The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1918-01-09
JEFFERSON BARRACKS
ROSS KELLEY WRITES ENTER
TAINLY OF SOLDIER LIFE
IN CAMP.

Under date or 5, RoSS
Kelley writes the following letter
from Jefferson Barracks, Mo-, to his
father, C. A. Kelley:
Just finished breakfast. Had boil
ed rice, Irish stew. bread, banana and
coffee. We have to get up at $50
and be out in line for reveille at
6:15. Ed Slack and / are both in the
27th company now and in the same
clubhouse. The bunkhouses are
about $50 feet long and 25 feet wide,
one door on each end and three on
each side and a square window about
every four feet on each side. They
have four little round soft coal stove
In each. The shacks are built up off
the ground about two feet and the
floor is one thickness of boards, and
is mighty cold to sleep on with just
one blanket under you and n over
and the thermometer standing
around zero. Ed Slack, a boy from
Fargo, N. D., and l made u bed to-
gether last night, so we had three
blankets under us and three over us,
OF course, we don't undress very
much. A newspaper is a prize to put
under you for 1t helps to keep out
the wind. We are packed SO close
together on the floor that YOU have
to walk over about so fellows to get
out and all have to turn ver at the
same time.
None of us fellows from Madison
are shipped yet, but a boy from Old
ham and one from Kansas City who
chummed with us, we're sent out yes
terday. A lot have been sen to
Camp Grant at Rockford. but I hear
that no more shipments will be made
there. / would like to have been
sent there, for It would be easy to
reach home and / could get into Chi
cago once In a while. They stopped
Issuing any passes here SO none OF
us were able to get to st. Louis New
Years day. We had all planned on
getting a bath and a good bed.
/ had to send my suitcase home
when l got my uniform. We had 10
minutes to take out what we needed
and pack Ii to send 1t home 10 1t was
awfully mixed up. l now have every
thing I own tied up In my shirt, and
SO has every one else until they are
shipped and then get a canvas going
away bag with two blankets and q
pocket for your clothes, and also q
haversack with a tin cup, plate. knife
fork and spoon in.
Yesterday all the aviation section
OF the 27th company was put togeth'
er and all medical corps put togeth'
err, etc.
Big break here, was just called ou'
for drill and also to sweep, but bach
In clubhouse now. Also got oul
mail. One section of one company
at a time, so all Is getting better
You see they are beginning to gei
some system here. Hear that about
1000 more civilians came I'm thi.
morning that they have been holding
back in Kansas City and Chicago.
1t is a little warmer here today
than yesterday. Yes, mother, yor
can send me one pair OF heavy socks
here. Well take a chance on one
pair. The mitts and cap were al
right.
No, we don't stand up to eat, bu'
we stand in line outside to get in Il
eat for anywhere from Is to As min
utes. We eat by companies now
The tables In the mess hall seat AZ
people. We sit IN little stools
There are about 115 tables. I guess
and each table Is set from three Il
four times a meal. ! haven't beer
unlucky enough to get mess hall dut!
but may get II any way. Hope ge
shipped first
/ haven't even had a bad cold
Just a cold and catarrh. They hav'
a lot of tents up for hospital use nov
and we see stretchers going by oil
the way to the hospital all the while
None of our bunch has been sick. blu
some have had awfully heavy colds
Since we have been put in section
according to our branch of service
the X. C. hall, the Y. M. c. A., thu
canteen, the post exchange are al
closed so we have to stay In our bunl
house where they can find us IL the,
need men of that branch. We hav'
not been able to buy candy or frui
now for two days and a half. Som
OF the boys are missing their tobacc'
pretty badly, too. Ed Slack was hap
by this morning at finding a half
stick of gum in his clothes, SO yol
see I don't need money very badly
1 haven't been able to cash the draf
yet, but when l need II will be abb
to cash IL. I won't unless I get NJ
town and I can cash IL there. go
a postoffice order from Ora 70
Christmas. / got that cashed thi
morning so when the canteen open
I'll have lots of money. / had abou
20 cents Left yet anyway and that |
5000 more than lots had left TO
lots had to borrow money. We &c
fuo Uood oivod onnIae for < caufo an,