Tuesday, March 6, 2018

March 6, 1918 -- George Becomes a First Class Private and Additional Duties


Camp Logan, March 6 – ‘18

Dear Ones All:

            Got yours of the second today.  Was sure glad to hear from you.  But right here let me ask what has become of the registered letter you said you were sending with the check in case I could come home.  I got that letter four days ago saying you had sent it but it has not showed up, so be sure you keep the receipt.  I am so disappointed to hear that you are afraid you can’t come down here.  Is daddy failing a lot this winter?  Because I might have made an extra hard fight for it and got a furlough home, had you not seemed fairly sure you could get away.  And it didn’t seem best to me to try to make it, both from my standpoint and yours. I expect if you do come (and please do if you possibly can I want to see you both so much), you will probably hit here the 18th or thereabout. Things are rather disturbed around here, rumors of moving, etc., so I don’t want to promise to be in this camp after Apr. 1st.  And let me know at once if you are coming and when you can arrive, so I can try and get a line on descent hotel accommodations.  I asked the Major if we might be at the rifle range the 18th or thereabout but he didn’t know for sure so when I explained he promised to get someone in my place if you were here while we were there.
            Now, dear ones, it may seem to you that this is mostly to Herman and Susan but I’m thinking of you all, and wondering if my sense of best and duty led me astray when I decided not to make a special plea for the furlough.  But it seemed to me that the Major just had me broken in on this *3-7-18 job, and it would be rather out of place, if not entirely disastrous to ask him to take on another green man while I went on a furlough anyway.  Right where the star is I was interrupted so didn’t get a chance to finish this till now which is nearly a whole day later. 
            But no registered letter is here yet and I got your regular letter of the 2nd last nite, so I guess you better put the postal authorities on it if you don’t hear that I’ve received it a couple of days after you get this.
            I went to the corral at 3:35 yesterday to clean the horses, as they were hot and I let them roll when I brought them in in the morning from riding. I got the Major’s cleaned off pretty well by 3:55 and was just starting on Mid when presto, orders (have the horses saddled at tent at 4:00 P.M.).  I tore up to my tent, got my saddle and the bridles, put them (the bridles) on the horses, then Fairchild rode the Major’s up to the tent bareback,, I slammed the brush over Mid, saddled him, washed my hands and put on my shirt, rode up to the tent in double time and found the Major struggling with the saddle.  The pad wasn’t on quite rite (being wrong end to) so I said nothing except that it was wrinkled, ripped off the saddle, reversed the pad while the Major was in his tent getting Red a lump of sugar, resaddled him, and we rode onto the field at 4:15.  And I flatter myself both horses looked pretty well, tho there was a regular cloud of sand and dust down in the hair next [to] Mid’s hide.  Maybe that don’t sound very speedy from the side lines, but it took some speed for a hot day if I’m any judge.
            Well, next months allotment should be $16 plus any the Gov’t might give, as got raise of $3.00 March 1st and they want ½ allotted.
            The Major was instrumental in getting me raised to a 1st class private, as that is the ranking of most of the regular mounted orderlies.  I didn’t ask him for it, but he volunteered to see my Co. commander so I was glad to get the extra pay and slightly higher position.
            Now I must close this and get to work again.  Please come down this way if possible sister and my new brother.
            With love to all and an extra kiss to Margaret.
                                                                                    George


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