Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1918-04-18

L
reveille at 5.45, we had TO get up at SIS.
Did | say rest camp? Well, it wasn't
for me.
That day we left that camp and in the
evening got on boat and the next
morning when we woke up there lay
France ahead of us. Again we went IN
to an English rest (?) camp at -.
This was really leave camp, where the
English soldiers come to 60 on leave,
and We had lots of fun talking to the
"Tommies" This camp was lot better
than the other one, but one day IN II
was enough for me--and we were there
four. When we finally got the order to
move we were sure glad, and we lost
no time in climbing aboard one OF those
| TOW trains and soon We were moving out
through France Many of the names of
the towns and cities we passed through
were familiar and it was certainly very
interesting. We saw lots of troop trains
| full of soldiers, and practically every
man, except the very old men, is in uni
| form. AS soon as we got over here
there were plenty of evidences that
there is war really going on, and one
of the plainest signs is the fact that
women are doing so much Of the mems
work. Then nearly every woman is
| dressed in black-a grim reminder that
men are giving up their lives in almost
countless numbers. But the people are
all cheerful and the consensus of opinion
is that we will have the Germans on
| the run before the summer is over. I've
seen lots of Germans, too, but they are
all prisoners, and they are all working
| hard at all sorts of work.
| About six o'clock yesterday afternoon
we arrived at B, where we are now
| stationed in the first real American
camp we have seen since we have been
on this side. Only American troops
are CHARTERED here, so that we feel like
we are at home The camp is an old
French army post evidently-and OF
some age, too. The whole post is sur
! rounded with a stone wall Surmounted
| by a high iron fence, and when the
main gates close at go at night, no
one comes ir or goes out until sunrise
next morning. Which means that a
man can't sneak past the guards, but
must b in or he can't get in. The
| buildings are y; solid stone, and it is
said that Napoleon Bonaparte had them
built for his troops. They hold lots OF
men, but not enough, for we are living
in wooden barracks, which are built all
over the place. The stone barracks are
| four stories high and the original
French signs are on the doors still. Last
| night, or rather after retreat at ,
o'clock, we we're given permission to
60 down into the town. Without ex-
| ception the men all went, and since il
was the first liberty we have had in
several months, il was certainly fine,
and we were all like bunch of kids.
Since it does not get dark here until
eight, we had time to look all over the
town. The streets run just in any d.
| rection at all, and very narrow, and
without turning you are very liable to
find yourself back where you started
from. The first thing | did was to
buy an EngliSh-French vocabulary, and
when | went into a restaurant, by signs
and the aid of the little red dictionary
| managed to get fine meal at cost
of four francs, or eighty cents in our
money. 1t is sure lots of fun to talk
to the French, and they enjoy it as much
as we do, and are just as nice and pa
tient as they can be. But then they
are getting our money and our help
why shouldn't they be?
Right in the center of the town is
big chateau, which looks so old that it
would be hard to figure out just when
it was built. The chateau figures large
ly in French history, and | understand
that Louis XIV had his headquarters
there for some time and also it was
there that Catharine de Medici was
killed. There are just lots of things
of interest TO be seen. About every
other door leads into wine shop, and
the American soldiers sure hit the
wine, but they can't hold enough to
make them drunk know, for have
not seen a drunken soldier since |
have been here. We have an Ameri-
can 7. M. G. A within stones throw
of our barracks, and we can buy Ameri-
can cigarettes and candy, and it sure
is a comfort to be so close. We can
drop in any minute in the day, and the
men in charge are certainly fine to us.
! have never seen such beautiful
weather in my life. The nights are cool
and just right 10 sleep and the days are
warm and pleasant. Our chief sport is
indoor baseball, which we play on the
parade ground, and any time during the
day half dozen games are in progress
and Of all the fun that we have play
ing the game. Then the Y. has entertain
ments every night and good ones, too,
so that we don't have any dull moments.
Another good sport is to get the COM
pany at the head of the mess line.
About fifteen companies eat at the same
mess line, so that unless you are near
the head of the line you don't get as
much to eat and have to stand in line
a long while. So far we have been
lucky and have not had to wait very
long.
Just behind the camp there is fair
sized river, which runs through the
center of the town, and it certainly is
beautiful Another thing that sur
priSeS me is that the sun rises in the
proper place, just in the same position
that it does at home. Another good
feature is that we can take a good hot
bath whenever we want it, and that
means more than a good meal, almost,
for we have been some time without
bathing facilities, and to be able to
take warm bath at any time is an
other one of the advantages of an
American camp.
So far as health is concerned, can
only say that since have been in the
army my name has never been on the
daily sick report Of course once in
while feel poorly, but usually it takes
only an hour or two out in the sun
shine to make me feel up to 100 per
cent. We have some men who want to
go on sick report every day. But !
feel fine all the time, and except for
having to get up so early in the morn
ing | have nothing to complain about.
But am always in bed about $50, so
that | usually get eight or nine hours.
We have not settled permanently yet,
but we have hopes that pretty soon We
will be fixed up in a regular place.
Well, guess had better stop for it
is nearly bedtime and the lights go out
promptly. Have gotten no mail yet,
but | feel SIRE that there ic 1ote IN che