The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1918-08-22
Letter from Priv. William IL. Chas-
tain.

Aug. ., lSl %.
Dear Home Folks: will write
but do not suppose | will get to mail
this until we arrive at our destlna-
ton. We left Camp Dodge today
at 1880 p. m. We are going through IN
nice country now, Crocker is the
Wen Of the smS We t dd n We dri
yesterday, did our washing instead.
We have our pack and guns with
us, use baggage car for cook room
have Pullman car to ride in. | was
on guard when we left Camp Dodge:
the car We just went through 2H ! 3, a
now ry' on the G. n. W. railroad.
There are lots of corn through here.
We can see farmers threshing as we
go along. We Just we went through Tg h
people met us at the depot and
gave us a treat of pop corn: They
certainly cheered us as we left. Then
we had our supper, carried our
Chow" through in large cans and
served it on paper plates. Then we
made a short stop at Marshalltown,
retired for the night.
August 9th.-It is morning and
we are in Chicago; we stopped al, a
town by the name Of Clinton, the
Red Cross gave us a lunch, consist,
ing of ice cold coffee, sandwiches and
cookies. There was an enormous
crowd ia at ch the depot to se Wo u.s.
smething went wrong with one Of
the coaches and had to be repaired
but did not allow us to get off and
we ate breakfast while waiting. We
could see the lake from the windows.
We are travelling over the Nickel
Indiana, pretty rough country. The
medical men have been through to
inspect us to see if all were we'll.
We stopped at FIT. Wayne and was
off one hour for exercise, then we
crossed over into Ohio. There was
a freight train ahead of us with q
car off the track SO it delayed us 40
try with crops looking fine.
August 10.-We came through
Cleveland in the night and this
morning in Buffalo, but not allowed
to get off. We can see women and
girls doing all kinds of work here
ground to farm through New York.
We can see small towns down in
the valley that looks so pretty; so
much timber in this state: am on
guard again today, from 3 to this
afternoon. Lots of tobacco and cab
bage fields through here. We made
a stop at Binghampton. n. Y. and
apiece: Chocolate bars, chewing
gum, matches and cigarettes. Quite
a lot of rock fences, and we just
| passed through large tunnel, must
have been big task to construct a
railroad through such rough coun-
| try.
August 1th.-Arrived at Hobok--
| en-. New Jersey. this morning; went
over to Jamaica on boat and out
to camp on the train; have tents to
| live in here. There are asquad C or
! s mem to tent. | do not know
allowed to leave camp yet: Don't
along all right. I was over to Des
Moines to see George the night be-
1 fore I left Guy Martin left day or
so before I did and Bert McKern
will come in few days. You should
have seen the flags flying and heard
August 13.-Am telling all right,
1t is quite warm today. There are
number of airplanes flying around
today. was over to New. York last
and several other sights of interest.
Twenty per cent of us go over to
the city each night now. We will
draw our oversee clothing. in few
days Saw Guy Martin last night
and Bert McKern this morning: was
over on Broadway. Have you heard
from Willarda Tell everybody
hello, as I cannot write to every one
but will write as often as can and
you do likewise. Put return on the
envelope,
Private William R. Chastain,
Co. B, 352nd Infantry.