The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1918-08-08
LETTER FROM SETH SKINNER
Camp Mills, Hampstead, N. Y.

July ~, 1918.
Dear Beaver Friends:
It has been several days since you
have heard from me. will now give
you few notes about our trip from,
Camp Bowie to Camp Mills. Tues
day morning, July 16, we had every
thing packed and at .. m. we
across the street and pitched
our dog tent. These are small tents
just large enough for two men to
crowd in and sleep. Then we took
down our lodge tents and cleaned up
in general. Then we had most Of
the afternoon to tell our friends
goodbye, etc. There were no passes
issued that night. The first call
sounded at o. M; breakfast at g.;
down at the train after breakfast.
We came back to our camp ground,
fixed our packs and by eight we were
ready to go. There were lots Of peo-
pie out to camp early that morning to
see the boys of. We loaded on the
train at $3.50 a. m, and at nine the
whistle blew and we were on our
way, but didn't know where. We
came out by the way Of Dallas on
the T. P. Railway and on out Of Tex
as and through the central part of
Arkansas and didn't see anything but
little saw mills and negroes; went
out of Arkansas into Tennessee. We
got into Memphis about 10 a. m.
Thursday and they took us off the
train for exercise and marched US up
town to large club which had very
large pool of water in it and we all
took good swim. We left Memphis
about 1890 and crossed into Ala
bama. Then the next day we came
back into Tennessee and they unload
ed US at Knoxville, Tenn, for exer-
else.
We saw some beautiful mountin
sights as we came through Tennessee.
Came right along beside Mt. Look
out. One boy out of Co. D got pair
of field glasses and got out on top
of the train and was taking in the
sights and we came under the noun
tain through tunnel and it dragged
him off but as luck would have it it
didn't hurt him and the troop train
behind us picked him up. We came
out of Tennessee into Virginia. Came
through the Blue Ridge mountains
just at sun rise and it sure was
beautiful sight. We got in Washing
ton, d. c., about five p. m. Saturday
and we all wanted to get up town but
they wouldn't let US. We could see
the White House from the train. We
stopped and took exercise there in
the railroad yard and the Red Cross
served sandwiches and coffee to u5
boys. The Red Cross met us every
where we stopped and were very nice
to us. We came on out of Washing
ton through Baltimore, Maryland,
and on to Jersey City. We got into
Jersey City at 9 a. m. and they took
us up town for exercise, then broughsS
us back and loaded in on the train,
then after dinner about l p. m. they
unloaded us and loaded US on boat
named Red Bank which brought US
up the Hudson river Is miles and
landed US in the harbor of New York
City. Then we had to load our bag
gage on another train which brought
US out here. Camp Mills is just "a
miles from the heart of New York
City. We got here at IL 80 p. m.
and it seemed like we hiked ten miles
but we only hiked three miles. We
sure were tired bunch Of boys. The
first day we were here we did our
washing and laid around and slept
and rested. The second day we be-
gan to standing inspection on equip
ment, physical, etc. Today they
took up most everything we had been
issued except what we wear. Yester-
day they took up our hats and issued
US Scotch cap, which crushes in the
center and hasn't any beak, and we
wear them on the left side of our
head. This is a large camp but the
dirtiest camp I have ever been in.
We live in tents and they haven't any
floors in them and there is black
dust Jogging all the time. We will
either go back south to some camp or
sail before many days.
Most of our Division is across and
us boys want to get across and help
the boys.
Flying machines are as common
here as chickens in farmyard. They