Jefferson
Barracks, Sept. 23
rd 1917
St. Louis, Mo.
Dear Ones All:
Will try to
let you get a fairly accurate account of my wanderings so far. Went as far as Elroy on the “Midnight.” Then I got restless so said adieu to Francis
Friday and came on on the Express from St.
Paul as I could get chair car accommodations on
that. Laid over till 6:10 in Janesville, then came on thru to Beloit
and after 20 min. wait took pass on Inter-urban for Rockford.
Got shaved and haircut, then went up to Recruiting Station but it was
locked. Went down on the street and
inside of 10 minutes I got my eye on the Recruiting Officer who examined me
there. Went up to Recruiting Station
with him. He said probably I could get
into the 21st at Rockford
but that they had reported full on surveyors and draftsmen. Then he whooped it
up for Quartermasters again but I said I’d rather taken Engineers if possible,
so he said come back at 1:15 P.M. and he’d sign me up as surveying and send me
in for examination and disposition at Chicago. So I changed my clothes, shipped my suitcase,
and went up to the Courthouse and saw Mrs. McClemm--- and her son. They were very good, and tried to suggest
some way of my getting what I wanted at Camp Grant.
But after talking with the Recruiting Officer a little further I decided to go
into Chicago. At that time there were two fellows in there
signing up for Quarter-masters. So we
all went to Chi yesterday afternoon on the same train, went up to Recruiting
Station there, were re-examined and I was signed up for the 108 Eng.
at Houston, Tex. as a surveyor. I tried to get back to Rockford in the 21st but they also
reported them full of surveyors. Well,
we had supper at a restaurant. Cost U.S.
40 cents per head. We were ordered to
report at 8 P.M. at the Rec. Station so we did, and at 9:00 P.M. left on the
Illinois Cent for St. Louis. At first we were given a chair car but were
just nicely settled when orders to move back one car came so we went back into
day coach. I forgot to say that before
we left we received our breakfast in the form of a pasteboard box with
sandwiches and a piece of pie inside. It
wasn’t exactly a restful night. I
dressed [[(illegible)]
Shoes and collar] after a good wash up this morning and felt better. Pulled into St. Louis about 7:15, went up town for 30
min, I sent you a card from there which you will probably receive before you do
this. Then we took passage on the Wabash line for Jefferson Barracks. Got here about 9 P.M. There were about 50 of us from Chi and as
many more from other places came in this A.M.
We lined up as soon as our parcels were checked in. Got orders to take bath and report at 11:45
in front of receiving barracks for mess.
We took our
bath, fine showers but cold. U.S. furnishes
the towels. Then ensued a long period of
waiting which we whiled away lounging, talking, watching the blacks play the
whites a game of base-ball, etc. At last
we went to mess, tho before that I put the $7 which stands between me and
bankruptcy, in the barracks safe. After
supper we will be showed our bunks. We
may be examined to-morrow, maybe Tues.
Then we’ll be a day getting uniforms, and after that no one knows when
or where I will be shipped. There are
several fellows going in different branches of engineering here. Hope some go with me. We had a good meal, served at tables. I understand that after we are examined we
will be compelled to wait on table and clean quarters occasionally. Our dinner consisted of water, corn, gravy,
potatoes, corned beef, pudding, bread & butter. Well, as usual I started
out to give you a rhetorical and comprehensive review of my moves
and as usual I have chopped it up till it’s badly mangled.
Anyway,
I’ll close now with lots of love to all my folks, Aunt Nellie as well. If you write at once to Geo. Sherwood,
Jefferson Barracks (General Delivery), Missouri,
I’ll probably receive it.
Your
loving son and brother,
George
Sherwood
