St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1918-06-15
FULL STORY OF RECENT
VISIT OF ARMY TRUCKS HERE
Camp Beauregard Correspondent of
"Trench and Camp" Writes Up
the Big Hike Here

-O-
The Trench and Camp section of
last Mondays New Orleans Times
Picoyune carries the following &C
count of the recent visit of the big
army trucks to Opelousas, an account
of which appeared in last weeks is
sue of The Clarion. The Trench and
Camp account follows:
Maybe you have often told your
best girl you would go through fire
and water for her. The boys of Com
pany B of the Hath Ammunition
Train went through the actual course
Tuesday morning, for just after the
guard had called us at 8 a. M, we
heard the rifle shots and fire call,
and by the time we were out of the
mess hall the fire was going good.
The only thing we didn't like was be-
ing left behind when the balance of
the regiment was marched owe to
render any assistance they could, but
by the time they had returned to
camp we had eaten and were await
ing the signal to start the engines.
1t was about 5 a. m. when Major
Burkett L. Williams gave the order
to move out and we were on our way
for a two-day hike, the longest any
company has been on. We passed
through Alexandria at $50 as we lost
twenty minutes on the road Just out
Of camp, but went into Lecompte on
time and into CheneyviIe fifteen.
minutes ahead Of schedule, as the
roads had been SO far in perfect con-
dition.
We arrived in Bunkie at 1910 and
spent twenty minutes. For the first
three miles out of Bunkie we had
gravelled roads and made good time,
but there we struck the bayou again
and going was pretty slow. We
reached Milburn at II noon and stop
ped for mess. While we were eating
we could see a hard rain coming, SO
we rushed through and at 1870 were
again on our way. We had only gone
about four miles when the rain caught
us, but it was only a light shower
and only served to settle the dust.
But about two miles further on we
sure did get it, and get it good.
Rain! Oh, boy! You should have
been there! The roads were like
glass, and if it had not been for some
good judgment on the part of the
drivers there would be another story
to tell. But Major Williams stopped
and ordered chains on all trucks and
by the time they had been put on it
was raining SO hard and in such tor
rents the major thought it best to
wait; and for forty minutes it rained
and then it rained some more. But
at last we again got under way. Now
the going sure was bad. You could
see no roads for there was nothing but
a stream of water where the road
should be; and for six miles we had
to contend with this condition. Then
all of a sudden we got out of the rain
and then the dust was pretty near as
bad v01, NOV ;ooor:no ~ 1r-;s.o
when we again hit the rain and mud
just the other side Of Beggs; and
then we had mud and some more
mud all the way into Washington
at which place we arrived at $50.
We had to stop just the other side
of Washington to take off our mud
chains rs Wa again were on a good
grayelled road. At $50 we started
the last five-mile lap of our trip and
arrived in front of the city hall at
$40. We received information as to
the camping ground. but when we ar
rived there we found only a small
lake and no place at all except mud
holes to park the trucks
Finally We got grounds down the
road from where we were supposed
to camp and the order was given to
dismount and pitch camp for the
night. BY the unanimous vote Of the
entire team supper was dispensed
in the hurry to get to town.
A few people were on the grounds
to see us pitch camp and many com
plimentary remarks were heard about
the thorough manner In which the
went about their tasks. After
they were through and guards posted
the camp and trucks, Major
told the men I'd change
and they could 90 To town. !
There the unexpected happened. La
lies Of the Opelousas chapter Of the
Red Cross drove UP and asked Major