The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1918-02-09

sure does look nice when companies
of men pass in review. In the In
fantry there are twelve companies IN
a regiment. Next we went TO drill
ling IN skermish lines. Skermish lines
are when the whole regiment gets IN
a line called the firing line of battle
front. That drill is hard on clothes
and elbows We would run along In
a skermish line and all at once our
commander would give US the signal
to drop down and take shelter If pos
slble and prepare to fire. I wore out
the knees of my trousers and the ell
bows out of my shirt Then the other
call came, 1t sure was a sick looking
bunch or at least we thought it was,
but l guess we looked as sick as they
did but we had toughened in to 1t a
bit when they got ready to start drill
ling them.
was made Corporal and they gave
me a squad to drill and / sure had
some fun trying to teach them to 90
through the foot drill. They sure
looked awkward but suppose we
were the same when We first started
out, only we could not see ourselves.
On the 5th of November, 1 was
transferred to Camp Pike, Ark 1t is
a much different place then Camp
( Funston was The country here is
/ all covered with timber and the eli
mate is a whole lott warmer than 1t
was up there
When l arrived here officers met
/ US at the train and we landed IN 334
/ Fild Artillery.
We sure had a nice trip from Funs-
/ ton to Camp Pike. We left Camp
! Funston at II 80 o'clock Tuesday
morning. Men were put in charge
/ of each car to see that we got some
thing to eat. The first meal we ate
on the trip was at Topeka. Some of
! the men were detailed to get off and
get some coffee and other stuff to
eat Our captain, who went with US,
wired ahead and had it brought down
TO the train so we could get it. That
night we ate supper this side OF Kan
sas City. We went through Kansas
City about five o'clock that evening.
We came down on the Missouri Pa
cific railroad. I do not remember
Through what places we passed on our
way down here but we passed through
a good many of them. The only place
l remember much about was Monet,
Mo. l was guarding. the doors TO
keep the soldiers in when we passed
through there and the train stopped
to take water and the car door which
was guarding was right IN front
of a saloon. They would not even
let US get off to even get smell of
a drink.
We landed in Little Rock, Ark,
$50 Wednesday evening. We
stayed over there thirty minutes and
then we came on out to camp. Camp
Pike is eight miles north of Little
. Rock. That is about all OF our trip
l can think of now
The Artillery is higher branch OF
service than the Infantry and l like
it whole lot better than did the
Infantry. The Artillery uses a three
inch gun and We move them with
J horses. The guns weigh from
: 1000 and 1900 pounds and vii
shoot from seven to ten miles.
was going to work up to make al
expert gunner and was getting along
fine until one day, the Captain called
for somebody to help cook and NJ
one stepped out so I went and tolC
him that I would take a hitch at 1t
So now / am cook, and draw eigh
dollars a month more than I got
Five cooks are in Battery 1. Lee Nc
Kinney is in the Battery with me
: He was made first cook in our Bat
= terry. There are only four boys fror
{ Ellis County down here with me
They are, Mckinney, Werth, Haus
l child and myself. We are all to
/, gether. l do not think there are an.
), more Ellis County boys down her
= at Camp Pike.