Oxford eagle., 1918-10-31

Somewhere in France, Sept. %, 1918
Oxford Eagle,

Oxford Eagle,
oxford, Miss,
Dear Editor:-
have so many friends in my home
country to whom / would like to
write were it not for the fact that
the undertaking is too big for both
my time and writing material. /
thought | would reach them all thru
few lines to the Eagle. | reached
France three weeks ago. We had
delightful weather on the way over,
and very enjoyable trip. We had
some sub excitement but nothing
happened out of the ordinary. Our
transport carried a bunch of negro
troops along with the others, and /
was put to do guard duty over them.
The negroes had bad case of sea-
sickness about two days out, and the
decks looked as if about one hundred
slop buckets had suddenly emptied on
them. Mr.. Hoover would have had
night mares if he could have seen
the waste. One negro that was very
military in his expression said as he
heaved, 20, Lord, call dis here ocean
to attention"
After being held in camp for eight
days at port, l was delighted to see
lmy brother walk in from N. c. He
had been appointed as chaplain and
had overtaken me, not knowing where
had been sent overseas. A few
days later We were appointed to the
same division and adjoining regi-
ments. Our organizations are quar-
tered in some villages and towns only
a few miles apart i don't think
brothers have ever had such luck.
Our regiments are in training and
probably will be here for some time.
l have only been in for three days,
but l received hearty welcome from
both the officers and men. have
plenty to do. There are three hos
pitals four miles apart, and detach-
ed units scattered over large section.
My Colonel and most of the officers
are from Ark, La. and Miss. The Col.
relieved me of all mail duties, the
Jonah of the chaplain, and left me to
work with the men in my own way.
held my first service this morning. /
was honored with Brigadier-G General
to hear my first official effort. We
met by the roadside with the low-fy-
ing clouds for a cover, trees for walls,
and the ground for benches.
The soldiers are the most appreci-
ative and responsive to the real ros-
pei of any congregations to whom /
have ever preached. i am prouded
every day that / came.
l visited the hospital Of the second
Batillion this afternoon and passed
the men a handshake and a smile,
told them the latest war news, and
promised TO take them some writing
material tomorrow and to write let
ters for those not able to write to
home folks.
One Lieutenant was sick in a ward
by himself. AS talked about my
wife and children back home, / saw
him wiping the big tears out of his
eyes. He had just told me he had a
family back in Ohio. / knew just
how to sympathize with him. There's
no sacrifice too great for home folks
to make for these brave fellows.
They don't mind the ordinary hard
ships, they never complain at mud,
rain, going for day and half with
out food when the trucks fail to get
up provisions and little things of
that kind, but the thing of all things
that gets the soldier is that awful,
sinking, homesickness that ever and
anon overtakes him.
One of the revelations of the war
is the remarkable hold that home has
upon the average fellow in the army.
He may not have thought much about
it before but he is thinking about it
now. This home feeling gives you an
open road to his heat if you manage
it right.
One exhortion would put in right
here to the folks back home is to
write often to the boys in France
They will appreciate it more thar
sweaters or anything else. And
when you write don't wait for the
letter to come all the way to France
and get reply before writing again
: Many letters are lost and the boys
never get them, owing to moving, oil
being changed from one organization
to another. Keep the mail full OF
CHEEKY letters, home news, anything
a from home.