Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1919-01-16
Letter From Sergeant Snyder.
In France,
December Is, 1918.

ond lieutenant was here and he
been in command, but since he dOe
not know the first thing about compa.
affairs, have been mighty busy keep.
ing things moving. We nave good
working force though, or things might
have gone considerably worse. Every
thing is shipshape now and running
smoothly. went to the hospital this
morning to see the Captain, but he was
asleep and | did not get to see him,
but was told that he was coming along
splendidly. Our only hope now is that
the order to leave does not come be-
fore he is out of the hospital, for il
would sure be hard to 60 and leave MIN
here. We have no idea when the orders
will come to move, but our men are be-
ing relieved from work in the shops
every day, and by the end OF next week
il is probable that they will all have
been turned loose, and there will be
nothing to do but sit here and wait IL
the orders. We are all hoping that i
will not be so awfully long.
The man that invented the name OF
Sunny France" for this country sure
missed his guess, or else he was deaf,
dumb and blind, for | give you my word
that for the past month the sun has not
shone for six hours all together, and
all the time the clouds hang low and
the rain falls just whenever the notion
strikes it. This camp is in rather low
location, and the mud is fierce. We
are contemplating building draw
bridge across the road that separates
the mess hall from the sleeping
quarters, for the mud is about foot or
two deep, and since we must needs
cross that road at least three times 2
day, it is sure bad. The main road is
slowly but surely sinking, and as there
are about three miles Of that road, they
don't seem to be able to keep in repairs
for it wears out faster than it can be
fixed. When you think that aside frol
the regular traffic there are any numbei
of three and five-ton trucks that are
running continuously, it is no wonder
that the road gives way. Then there
are a number of heavy tractors witt
cleated wheels used for hauling wood
and supplies, and they dip into the r.
and tear il up more than the trucks.
There is lots of travel, and at that
when you want to 60 to the other end
Of the camp you have to walk, for there
is an order forbidding anyone from
jumping on a moving vehicle, and the
drivers never stop except when they
have to. Since no binder is used OF
the road, it wears through in mighty
short time, and as result We have lit
tie or no road. 1t is one continual
grand bump.
Today is the day that President Will.
son is to land in France, and | suppose
that Brest is in an uproar about now.
would sure love to be in Paris when
he gets there, for there will be some
welcome given him. These French
people look upon him almost as som
sort of God, and when they mention h
name il is with a subdued voice-in
fact, they look up to the American
soldier as mighty high being, and
America is their ideal, and am moi
sure but they consider our country
pretty close to heaven. am about of
the same opinion myself, for il is nine
months today since | landed in France
and just one year since | landed at
Columbus Barracks, Ohio, and held my
hand up and said, 81 do" 1t does not
seem possible that il has been a year
since that momentous day, for can
recall theincidents mighty clearly-nor
am | likely to forget them very soon
1t was miserable day-about two
feet OF snow on the ground and as colc
as could be, and toward the evenin
the snow began to melt and We had tt
stand around and wait our turn at the
various places. The slush was mighty
unpleasant to stand in. We never even
stopped for supper, because the SER
geant in charge of us told us that he
could finish our work that night if we
stuck with him, and since we were az
anxious as he was We stayed, and abol'
eight o'clock that night we came out
with our new uniforms over our arms
and beat it to the barracks and began
to see how close a fit we had drawn.
About minute per man was the rule in
issuing mems clothing, and they fitted
it by looking at you, and what trad
ing time We had when We got back to
the barracks! After al hour or tive
We began to get clothes to fit us, ana
then we began to dress up. When we
were completely outfitted We forgot
how tired We were and went down int
the city to show the folks what real
soldiers We were. That was sure
great day, and how green we were.
One thing that J remember with a
broad smile was the army haircut that
we got. We all Tired up at the pest
barbershop, about four hundred in that
line, and waited our turn to get the
regulation haircut, and since We were
green We all stayed il line too scared
to fall out and not get trimmed. The
time for haircut was three minutes,
and four minutes for shave, and that
line melted through that barbershor
in a mighty big hurry. Every few
minutes new recruits joined in on the
end of the line, and those BARRIERS sure
reaped harvest those days. mad
beautiful suit of hair when ! went in
that shop, and when ! came out my
hair stood up all over my head, and for
two months could not brush it.
would sure love to get chance to try
my luck at barbering on the fellow who
operated on me that day. And ha(
| but had the nerve | could have side
stepped that line and escaped that par
Of the course. But | was in the arr
and was afraid to turn around for
fear | would land in the guardhouse.
But the whole thing was wonderful
and | would not forget
single incident of that fateful day when
| joined the army. But | would not
care to go through il again-that is I'M
less there is another war, and then !
think would sneak into the army some
dark night when there were not Sc
many around, for the crowd was 6
mighty big one and the recruiting sta
ton was surely swamped. | shall en-
Joy a trip back to the old Columbus
Barracks, and hopeth the sergeant
who was in charge Of the mess hall is
still there, for outrank him now an6
| would like to point out to him the
error of his ways. He was the hard