Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1918-08-05
D . . . . o o o . . g Q o o . . .
D SOLDIERS LETTERS y

by Mr.. and Mrs. ]. M. Wagner OF
Oak street from their son Carroll,
now attending the officers training
school at Fortress Monroe, Virginia.
He is native Ashlander, and is
graduate of the University of Ore
son. He enlisted in the artilliary
last spring at San Francisco, and
was recently appointed to the Off
GERS training school.
Dear mother and All:
Have juse read your good combi-
nation letter and was mighty glad
to hear from home. Mail deliveries
are not very efficient or speedy here
and mail comes in in punches every
few days.
Our crowd came into this camp
with a rather preconceived and in
tluenced notion as to what the place
was like, for nearly everyone who
has been here seems to think ii is
his honor duty to knock the place.
The epidemic of Grabbing" appears
10 me to be sort of chronic dis
case, but there is no use catching il
IL you will take a little anti-toxin
in the way in keeping in mind what
YOU are here for. 1t is true that the
fare, and especially in the Special
:cts School, is not what it was at
Fort Scott; and there is little for an
ordinary enlisted men to do in the
way of entertainment. Nearly every
thing is high, especially amusements,
and the civil population is sort of
antagonistic tc the soldiers and sail
ors. The reason for this | do not
know, but / have heard II explained
as lasting result of the Civil War
this being one of the areas which suf-
fered and the remembrances have
been passed down. Niggers are
everywhere and most OF them look
tc me like characters to be watched |
What | say about the place is
merely by way of interesting notes
and not that nave picked out these |
things to complain Of. 1t Is necessary !
for me to be here for a time and as
there is absolutely nothing gained |
in cultivatfAg a dislike for your sur
7oundings, intend to make the best
of what disagreeable features do ex-
irt In the first place our fare is
what ! consider moderately good,
and / know much better than that
lr the Specialists School. Our quar-
ters are very good and | think i
have one of the best locations in the
whole barracks. have my bunk on
ne second floor porch of the large
rrick building and under some large
sycamore trees. 1t is nearly always
cool there except in the late after
noon when the sun shines in. It is
very pleasant there at night and last
night 1t seemed good under a sheet
aud two blankets. My bunkmates on
he porch are all good scouts and we
have good time in what little there
s for such things.
About the camp itself could
write almost a book but it can be
in one word as a hum
,inger." The man who invented the
word intensive training" certainly
'ad this camp in mind. up and at
en-" "On your toes" etc. are ex- [
,ressions which give the general at
nosphere and the instruction comes
II you in rapid fire order. Practi- {
ally your every move and breath is ;
egulated from 5:45 a. m. until
O:45 p. m. Woe be unto him who ,
S 4 second late or who diviates from !
regulations one point. Your uni c
orm and appearance must be Just I
o for each and every formation. Y
There are ten roll calls every day /
nd about eight different details con- Y
erning uniform which must be at a
ended to. When to go out with ties q
n, ties off, hats off, shirt on, shirt v
II, hat on, fatigue clothes on, etc. s
enough to keep you figuring about
alf the time. Every morning there a
detailed inspection of quarters. h
hey go over lockers, hunks, ETC., r
18th white gloves on and when they :
ind dust, the offenders name is 2
ublished on the bulletin board. y
OF called the other morning for E
aving my pillow about two inches :
TT OF line and even though that is Y
ct a very serious offense, | do not Q
l.end to let it happen again. Yes U
'rday morning We had to stand a Ei
,al inspection and much to my sur p
rise | got by with a compliment. :
yer half the men in tn ecompany Y
ere called for dirty rifles, but the y
ispecting officer said mine was n
cry good looking one. II should Si
ave looked o. X. for spent every p
'are minute for about three days =
)lishing IL. u