The Covington leader. (Covington, Tenn.) 18??-current, 1918-08-29

al about u 81 IS pounds. The march
rs about four on five miles, and we
lad one rest period. When we re-
sumed march we were eight men
short, These we brought over ia an
ambulance, but think they have got
ten o. X. Battalions X and J came
over at the same time.
qualified as an expert swimmer
Monday, and as a heavy weight LITTER
Tuesday. Our test was so yards
out against the tide, using the over
hand stroke, then that distance back
on our backs, then 20 yards out again
on our breasts, diving down and get
ting a handful Of sand, then this dis
lance back with one hand holding on
to your sand with the other. This
test would be easy in fresh water,
but it's pretty "stiff" in rough, salty
water. There were % men in our
company who qualified. The weight
lifting contest was putting a 6O-lb.
weight straight up over your mead,
bringing it from the ground to the
bent shoulder position. then straight
up. Our company surpasses the oth-
ers in our battalion in all athletics,
and equals, if not suprasses them IN
drill. We won another thinning
game from Co. 273 by score Of II
to Z. ,.c
/ think / have explained the differ
ent drill formations, haven't /?
Yesterday morning we passed IN
review before the major and had
sunset parade yesterday afternoon,
These come every Tuesday and Thurs
day There were six battalions IN the
parade, and an eighty-pieee band
which can sure play some good march
es. You can be ever so tired and ex.
hausted from drill, yet at the HIST
note from the band your head VIII
go up and your chest out, and you
feel entirely like different person:
/ never was touched by the sight Of
a flag much, but whGa "colors" sounds
and everywhere every man is stand
ING at attention and salutlng, u
makes things entirely different 1t
seems that every time | see a flag
I can see in it your sweet face, moth
Ell, and it puts the fighting spirit
in me. | know my purpose is to pro-
teet this flag because it protects
you.
m constant drilling one does not
voalize that he is in his country's SER
vice. I am only now beginning to re-
alize this fact, and that is because we
have taken up bayonet practices ana
TODAY we went out on the range Our
company was on police duty, SO we
hiked over to the new rifle range 70
help work over there. 1t is about.
three miles, and we carried our light
drill packs, which include our mess
GEAR and canteen. and also our pouch
es. We had an easy day 'of. 1t. we
worked behind the targets to count
the ''hits" the fellows made. The
targets are on large canvas sheets
and slide up and down on a track.
They are about 10 feet high, and we
stand behind a heavy embankment
with the bullets whizzing over our
heads. It's a ittle--very little-like
i imagine it will be in the trenches.
| met a boy today who knew Hood
and some other fellows that ] knew
down at Sheffield. / counted hits
for him, and he made pretty good
score. This is real new range, open,
ed yesterday, and / think it will speed
our training up little.
1t has been pretty cool today, and
/ expect to sleep tonight. Last night
/ would fan myself with my hat I'M
til dropped off, then in little while
/ would wake up, find my hat on the
Floor and repeat the process. 1t
rot very comfortable about 2:SO or
8 700 am, but we had to get up at
4:3O. This would be $3.50 by the
time at home. Yesterday morning
the corporal got us up at 2:lO am,
but we found out the time when we
were about half dressed, so we went
back to bed. He had been dreaming
and thought it was time to get up:
We are in bunk houses, which, Of
course, are much hotter than tents.
- nv osndv from Carey vester-