The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1919-03-13

At one o'clock on the morning
of December the first our train
pulled into Brest. While we were
waiting for orders to detrain, we
= were looking out into the harbor,
and could see the ships lying at
anchor, and it was really like a
view of the Promised Land. For
did not those ships promise to us
a return trip to our own dear
home land? But we too had a
period of anxious waiting and
doubt.
When we had all lined up be-
side the train and were ready
to march, the order was given,
and we set out to the American
Camp, Pontanezen Barracks,
where we were to be till we re-
ceived sailing orders. This camp
is about three miles from Brest,
and in the worst possible loca-
tion.
From the railroad station,
where we detrained, there is a
long and steep hill-fully one
half mile long-up which we had
to climb on our way to camp.
You can imagine a bit how we
felt if you will just put your
self in our places-two o'clock
in the morning, having no sleep,
and having been in a freight car
since seven o'clock the previous
morning, carrying a heavy pack,
and marching in heavy rain.
But none Of our men fell OUT
A little over half way up the hill
is sign reading thus, "The Stars
and Stripes makes the long hill
short" Now you may be sure
that we all felt the import of the
sign, and every man said to him
self that he would make that hill
without dropping out. We were
truly glad when we saw the
lights of the camp, and knew that
rest was in store for us.
Three miles from the station,
we were stopped by the guard of
the camp, and then admitted. AS
we came into the camp we began
to realize that we had not seen
much mud before, and that more
was in store. The road was one
continuous pond of mud and
slush, from one to ten inches
deep.
When we got neaE the bar
racks where we were to be
quartered we were held in ranks
while an effort was made to find
which ones were to be ours. All
this time we were waiting with
our packs on our backs, for there
were few willing to lay the pack
down in the slush. AS we await
ed the spirits Of the men fell,
and their temper rose. It was
quite a dispirited bunch that
finally, at about three-thirty A. M.
were left to their nights rest.
The barracks were made of a
wooden framework covered over
with galvanized iron. Each
building was about rs feet long,
and about 16 feet wide. There
was no floor,. and oftentimes the
dirt floor was as much as six
inches deep in water in some of
the barracks. In some Of the bar
racks which were built later,
were hunks made of a wooden
frame over which chicken wire
was nailed. Of course when you
consider how rough soldiers are,
and how fragile chicken wire is,
you will readily understand why
many soldier had to sleep on q
broken-down bed. We were is
sued three blankets in addition
to the three that we always carri-
ed with US, and were able to
sleep warm.
Some of the boys Of our Brig
ade, less fortunate than we, were
assigned tents. One Of my clos
est friends was in one of these
leaky tents, with a dirt floor. He
said that he would take a spade
and pile up the mud in the tent,
$50 the water would run around)
and spread his blankets on the
mud. Then he would lie down to
sleep" This condition existed
over a very large part Of the
camp. OF course it is no wonder
that the men were in poor health
and spirits especially those who
had to remain there for = long
time.
In each Of tie bsrraeks were