The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1918-03-02
miami Metropolis)

A splendid insight as to what kind
of treatment the boys "Over There"
ar receiving and what kind of exper-
iencs they go through while prepar-
inng to do their bit" is given in a
series of letters from Major L. H.
Hedricks, 147th field artillery, Amer
lean expeditionary forces, who left
the United States from ian Atlantic
port in January to "do his bit" In
crushing the German autocracy.
Major Hedrick is the nephew Of
Mr.. and Mrs. E. G. Conkling of 24O8
Brickell avenue, this city. Mrs. He'd
rick and her small daughter are now
in Miami as Mrs. Conkling's guests.
The following excerpts from the
majors letters will prove interest
ing:
Somewhere at Sea,
SOmellme IN January.
ITO my friends in the good old u.
s. A.
AT last we have hidden you adieu
for time. We are landed on for
eign soil to do our bit in the great
struggle. A few notes on our trip
might be of interest to you. You
will, OF course, understand the rea-
son for their vagueness, for | am not
going to write anything Of military
Importance for fear it might fall into
the hands of the enemy's agents in
that country, and goodness knows
there are enough of them over there.
That sounds funny, Over THERE
1t means a different place to me now
than 1t did short time ago. It is
now home and loved ones instead
OF 'hardships, hell and Huns, as it
was few days ago, but we'll soon be
trying to convince the Huns that we
have brand of hell all our own.
and we've brought good many car
goes OF it over expressly for them,
But to the trip:
The Start Overseas
Thursday: We rolled out at 2 a.
M, left camp at four, hiked little
over a mile over the slickest, iciest
ground | ever saw and a good portion
OF 1t down hill.Had two men temper
arily put out Of commission on ac-
count of falls. We then boarded a
train and went somewhere, took a
Terry and went out to our good Ship
nishing the loading about noon. How
many men on board? Well, suffice
1t to say well up in the thousands
The men are fairly well crowded.
sleep in hammocks, but are warm
and comfortable. Their mess is good
and served at tables and they have
two good-sized decks to exercise up-
on. The sergeants are in rooms
holding from two to four hunks.
The officers rooms run fair to excel
lent Being major, I get a very !
nice room with Major Beckwith. the
other major of our regiment. There
is a bathroom and toilet between it
and the coloners room, used by the
three OF us and nice, yes, an excel
lent sitting room just off the colo
nePs. In fact, one can't realize that
ne is blowing through the Atlantic
while he is sitting here in these
rooms.
I'VE stayed in port for some time,
putting out at about 4 o'clock Friday.
who said Friday was unlucky?)
The roll of the ship was not bad; we
all got through the first night in
splendid shape. Meals are splendid
and served in a splendid dining room.
Friday: Well you know what we
did, just stayed on board, and down !
below, too, for we were not allowed
On deck
Saturday: Sea getting pretty {
choppy; weather foggy and raining:
no sunshine; temperature cold. Had |
; drill today in emptying the ship
onto deck preparatory to manning {
he life boats in case of a successful |
submarine attack Got out in fair t
shape in about twelve minutes In
ADDITION to this precaution we all a
wear life preservers or life Jackets at |
Ill tunes except when We sleep and a
men they are hung right by our beds, d
me officers hang them on the back I
IL their chairs when they eat. In the s
afternoon the sea got rough and the I
snip rolled more and so did the in t
lrds OF thase on board One by one /
hey fell b ythe wayside, seasick- Il
men after supper it got forse and so a
I'D the people. Dozens by dozens t,
hey heaved up, but it quieted down Il
'nu aieer the men got to bed things {