The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1918-03-28
cAAerEa xmi.
Ny First osseial eath.

Right behind our rest billet was q
large creek about ten feet deep and
twenty feet across. snd IL was n habit
OF the company TO avail themselves of
an opportunity to take n swim aud at
the sane time thoroughly wash them
selves and their underwear when on
their own We were having q spell Of
hot weather. and these baths 40 us
were . luxury. Ths Tomrnies would
splash around In the water and then
what thsy termed q -stirt hunt At
crst We tried 10 drown the .coofies-"
but they also seemed to enjoy the bath.
One Sunday morning tho whole Sec
lion was In the creek and we were hav-
ing Q gny time. when the sergeant ma
jor appeared on the scene. He came
to the edge OF the creek and ordered:
Come out Of II. Get your equipment
on. 'tiriil ORDER, and fsil In for bath
parade. Look lively. my hearties. You
have only got fifteen mtnutes.- A howl
OF Indignation from the creek greeted
this order. hut out we came. Dfsci-
pisne Is discipline We lined up 10
front OF our billet with rifles and bay
ocets twhy you need rifles and bayo-
nets Go take q bath gets mel. full
quota OF ammunition. and our tin hats.
Each man had a piece of soap and
towel. After an eisht-kiio march along
a dusty road. with an occasional shell
whist,ing overhead. we arrived At
little squat frame building upon the
bank Of creek. Nailed over the door
Of this building was large sign which
read divisional Baths" In q wooden
shed Ia the rear we could hear a
wheexy old engine pumping water.
We lined np In front Of the baths,
soaked with persptraticn. and piled
our rifles into stacks. A sergeant Of
the Il. A. n. C. with yellow band
around his left arm on which was
IS. T." tsnnitary poiice) In black let
ters. took charge. ordering us TO take
on our equipment. unruli our puttees
and unisce boots. Then. starting from
the right of the line. ne dividssi. xas
into squads OF fifteen. happened to-
be In the frst squad.
We entered small room. where We
were given ave minutes TO undrcss.
then died into the bathroom. In here
there were sif,een tnbs tbarrels sawed
In two) haif full Of winter. Each tub
contained piece OF laundry soap. The
sergeant informed as that we Ind just
twelve minutes 10 which to take our
baths. SoapipE ourselves all over. we
took turns In rubbing each others
backs. thea BY means OF u garden hose,
washed the soap OF. The water was
fee cold. but felt fine.
Pretts 4hen he'll rang and the Wa
ter was turned OF. Some Of the slower
ones were covered with snap. but this
made 10, difference 10 the sergeant.
who chasexi vs. Into another room.
where we lined up in front OF little
window, rcsemblins the boz once In a
theater, and received clean underwear
md towels. From here we went Into
the room where We had first undrcsscti.
Trn minutes we're allowed In which to
get into our ~elsbber."
Ny pair cf dtawcrs came up to my
chin aud tho shirt barely reached my
iiaphrsgns bit thcy were clcan--no
strangers on thsfn, 80 I was satisfied.
At the expifat3on OF the time alint-
ted we were turneti out and finished
our dressine on the gross.
When ali of the company had hsthed
It waE case Of march back to billets.
Tint march was the most uncongcninl
one Imagined. Just cussinE und blind
Ing all the way. We were covered with
white dust and fit greasy. frc'g sweat,
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