The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1918-05-24
LETTERS FROM BOYS
IN THE ARMY CAMPS

Mr. and Mrs. HI. c.. Gerlach, Ala
West Fourth. street, aave received
the following letter from their son.
Sergeant Henry C. Gerlach, Company
E, Barracks 81, 55th Engineers, Camp
Custer, Mich.
MAY II. Sweet Mother-Think
Of it--our colonel, with sincereSt
regards, asked us all to write to our
mothers today, the 18th of May. 1t
S with a great feeling of content
ment that | write, feeling that l am
accomplishing much and am srill
conservative.
"Have some books to study on en-
cheering and military technicalities.
The stuff seems remarkably easy as
most of it is really re-conceived,
that is l seem to know how things
are done, or should be done, even be-
! fore l have had the experience or
exact knowledge. I'll learn this game
and I'll learn it well.
"We have a first lieutenant, man
! that is all heart and very intense,
| the best drilled man in our regiment.
He wasn't regularity assigned to our
company, but we got out a petition to
have him stay, and it was granted.
know him we'll for he has bawled
me out couple of times, and l like
him all the better for it, and so it
| is with the rest of the men.
1--WE have been assigned two new
second lieutenants, both with special
ability, and l think that the combina-
| ton, including our captains person
ality, will make up first-class COM
pany. We have some live company
| now, believe me, as all the men have
lots of spirit. You ought to hear us
make a noise and entertain ourselves,
and there is an almost total lack of
friction between the men. Jones is
the piano player, and he sure can
play. He has the volume of brass
band land the soul of an artist. All
of us delight in his playing Then
Joe Bowers dances a jig. He is an
| accomplished and athletic fellow, and
either of these men would get by in
the Orpheum circuit. We also have
singers and ball players. Kephart
Ristine and myself are strong on the
drill field.
| "Our barracks are located on the
/
feeling gay they move the old piano
out on the lawn, or rather what would
be the lawn if it wasn't so bald, and
there we dance and play like bunch
of kids, everybody in it. The colonel
pays us very high compliment by
coming over and watching the boys
perform. There are any number of
men who say they would rather be- in
our regiment and company than any
other unit they know of. You can't
imagine the good humor and good will
of the whole gang And to see the
wide range in the social scale, Ital-
ians, Poles, Russians, Jews, and all
manner of Americans. And they mix.
Just to see this has been the big
thing of the national army that has
appealed to me. And to see how it
all would and is. working out is an
added interest and pleasure. This en-
rironment sure is fine place for
student of physiology and a man
of action. Write again soon, if only
a card; it carries with it the spirit
of home that is always sweet and
dear.--Your son Henry"
DR.. and Mrs. R. M. Dodds are in
receipt of the following letter from
their son, Lieutenant C. L. Dodds.
now in the army service in France:
My dear mother and father: Yes.
think I'll just tear the top off a
few sheets of this hotel stationery
and tell you the story of the last few
days OF my existence. 1t is all-oh.
so very-interesting, and l know YOU
will enjoy hearing of my latest ac-
complishnents.
i Il hope you have received the let
ter l wrote last week up in the big
town. [ am no longer there. In fact
left the morning after the raid. |
was one block away from the worst
explosion
"The night before, I had been
walking along the sidewalk, when
three autos coliided and came straight
at me. l, by jumping straight up
and lighting on the hood, as one au-
to struck the building behind me, was
spared a second time.
We'll, I got my orders and re-
ported down in a very good sized
city to the commandant (major) OF
the fremont depot there. That moor
he and l took the train for a four-
-Four trip to another new city for me
where | proceeded to purchase horses
for the government This mornins
again ] was out buying and after ar
early lunch came on a five-hour trir
to this wonderful town
Mon commandant' had failed tr
, do so. | went for a walk and fount
marvellous cathedral to visit.
walked about inside for an hour, read
ing tomb Inscriptions and studyins
old columns and windows.
II have bought forty-six fine horse:
today. It's lots of fun and like the
work fine. I haven't had touch O.
sickness of any kind.
"Kindest regards to all. Clarence
5 Another of his letters reads as fol
lows:
"It is several days since I wrot1
lyou my last letter, but | have beef
busy. 1t has been a pleasure, and
! hope it continues. Moreover, it ha
shown me some new French scenery
d '"The other morning took it'll,
E trip to certain town, where / wa
billited in an old priests home, who's
: Ichurch was begun in 500. That after
lroon we left for another town at