Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1918-10-10
From R. c. Hensley
Camp Funston, Kans., Aug.26

ceived today and glad to know
everybody is all right l am feel
ling fine and am having it pretty
easy so far, have been in the
army over q month, and so far ]
haven't earned a dime. | have
been assigned to the mounted
orderly section but have never
been assigned a horse and SAD
die yet. Each orderly has charge
of two horses one forhimself and
one for some officer,all they have
to do is take care of the two hor
ses, ride around with the officers
and carry their messages, we
don't have to do guard duty, or
kitchen police, or drill and hike,
so you see we get out of the real
hard duties of army life. So far
I have just been helping take
care of the horses, about two
hours'work in the morning, then
we are off till $50 in the after
noon; then we go to school at the
Kansas building. we are learning
signal WORK and learning how to
carry messages. as that will be
our main duty, if we see any
overseas duty. We will be
mounted as long as we stay here,
but will not use any horses when
we get over. The rumor here is
that'we are going to Russia, of
course we can't tell any thing by
what we hear, as the Camp is full
of runOrs. We have been hear.
ing for sometime that we are to
be transferred to Camp Kearney
Calf then to Russia. you never
know what to believe, bat woul.
dn't be surprised if we don't
leave here before long. | don't
think anybody would care, asnone
of US like this dusty, hot country;
as far az the camp is concerned
it is one of the biggest and best
in tho country. It's the sand
storms we don't like. Makes it
so hard to keep clean. Am with
a bunch of fine fellows. Most of
them are from Chicago. They
are all SPECIAL service men, such
as electricians, mechanics, clerks
and musicians, the band is quar-
tered here and the Headquarters
Co. is always the best company
in a regiment. | don't know why
| was sent here, but | suppose |
passed a good mental examina
ton, as headquarters men are
picked men. The sergeant just
told me he was going to give me
a horse and send me out on the
drill field with a French officer
am anxious to go out and watch
them drill. Haven't been on a
hike since ! was transferred
from the depot brigade. l have a
rife, canteen, etc, but have never
used them any yet. All men are
issued rifles, etc. Most all of the
other boys are in the field artill'
cry about a mile from here, but
I see them nearly every night.
Tell Otto to come up any Satul
day or Sunday aud I can get of
It'll Monday morning. Saturday
and Sunday are visitors days
and thousands of people are here
then; we can go any place We
want to by getting a 36.houl
pass. think I shall try for
furlough about Oct. l, if we are
here then, although it's pretty
hard at present to get a furlougl
unless it's a case of sickness OF
death, and they always investi
gate befiS'e issuing them, bu
from what they say it's easier {,
get a farm furlough than an!
any other kind. Am glad you 60
a rain. We had a big rain herr
here Thursday night and it hal
been cool and nice until today il
warming up. Tell Otto If HI
comes to call for me at building
1887. ] received the Mirror to
day. I See quite a bunch is leav
ing from there tomorrow. Tn
10Th division had q big revieS
here Saturday; sure was som
sight; there we're nearly 1000
lin it, and you could see soldier
as far as you could look in an.
direction. We have plenty to ca
yesterday we had chicken AM
ice cream for dinner; sometime
we are a little shy, but it's be