The Delta independent., 1918-03-01
DR.. cLELAND WRITES INTER
ESTiNG LETTER TO FRIEND
Camp Logan, Texas,

Il. A. COOK,
Dear Sir:
Hear the bugle blowing turn in,"
but as i am officer of the day / will
not turn in. 1t is raining to beat the
band, and / am making the rounds in
hip boots and rain coat. This seems
to be a real rain as ! see water all
over the top of my bed and find many
of the tents down the men row leak
ing
at home. but did not have on the hip
boots. Come in now and then to dry
out little by my trench stove. which
is cone shaped piece of metal that
makes a pretty good one, at that.
1t is turning quite warm down
here and everything getting green.
planted some garden where Mrs.
Cleland is staying and it is up and
growing in great shape. Quite diff
ference in the planting time here and
up north. The ranchers are plant
ing potatoes etc. and will soon have
all kinds of good things to eat.
We have moved about quite a bit
since leaving Delta and when | have
time to think of home l get mighty
lonesome to get back to my old Of
flee. Surely was hard to give up my
business which it had taken several
years of hard work to build up, but
would do the same thing again, but
hope this one time will be enough.
When ! carried the books. instru-
ments, etc, out of the office, it SEEM
ed like going to a funeral, but will
get back to it all in time. we hope.
We are putting in some good licks
now. and there seems to be a feel
ing in the air that we will move be-
fore very long. but never can tell.
Airplanes are sailing over every
day and there are lots of them. They
are getting to be quite common to us
now. but still we take a look when
they go over. Seems a wonderful
thing to see men up there sailing
around like birds, but not quite so
safe. as several have fallen in the
last few weeks and were killed. Two
collided 5000 feet in the air two
weeks ago and fell. both dying l
enjoyed my ride very much. but may
be it was a good thing took it while
they we're not doing so many stunts
as that is the dangerous part Saw
eighteen up at one time. Over a
hundred up one morning last week
We are teaching the men nursing,
drills and all kinds of things that
never dreamed existed few months
ago. We get out and drill the enlist.
ed men the same as line officers.
There are SO enlisted men in a field
hospital and six officers We have
six big ward tents. three office re-
ceiving and operating tents besides
all the tents for the officers and men,
Our company put up the whole thing
In fifteen minutes not long ago. Took
the tents down one night at l:30
packed and loaded them and moved
three miles in one hour and twenty
minutes. re-pitching. so you can see
we learn other things besides giving
pills.
The wounded are carried up to us
by the ambulance companys. taken in
to the receiving tent and then to the |
operating tent where we work them
over. write on the diagnosis card
what to do with him. which is attach |
ID to each wounded man by the am
oulance company. and these stay on
until they are disposed of when the
.ags are sent to the commander of
the company to which he belonged A
great system so as to keep a check of
all the men. All who are able are
sent back to the front. the transport
able cases sent to the rear or evacu-
alton hospital and the severely |
wounded remain at the field hospital
for a time at least. but not SO many
are to be kept there for any length !
Of time for We must have the space |
for the new cases that come in. There |
is good supply of instruments etc. |
to work with. but at times the rush |
will not leave much time for each |
case. Everything will be a rush when |
things start.
We were out on a hike the other |
night and passed near the trenches. |
They were shooting signal rockets of |
all colors. each meaning some differ |
ent thing and looked very much like |
a fire works display the night of the |
Fourth. Not sound anywhere only |
the rockets going up and breaking |
This week we go out and have some |
mimic warfare. going through the ac-
tual stunts of caring for the wounded |
and all. We usually are ready for |
sleep when night comes. but now they |
are giving us lessons to read and lee |
lures TO the men. but they are too |
tired to learn much when sleepy
About time for me to make my |
rounds tp see II tho Cermops have
captured any of our guards and il |
they are on the job. Two niggers |
killed a guard last week and skipped |