McNairy County independent. (Selmer, McNairy County, Tenn.) 1902-1969, 1918-03-29
From Over There. :"
War Hospital, hartford. England.
March 4, 1918.


March 4, 1918.
Dear Mr.. Purviance:
Just few lines to you and all
other friends. to let you know that
| am getting along fine. Know there
are many who would be pleased to
hear from me. but to undertake to
write all would be quite a task. As
it is ! am pretty busy keeping up my
correspondence with my family and
other kinfolks.
To begin, will relate few of my
experiences since leaving home.
left Memphis Sept. 9th and after
very pleasant trip through East
Tennessee ard Virginia | arrived at
Washington on morning of Sept. 18th
reported at Army Medical School
and was told by the Commandant that
| would sail for Europe in three weeks
or a month. Yes, felt little queer,
all so sudden, but was satisfied.
was then ordered to report to another
place for final physical examination,
and having passed satisfactorily was
told to report again at 400 pm. for
vaccination.
While on hunt for rooom | met a
friend, DR.. C H. Glover of Martin,
Tenn, who was three years in school
with me and year in hospital. Now
you can bet | was glad to see the
"old boy" Well, We have a room
together.
/ was in Washington until Oct. 3D..
During that time visited all public
buildings and other places of interest,
Mt. Vernon, Fort Meyer and the old
home of Robert E. Lee. These places
we're very interesting and anyone
going to Washington should not fail
to see them.
On Oct. Sd | went to New York
and reported to commanding officer,
pier Of embarkation, Hoboken, N. j.
was given transportation and ordered
to be on board the boat not later than
1890 am. October 9th.
While in New York ! stopped with
two friends. Dr.. Oursler Of Humboldt,
and DR.. McNearney from Columbus,
Ohio, at the Longacre hotel. We
spent all day seeing New York, and
of course didn't see very much at that,
but did our best.
On Oct. 9th we sailed from New
York on and nice boat it is.
weighs over : tons. All on board
were happy. and yet there was that
question will | ever get back" After
we were out an hour or two ! began
wondering If were gong to be sea
sick, but am glad to say was not dur
ing my voyage. Late in the after
noon of first day was common to see
people hanging over the rail feeding
the fish," We reached Halifax. N. S.
the next afternoon and stayed there
three days. No one was allowed to
20 ashore. All were getting tired
looking out over the city and were
glad to get away. Halifax looked
a very old place and is built right on
the harbor A very pretty coast line
all around and good harbor strongly
fortified.
We left Halifax with other
boats on Sunday. Certainly was pretty
to see the boats getting into the
formation in which they were to cross
the ocean. Part of the boats carried
troops and others were oil and gaso-
line tanks. One boat had = = on
board bound for France. The boat
was ON carried officers and
about troops. 1t is the boat
Gen. Pershing came over on.
During our voyage we had deck
games of various kinds which helped
to pass away the time. In afternoons
there were btxing and wrestling
matches arranged among the troops.
They we're very interesting to watch
as some were real good.
We had life boats assigned. | was
made officer in charge of one boat
which carried sc people. Every day
we had drill and everyone wore life
nreseryer all the time. There was no