Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-07-14
CAPTAIN CONRAD TELLS
OF LIFE ON TRANSPORT.
ihchcster National Guard officer
Says Every One Likes 1t on
Shipboard.
SLEEP WITH LIFE pREsERvERs
Two Submarine Scarcs Experienced
on voyage by Members Of One
hundred and Sixteenth Infantry.
"A Smooth Trip.
lspccial to The Timea-Dispa,ch.J

III
MANCHESTER. VA, July 13.--Ict-
ters are being received from members
OF the One Hundred and Sixteenth In
1antry. formerly the old Second vir-
gina Regiment composed largely of
sons and srandsons OF Confederate vet
Grams from the Shenandoah Valley,
who reached France several weeks
ago. Writing ION board ship Captain
robert y. Conrad, OF Company J. OF
winchester. son of the late Major
Holmes Conrad. n Confederate STAFF
othcer and solicitorgcncral under
Cleveland. says, in part:
First of all. viii state with the
utmost emphasis that war begins much
100 early In the morning. ] had sup
posed that 5:ij at camp WAS really
sufficiently early TO get in a good days
work. but not so on board ship: and
not a kick from any source Indeed
you would suppose that my company
mad been raised on the sea--thcy are
everywhere ana doing everything from
The crow'S-ncSt 10 the hold. and APP
parentiy no more nervous than IL they
~er" In their own fields at home in
stead of on the ocean. which might
fairly be said 10 bristlr with posi-.
bilities. Nobody on board. In fact. is
showing anything but :, healthy in :.
terest I'm what goes on.
Yesterday one OF our sister com
Noys tested her fog horns. and all tbs
rest Immediately took 1t up. Natural.
- we thought that at least 100 sub
marines had come TO the surface, set
i never had more fun than IN thut
chaotic ten minutes. The Atncrican-
be he soldier or sa!lor-is full Of hu-
NOR before anything eiSc--hcn see
something TO laugh AT no matter wher.
he goes, and he is going into soma
queer places.
Every day has been beautiful. and
the SEA smooth and quiet. but YOU sure.
ly do get sleepy on board shin. /
sleep on "a couch on the top dccl; hall
way companion WAY Of l. deok) with,
very nice fellow named George Iinn.
whom used To know. aud IL Is very
cool and nice. Down below II is raih-
or stuffy. and as ! have lived in a
tent for two years feel IL,
We can't write about facts or num-
bers or places, but thcse ARE most ex-
citing days. | can say all OF that I
bet little Bryan q, ncphew now !. ca
dct At West PotrD is boiling over
10 get into IT. Th~s" days are to big
to keep out Of. Every one Of these
days is like the other one. cx 2ept that
one boat VIII he disabled today and
tho other one tomorrow. No sloor
IN our clothes. with life prcscrvcrs on
or very close al hand very uncortort-
able. hut most comforting. "" arc AL
studying and reading. but it is rather
iircsome At timcs-sarle old sea, same
old boats-but VIC arc promised some
thing more interesting in "a ie" days.
We az SAT. as church. believe.
though. of course. It's vastly different
from peac"-tjme sailing
i've seen the FIRST Of the war I,
wasn't much. hu, enough, 10 startlc
most men. and every man on the hoat
did behave beautifully. II was just
a scare. but as far We We're con-
ccrned. II might just well have been
n real submarine. We have strong
CONVOY. and II al the loOEoutS do their
duty not IN much danger. our
naval officer SAYS that lie has not seen
q trip az wonderful as this IN twenty
one years at sea-as smooth as glass
and no movement 81 the ship notice
able at all except the vibration OF her
machinery. Another scare Just now
fwere at dirncr AT J.. NJ. bot ] was
100 hungry TO go look until tie first
alarm was verified. We're doir- lots
OF studying, tut getting very little
exercise. I have censored over zoo let
tiers and not one complaint in the lot
These are splendid men. AID ;hey wiz
do themselves nroud. YOU may be :ure.'