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 18^th 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. 1^st.  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 18^th 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 2^nd 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 1^st and they want ½ allotted.

            The Major was instrumental in getting me raised to a 1^st 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

February 11, 1918 - Field Officer Routines and Allotment Plans for Soldier Pay

Camp Logan, February 11 – ‘18

Dear Ones All:
            Just a line to let you know that I’m still alive and enjoy your daily letters even tho I am bad about answering.  I usually receive the letters about every other or every 3^rd day, from two to four in a bunch. But I enjoy them just as much anyway. Didn’t get any today, so will spend the time I would usually spend reading it in writing one to you.* Right there I was interrupted and didn’t get a chance to start over until this P.M. (the 12^th).  Just got thru reading 3 letters from the noon’s mail so I will hurry and answer the two from you folks with this. 
            Went to a show over on “The Street” with Andy last night.  Expect to go up town to-nite if nothing serious occurs to change my plans.  Wish you could have enjoyed? the pleasant little ride I took Sat nite.  The Major was “Field Officer of the Day” and so I had to get out the horses for us to go over to Div. Headquarters for orders and the field officer’s banner.  This at 5 P.M.  It had rained all the afternoon (just a drizzly, hang to it kind of storm).  It is only about 1/6 mile to Headquarters but we had to ride over just the same.  Then I stood in the rain and shivered (I had on a slicker but of course my feet were soaked and my hands cold) for about half an hr. before the “Field Officer” going off duty rode up with his orderly and the flag.  Then we orderlies had to wait while our respective Major’s got their orders and the old one was relieved.  So it was about six P.M. when I rode back to the corral and rubbed off the horses, bedded them down and blanketed them.  By that time the corral was flooded, water up to my shoe tops in many places.  At eight P.M. out we went to make the rounds of the camp and didn’t get in until 9:30.  By that time I was wet and tired enough to go to bed.  Sunday morning I got up at 6:30 and worked on horses and equipment till we went out for the rounds at 9:00.  Rode until 12:00 then put up the horses in our corral, ate my dinner, sat down for perhaps 15 min. then out again getting ready to leave at 2: 00.  Back in at 3:45 and fed and bedded my horses (also cleaned them what I could for the 3^rd time that day.)  Then out again at 4:40 to go to Headquarters to deliver the reports and banner to the succeeding field officer.  Got back and horses put away just in time for mess t 5:30.  So I went from 6:30 A.M. to 5:30 P.M. and only sat down 3 times (one of those time for dinner).  That of course except sitting in the saddle. And of course had to carry the banner or flag wherever we rode, tho a stirrup boot holds the weight of the pole so it isn’t so bad.  There, I guess that is a pretty good outline without saying anything I shouldn’t, tho I doubt if there is anything to be at all secretive about in the duties of the “Field Officer.”  Was pretty near all in when the siege was over.  But haven’t rode since, tho must take the horses out for a run this P.M.  Went to gas school yesterday morning.  Probably will have to go again to-morrow.  Now I better close and get to work or I’ll lose my job.
            Oh, yes. I have signed an allotment home to you folks (I think it will go to mother but I’m not sure.)  If you ever need any of it why use it, and what you don’t need put in the F & Merchant’s Bank for me on my savings acct.  That much for when we go across if we do.  But while I am on this side I will ask you to forward $10 or $15 every month when you receive it as I will only receive $3.50 per month now on this side.  But we had to make the allotment arrangements the other day and I thot best to arrange it now for the way I wanted it if we go across, and then I’d know for sure everything was working as it should while I was over there. You see, I could have refused to allot any while in this country and then when we went across they would have held out all but about $7.50 and saved in Wash D.C. for me at 4% till I returned. 
            But you couldn’t get any of it to use if you did need it that way.  And in case I should get croaked you might not know how much I had coming and it would be hard to get, I was afraid.  So soon after next pay day you should receive $15.00 of my pay and if in the opinion of the officials you are at all dependent or need it the Government may add five or ten.  If they do, don’t think you are robbing them as lots that need it less than you are receiving it, tho I made no special plea for it.  If the checks for farm produce, etc. keep you going all right, as I hope they will from now on, you may forward me the whole $15, but if you are at all pinched hold out $5.00 and use it. Just how bad are the finances anyway?  And don’t forget if I do go over in the early part of the summer, to use all of it if you need it, and bank it for me only if you have plenty.  Until then I can use at least $10 of it a month if you can spare it. 
            You see we get an increase in pay for foreign service and as they claim we can only have $7.50 per month over there, I’ll be O.K. when we go over.  I wonder if we ever really will?  Just now my pay is disposed of as follows.

$5        per month for Liberty Bond.

$6.50    “      “        “    $10,000 insurance

$15      “      “        “    allotment

$3.50   “      “         in cash

$30.00 Total pay

             Now I really must close.  Hope I’ve made this clear, but fear it is pretty hazy to one trying to read it.

                        Love and love again to all
                                    George S. Sherwood

 No idea if these are photos of George or of his friends.  He often took photos of friends and like the photo above, not all are well focused but they are still fun to see.