The Monett times., 1922-07-28
WRITES FROM
CARLISLE BARRACKS

mer training camp at Carlisle Bar
racks, Pa, writes an interesting let
/ ter home, describing visit to Gettys-
burg. We have been given permis-
sion to copy part of the letter. He
says:
We are kept busy all the time, the
work consisting of drill, lectures, gym
athletics, hikes, demonstrations, etc.
Our whole day is filled, get up at $50
have mess at 6; $50 to 7 police
quarters, 7 to s callisthenics and then
| just whatever might be on the sched-
ple and, believe me, there is always
something doing-sometimes too
much.
Now for little about our trip to
Gettysburg. We left here last Satur-
day (July y at noon in army trucks,
| 20 in all with 10 to the truck, an
.ambulance, some small trucks. etc.
Had quite long train. Took three
hours to make the trip. Made camp
right after we got there and were
settled for the three day stay. 1t
rained every night we were there and
parts of the camp was -a'mud puddle
all the time, making things just
| little disagreeable. We weren't on
duty Sunday, so most of the day was
spent in seeing the sights-that is,
/, after 10 a. m. Went to church in the
morning, a special service held for
the Marines. Forgot little incident
just after we arrived. We were all
Lined up along the road waiting for
something, but what we didn't know.
Soon the word was given out that
President Harding and his party
would be by, and they were. l got
only glimpse of Mr.. and Mrs. Hard
ing.
Sunday morning we were lined up
and inspected by General Pershing,
after which he gave us short talk,
which we all appreciated very much.
The Marine camp there was one
mass of tents, there being 5000
marines with full equipment for
modern warfare, machine guns, inch
guns, Is airplanes, two balloons,
searchlights for locating airplanes at
night--in fact, everything possible
for modern warfare. On Monday
afternoon they staged "Picketts
Charge" famous in Civil war history.
They were all given old torn and worn
uniforms as near that of the Con-
federates as was possible, everything
being carried out as realistically as
could be. We were taken along one
side of the battle field to witness the
charge. 1t rained terribly hard for a
half hour and there being no shelter
we just stood and took it, allSof US
getting soaked clear through and in
the mud to our. ankles. They covered
front IL miles long. Started with
a 30 minute firing of the big guns and
they sure did roar too, then smoke
barrage and then the attack proper.
They charged across the field, yelling
and shooting, and, believe me, it
certainly was realistic. Many were I
supposedly wounded, staggering back
and being taken care of by the medi-
cal corps. They used the old time /
ambulances drawn by six mules. The !
whole thing lasted an hour and a half |
and was, to say the least, very
and most wonderful
spectacle.
The next morning, Tuesday, July 4,
we were taken on tour of the. whole
including all positions of J
both armies, accompanied by lectures I
on details, positions, etc. The last
stop was the national cemetery-at the /
spot where Lincoln made his famous
Gettysburg Address. Our trip covered
some twenty miles in all, taking a
sort of circular route around the town
We arrived at camp about II in the
just before the start of a
modern battle staged by the Marines.
1t was great, but it was some noise,
the big guns in the rear, the machine
guns all around us, balloons and air
planes in the air and the infantry di- /
rectly in front of us, making the |
charge. During the battle several
airships attacked big navy observa-
tion balloon, dropping bombs and |
finally bringing it to the ground in
flames. This battle was also quite a
spectacle and there were people there
from all over the country to see it.
We left Gettysburg about 4 p. m.
and got back here at 4;30 on the
Fourth.
w. P. McCampbell was operated |
upon for appendicitis at st. Johns
hospital, Sunday, by DR.. D. E. Miller