Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1918-09-04
FROM CAMP WADSWORTH
TO NEWPORT NEWS
Boys in Anti~Air Craft Battalion
Make Trip to Sea, Awaiting
Embarkment to France.
Camp Hill, Va.
Aug. 9th, 1918.

Camp Hill, Va.
Aug. 9th, 1918.
Editor, Tribune:
We have now left Camp Wadsworth
and it is quite a change for us here.
The last four nights while at Camp
Wadsworth we we're unable to sleep
because of the cold. The forepart of |
last week, the weather was perfect |
and we drilled harder on Wednesday |
forenoon than any day since arriving |
at Camp Wadsworth and still did not |
suffer from the heat. On Tuesday |
afternoon we were at the Y. NJ C. A. |
practicing vocal lessons, singing war
songs. On Wednesday afternoon and
Thursday we did not drill. Washed
our clothes and had our hair cut so
it would not be any longer than half
an inch. The last evening at Camp
Wadsworth, the bunch in our tent
had big time. One of the boys re-
ceived box of eats from home and
| another received box Of cigars,
others bought pop, etc., so had big
feed
We were all happy when told we
were about to move as we did not
like the climate there. The red soil
makes is disagreeable to live there
When it rains, the mud sticks to every
thing.
Arthur Hanson of Willmar received
IA telegram on Wednesday that his
mother was seriously i'll, so he Sc
cured a fifteen day furlough and left
for his home on Thursday evening.
He was in our company but his place
was taken by another party from the
fifth battalion. They will not leave
there for some time, so Mr.. Hanson
will, no doubt, return to Camp Wads-
worth.
Mrs. Herbert Wadell returned to
her home on Wednesday after visit
with her husband here since Satur-
day.
On Friday morning we brought back
our cots to the supply sergeant and
cleaned our tents. At 500, the bugle
sounded and our names were called
Later we gathered at the drill field
and received orders to leave; we
marched to the train, singing and
cheering.
The complete Fourth Battalion left
on the train, consisting of the officers,
headquarters, A. B.. C. and D. Compan-
les, so there we're several hundred
men. The first train included the A.
and B. companies The Fourth Bat
TALON consists of Minnesota men with
the exception of the officers. The
Kandiyohi County boys here are Tai
leck and Andrew Johnson, Ole Kalle-
Wig, Elmer Larson, William Reese,
Herbert Wadell, Alfred Olson, George
Olson, Carl Gunderson, Axel Hocum,
Casper Skindelien, Gustaf A. Ander-
son, Nels Anderson, Edwin Erickson,
Stephen White, Steiner Void, William
Coolen, Wesley Johnson, myself and
perhaps a few others whom l cannot
remember just now. Clarence Peter
son of Atwater is in the Fifth Battal-
ion. Burton Swenson was in the
Fourth, but was transferred the last
day to the Casual Detachment at Camp
| WadswOrth. A large number of the
kandlyohi county boys were in the
54th Pioneer Infantry but they have
left and are perhaps on their way
across now. Marcus Solberg is in the
the 62nd Infantry Co. D., and julius
Hookom is one of the boys taking
the officers training course and is in
the 55th.
On Friday morning we marched
two miles and stepped on the train
one-half mile from Akadia, time 1887.
When the train arrived at Spartanburg
it stayed until 1878 Were nicely treat
ed, by the Red Cross workers, with
bananas and postcards. The scenery
in South Carolina is forests, cotton
and corn fields. The buildings are all
the same size and style. The last few
days at Camp Wadsworth, several
small negro boys from Spartanburg
came to our tents and asked if they
might have the things we did not care
to take with us. They sang songs,
jigged etc. for us.
While at Lawrence, S. c. where the
train was transferred to another road,
we bought ice cream cakes which /
must say were the first I had ever
tasted.
The people in the south don't worry
very much about the forests so they
don't take care of them at ALL
Arrived at Columbia, S. c., at 6:O5
where we remained for an hour. Had
a half-hour march about the town and
saw the state Capitol and the bust
ness section of the city. Was at Con-
garee on Friday evening just as the
sun went down, the time being 7:57
Passed thru the cities of Florence and
Sumpter, thru the state of North Caro-
lima during the night and entered the
state of Virginia on Saturday morn
ing. In North Carolina, the occupa-
ton seemed to be cotton raising and
tobacco raising. At several places
the people were picking cotton. The
ride on the train Friday night was
beautiful and the moonlight gave us
the chance of seeing the country as
we'll as if it had been daylight. L
could not sleep that night Was guard
on the train between two coaches from
! eleven until one O'Clock and enjoyed
the same very much. There were
large number of bridges which we
passed over, some of them several
hundred feet long.
| Arrived at Richmond, Virginia at
eleven o'clock Saturday forenoon and
remained in that city for couple of
| hours, where we had our dinner. Had
another half-hour march about the
business section of this city. The peo-
pie here gave us a fine welcome. Had
| to climb a steep hill at Richmond
while. marching. Saw a statue but
don't remember the name or what it
represented. Also received treats
from the Red Cross here.
Passed by Fort Lee shortly after
leaving Richmond. We did not know
| what camp we were headed for until
we reached here. Were not allowed
to send letters or cards on the train
until the officers had read the same. |
When nearing Newport News at 3:46