medical corps men
Face Twi3ters-Dental corps men
Doughboys-Infantrymen.
THO mounted aorffnna
Bayonet Dodgers-The quarter
master corps.
s. ca Sammy court martial TO
minor offenses.
eaanl1esana - aaxp -