The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1918-03-15
SOLDIER, LETTER.
Mac Sellers, LIST Lieut.. u. S. Ma
rines, Tells of His First
Voyage.
u. S. Transport,
January Is, 1918.

Dear Mother
1t hasn't been so long ago
since l wrote you and received
a letter from you, but | have re-
ceived so many strange Impress
ions, and passed through so
many new experiences, that the
few days of our ocean voyage
seem like so many months.
We boarded our transport at
about 800 p. M, got settled as
soon as we could, but left most
of the baggage to be moved
later as the box cars had not
come alongside. At suppar time
the Captain of the ship announc-
ed that all but two officers from
each company might go ashore.
All of us wanted to; so we cut
for the privilege and ! lost. 1t
was up to me, therefore, to stay
with the ship and superintend
the storing Of the baggage. 1t
was rather a tough proposition
for me, but the Captain gave me
a few pointers, and ! tackled the
job. All the baggage had to be
brought aboard over a single
gangplank, wide enough for two
to stand abreast on, and with
1000 men all trying to work at
once. 1t was some job to keep
the stuff separate, and to get it
on board at all. The heavy bag
gage had to be brought up by
cranes. When it was ready to be
hoisted, / went up to the Off
Ger of the Deck and, as per in
structions of the Captain, l
said "Sir the baggage is along
side, will you please rig the
BOOM" | had no idea of what
the boom was like, but my bluff
got away, and a glib derrick
presumably the BOOM, was put
in operation. 1t was not until a.
bout 900 p. m. that we finally
got everything set, and then we
had to leave some of it out on
the deck to be made fast.
The ship which we are on,
was designed by Marine officers,
who had in mind the comfort of
themselves and men; so we are
housed especially well, with all
of the modern Inconvenience"
/ have a little stateroom with
mirrors, lights, four of them, a
bureau with a desk in it which
pulls out like a drawer, a wash
basin which folds up against
the wall, and a good bunk. You
would be surprised to see how
comfortable such a small space
could be made. Besides, every
two of the officers have a ne
gro boy who tends to all their
wants, and there is a bell right
handy here for me to ring when.
ever / want my boys services
He doesn't wait for, or expect
a tip either. Then we have a bis
roomy dining room, and the ser
vice we get would make the Ritz
Carlton management green will
envy. Between meal times w,
congregate here in the wardroon
to play cards, read, or listen t,
the photograph. Also the win
dows look forward and sine.
they are on the upper deck, w
get a good view of the sea scape
Our duties aboard ship are ia
from exacting. We had to cor
duct a lookout drill for our me.
during the first two days a
board, and since we have actua.
ly put to sea, we have had t
practice what we learned. Yo
know that a ship, in these day
especially, must have exceeding
" sharp eyes. So at night theI
are sixteen men constant
searching the sea for anythin
suspicious. They are all provi,
ed with binoculars, and to eac
is assigned a small sector 1
search thoroughly. These me
are relieved every hour, so thi
all times there are fresh men q