Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1918-07-02
INTERESTING LETTER ON HIKE

WHICH mas Deen SLaJ10ne0 at camp
Wadsworth, South Carolina, describes
army life and a thirty-two mile hike
in very interesting way.
! Camp Wadsworth is located in the
northwestern part of South Carolina,
and the soil is red clay.
| We spent two weeks in our main
camp, studying the army rifle and
other things. We were then given or
ders to hike out to the rifle range
with full pack and rifle on our back,
about fifty pounds in ALL Our pack
contains the following: Shelter tent
rope and stakes, bacon and meat can,
toilet and shaving articles, one extra
suit CT underwear, three pairs of socks,
army blanket and sleker or rain coat
and the wrappings and straps that hold
all these things together, besides our
mess kit, belt and canteen Our dis
tance to hike was thirty-two miles
| including two stops.
Leaving camp on Wednesday
morning at 1880 O'clock about 1000
| soldiers started to hike with our COM
pany band of twenty-five men lead
ing the line of march. During the first
day we walked fifty minutes and
stop or temporary camp at 1920, at
which time we pitched our tents. had
roll call, dinner, foot bath and foot
inspection. The rest of the time was
spent in roaming around, after which
we had supper, retreat at seven, and
then listened to the band play. Very
few men fell out the first five miles.
Thursday morning Decoration day.
we were called at S;45 in the morn
ing, at home it would be 2:45, as it
is central time back there, dressed,
fixed our packs, had breakfast in the
dark, and ct seven o'clock we were
again on our way. We arrived at the
top of a hill at $50, finishing eleven
miles; pitched our tents, washed, foot
bath and foot inspection and all fixed
up for dinner. In the afternoon we
rested, followed by supper and band
music. This rest place, as stated
above, was on hill alongside
a country cemetery, and a very
appropriate place for a stop or the
evening of Decoration day. The coun-
try folks had services in the afternoon
and the little church was crowded
with soldiers and officers.
The next morning we were called at
3:45, and after going through various
military maneuvers, we started on our
last stretch of hikc-fifteen miles
the longest and hardest march. We
made very good time, but as we we're
nearing the mountain region, the roads
were rough and very hilly. In one
place we walked on North Carolina
territory, and then back into South
int
Valley. or Tigerville of the Blue
Ridge mountains al ten o'clock. We
could see these mountains for a dis
tance of twenty-five miles. They sure
ly are wonderful and noted for moon
sinners. At night lanterns and lights
can be seen everywhere, these people
being engaged in this work. The big
gest and highest point has the shape
of Rib hill. There are also a few
springs here. I have seen my share
OF large black snakes. They look very
pretty coiled up and lying on the red
clay soil in the sun.
There is very small creek here
where the boys can be seen washing
clothes, bathing, shaving, etc. In the
last part of our hike quite few of the
soldiers fell out on account of the
heat. 1t sure is some hot country.
Doctors, ambulances and trucks
travel along with us, taking care of
the fellows that fall out during the
hike. The procession was a very
long one. The officers and doctors
were on horseback, then the hospital
corps, army trucks, mules, soldiers,
etc., made a beautiful marching scene
going through the winding roads
into the mountain region. Our
Headquarters company was near the
end of the line of march, so we could
see it all very well.
The Rifle Range is at the foot of one
OF the big mountains, and about 400
can shoot at once at the different
targets from a distance of 100 to 600
yards-shooting standing, kneeling
and prone, that is, lying down. We
also have trenches here. l worked
one day in the pit marking targets.
l got good score for the ten days
shooting, in fact all the recruits had
good scores. 290 is a marksman, and
| got 217, which is a good mark for
the first attempt. The rifles are very
powerful. Our tents are pitched on
a hill. We have had only one real
heavy rain storm here, and it sure
does come down here when it rains.
The tents are small and short. and
there are two men in each tent. Tt is
hilly and rough but we are all getting
used to it and toughened before getting
over to France. We see no people
here, and the boys call it mo Mans
Land" If you ask a soldier where he
is from, he will always say, Goods
country" meaning northern state,
mostly Wisconsin, Minnesota or Mary
land. l am the only Wausau boy in
my Headquarters company. There are
some from Oshkosh, Shawano, and
other places in my home state, also
some from Minnesota. My tent partner
is an Oshkosh normal boy
Tomorrow (Tuesday) we start back
fome on our hike. The hours here
have been long, from $50 to eight
O'Clock, there being only one hour for
ourselves. Will be glad to get back
to camp where we have Saturday after
moons and all day Sunday to ourselves.
We sleep in tents there too, but much
larger ones, eight men and a corporal
per tent, called squad. In camp we
have wooden floors, electric lights.
also the sides of our homes are made
OF wood with canvass tops. Our wash
house and bath is about three-Guart-
ers of a block from our company
street. We eat in a large mess hall.
There is hall for each company. and
about $50 men eat at once. When at
camp we only have our knife, fork
and spoon to wash, but at the Rife
Range we have our mess kit and cup
to wash.
The country here is so different from
home. The soil is red. The homes
and farms are not SO large and nice,
no Easements under the houses. There
are fire places in the homes here, and
they look just like pictures you have
seen of the southern homes, for in
stance like Abraham Lincoln's log
cabin.