Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1918-02-07
Letter From Sergeant Snyder.
Camp Hancock,
Augusta. Georgia


day is taken I'D with duties OF one
sort or another. To take mp my So
~ where ] left off in nv last letter !:
We arrived in New Orleans about
noon last Saturday, where the train
was divided and We were fernee
across the Mississippi.
For q number Of miles We travelled
along the coast in full view OF the
Gulf OF Mexico. We were on the
Southern Pacific, another oil-burnlns
road. 50 that We were free from dust
and cinders. never saw so many
bridges. and ! believe that at least z
fourth OF the mileage along the coast
must be bridged. Countless small
streams flowing into the Gull, and
inuunersble little bays had 70 De
crossed. and several times We were
actually out Of sight Of land This
vas 5y Far the most interesting part OF
the Trip. After dark We could see the
lighthouses about every half mile or
50. One bridge We crossed was two
miles long, according 70 the CONDUCT
or. and was constructed entirely on
wooden piles driven deep down into
the bottom Of the bay. He said that
there were piles driven 10 depth OF
10 feet, and that the bridge was not
very safe. The train went over Il,
and ! imagined ! could see the bridge
wabbling- also ! could feel myself
wabbling. According 10 the conduct
or again. every now and then z section
OF the bridge would just naturally
Law down without even TRAN on Il.
You could almost believe him when
Won looked at the bridge All along
the WY there were interesting things
TO be seen, ami We hated 10 have night
come. for il meant cessation Of our
sightseeing and the loss Of lots OF IL
tersstine and educational bits Of local
color. We were not allowed off the
train in New ORLEANS, and conse-
cuently We didn't see anything OF the
ciD.
From New Orleans We started north
through Alabama, making Montgom-
er some tine during Sunday night
When We woke Up Monday morning
We were in Georgia, moving along
through g seemingly Dever-enolng
pine forest. Every DOW and then We
would strike some small town Al
one, Scale, Ga. We stopped for water
and orders, and the high school was
iust beside the railroad station ana
since il was not YET nine O'CLOCK,
there were quite e number Of girls n
evidence. and in z few minutes the
fellows were in conversation with al
Of them. When the school bell rang
for assembly il received absolutely
no attention. and school was held Up
for st least z half hour until the traIn
pulled out. About noon We reached
Macon. where We al piled of the
train for z hike through the streets OF
the CITY. il being the first time We had
been of the train since We left San
Antonio. Macon seems 10 be z mighty
nice town-wide streets and good
buildings. and every one OF Us was
GLAD 10 get e chance II stretch the
kinks ont Of ouT legs.
Some time during the afternoon II
started 10 rain. and as il fell i troze,
and since We were due at Augusta
about eight o'clock things didn't look
very rosy for us. Sure enough, when
We got 10 the camp the rain was still
down pretty fast. We were
sll ready for unloading, 50 We piled
Of the train out into the mud ana
rain. was carrying my barracks
bag. full Of clothes and necessary
z suitcase full Of smaller
stuff. such as toilet articles, station
sy, small ests, etc, and finally ny
blanket roll Of four blankets and 2
Red Cross comfort. Nov that may
not sound like much weight, but, on,
NV We started out for our line,
which was somewhere in the IN
known. The road was mud almost
to our shoetops, the puddles deeper
still, and 10 cap the climax il was al
ID hill TO the camp. About every
1uzr1er Of mile We would stop and
rest. dropping everything II the mud,
regardless Of what il was. After
about two or three miles We came 10
our line OF tents, and the sigh Of re-
lief that went Up could have been
heard q mile II il rained while
Sherman was making his famous
march through Georgia, ! ran readily
see what prompted him 10 make his
ienoEned remark on the status OF
War" Upon or arrival at our line
We were assigned ten men 10 tent,
each man being given z bed-saok
filled with straw, and in less rime than
il takes 10 tel il We were al II the
hay. We had no COTS, 50 We slept OF
the ground, but We didn't mind II g
bit. for We could have slept out II
the rain. We were really not as vet
IS We thought We were though, and
in the morning the sun came out and
then ve had z chance 10 dry every
thing out well. Monday vas e beau
tiful day, cool, with E crisp breeze
from the west, which dried the
streets OF in g short while, and since
that time the weather has been ideal
an sitting out in front Of the tent
without 2 coat OF hat, snd the Sun is
warm, and / never felt betfed IN NY
warm, and ! never felt better in NY
Hfe.
Todsy being Sunday, everything Is
really very quis,, znd there Is scarce
~ anything doing By the vsy, ve
are in quarantine, and have guards
al around. We are not allowed 10
leave the line when the guards are
looking, the isolation being g regu-
lar routine for 81 incoming nsn,
which is good for tsa days, or IN our
case until Thursday. Every day z
doctor comes through the line and
looks Us over for measles, and yestsr-
day be found & case II ON linz The