The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1918-08-09
MANKATo FREE PRESS
LETTERS FROM THE
BOYS IN ARMY CAMPS

The following letter was received
by the parents of Glare Fowler who
has been stationed at Camp Pike, Ark.
the past nine months but who was re-
GENTLY transferred to Camp Greene,
N. c., as instructor in the Cooks and
Bakers school.
Camp Greene, N c., July, 26. 1915
Dearest Ones All: Will now try to
write you and tell you about my trip
here from Camp Pike. Suppose it
was a surprise to you to hear of my
being sent here of all places. We left
Camp Pike at 1880 Monday night, got
in Little Rock at 1880 and waited
there until 2:30 Tuesday morning. We
then left for Memphis, Tenn, arriv-
ing there at S:45 Tuesday morning.
We found we had missed the train
we were supposed to meet so had to
stay in Memphis until 8:45 Tuesday
night. We then went to Birmingham,
Ala, arriving there about seven
| o'clock Wednesday morning. We had
an hours stop there which was much
, enjoyed as we had a chance to get
| off the train and eat. Our next stop
over was a short one at Atlanta, Ca,
at three o'clock Wednesday afternoon.
| We left there at $3.50 and never had
long stop until we arrived at our
destination, Charlotte, North Caro-
lima, at two o'clock Thursday morn
, ing. We stayed in town the rest of
the night and came out to Camp
Greene about eight o'clock.
l can't say that my first glimpses
lof Camp Greene were pleasant ones.
My first discovery was that it was
a tent camp, my second was
that it was a very muddy one.
think | will like it here alright as
have found that this red clay is only
a foot deep so can wade through it.
The soil here is all clay and just as
red as red brick. The stuff dries on
your shoes and if one does not wash
lit right off it bakes and then you just
lcant get off, One nice feature OF
the camp is, theirs are some trees and
grass. 1t sure looks good to see some
growing things.
i Guess l didn't tell you, but to come
there from Camp Pike, we mad to cross
or partly cross seven different states
so you see l had good chance to see
the country. There were fifty of us
boys all from Camp Pike VINO started
|, out together. We were all from the
same company so we all knew each
other and we had fine time. We die
not all come to Greene as we dropped
>ten men at each of the four bis
!. camps we went through. We were
I, all sent out as instructors to Bakers
4 and Cooks schools that were opening
|up, that is the reason for only ten go
ling to camp. We did not have a spe.
lcial train but came on the fast pas
,senger trains.
/ want TO tell you of the fine way
the Memphis Red Gross treated us
They have Red Cross canteen a
1.-THE depot and when they found WI
had missed our train they came ant
lgot us and asked us to come and ge
la cold drink and lunch, needless
to say we did not refuse and we Ger
tainly enjoyed our lunch. They the1
sent us to the Y. nj. G. A to have {
Iswim which sure seemed fine to us
, At one o'click they told us to return
ito the canteen for our dinner, which
, we did. They then gave us passes tt
+ the best show in town, after which
, transportation was furnished to an!
one who cared to go over the city
We were often stopped on the stree
and asked if we wanted to go fo
an automobile ride. Their kindness
! to we boys will never be forgotten
for everyone of us appreciated thu
fact that they did every thing posi-
) BILE for our comfort while in thei
fair city.
!, Met Red Cross worker in Memphis
t who happened to be going on tril
| and l had the pleasure of her com
, pany as far as Atlanta, Ga. Righ
t there was another mark of credit t
the Memphis Red Cross
: Well dear ones, guess / have toll
!. you all the news for now. Hope t
hear from home soon, but suppose
2 will take few days to have mai
forwarded from Pike. Please have m
paper changed for me. Remember m
ito all nv friends and oceans of low