April 28, 1918 --George Sherwood Reaches Camp Merritt, Last Stop Before France

 

 

Camp Merritt,[1] April 28 – ‘18

Dear Home Folks:

            As usual this will have to be short and sweet for several reasons.  In the 1^st place I must straighten up the Major’s bed and quarters a little more so my time is limited.  Then there isn’t much I can tell as we don’t know much of our future plans and can tell less.

            We got here about noon today and by 2 P.M. I had both Major Roth’s quarters and mine in a habitable condition.  So quickly does one learn adaptation in the Army.  We have barracks very similar to those I described at Jefferson Barracks.  Both houses also similar but not quite the same. 

            When I get some supper (pardon me, dinner) into me I’ll feel O.K.  Think maybe I’ll hunt up the Liberty Theater.  Well, I’ve at last seen some of “Little Old New York” and had a dandy view of “The Goddess of Liberty” from the railroad yards.  Also went under the river in the tunnel.  We were in a boxcar of light baggage to so got the benefit of all the gas and smoke on the way through.  It surely was a wonderful trip in many ways. 

            There is only one flaw and that is I cannot hear from you.  I don’t even know how much of this letter may be censored out or when it will be sent on to you.  There is no telling how many hours, days, weeks, months or years we may be here. But don’t worry when letters stop for awhile. 

                                                            Goodbye and love to all

                                                                        George 
 

These PHOTOS OF CAMP MERRITT edited from above panorama for detail.

Copyrights not renewed according to Library of Congress link

 

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[1] On average, the troops spent one day to two weeks before being sent to Hoboken to board ships for the European battlefields. Granite memorial dedicated in 1924 is inscribed in part that it “marks the centre of the camp and faces the highway over which more than a million American soldiers passed on their way to and from the World War, 1917-1919.”   [It appears likely that George Sherwood was only here a few days and that if he did board the USS George Washington within a few days that the photo referenced in the transcription of his Feb 1, 1919 letter may actually have been taken when he was on board the ship! KSL]  http://www.bergencountyhistory.org/Pages/campmerritt.html  for more information concerning Camp Merritt; photo from -  http://www.bergencountyhistory.org/Pages/campmerrittphotos.html

 

 

April 27, 1918 -- George Travels the Lehigh Valley [Rail]Road

By H. P. Osborn - This image is available from the United States Library of Congress's Prints and Photographs division under the digital ID pga.06015.This tag does not indicate the copyright status of the attached work. A normal copyright tag is still required.  Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=60685507

2:30 P.M. E T Somewhere

In New York State

East of Buffalo on

Lehigh Valley Road

April 17 [27th],1918

^2nd Sec 108^th Troop Train

Dear Ones All:  Once more we are speeding, speeding, father and father away from home, but our mission keeps us from any serious attacks of homesickness.  But recollections keep returning as we pass through this finest farming and dairy section of New York State.  The hills, the plowed and harrowed fields, the orchards, the large comfortable farmhouses, the cattle grazing here and there and the prosperous looking barns and out buildings all remind one of “Home Sweet Home.”  Yet I would not be as happy there now, as I am here, for we are on our way we believe to do our part in service to Uncle Sam and the “World at Large.”  My only wish is that the day may be hastened when a troop train can bear us back content in the knowledge of a duty well and successfully performed.  We had a good view of Lake Erie this A.M. before we got to Buffalo.  There was lots of ice still floating in the lake, so it can’t be so very long since it broke up.  I think we are passing thru Ithaca now.  From the towns I have mentioned and the various postmarks you can probably very nearly map out our route.  Would like to be thru here in the fall and stop off awhile. You ought to see the orchards and vineyards we have passed today.  A beautiful little lake is in view from the car windows where I am sitting.  We are right on the edge of it now, and you can see the beautiful pebble bottom thru the clear water beautifully.  It is still sunny and warm today in distinct contrast to our last three days travel. This R.R. is without exception the best road I ever traveled.  Block signals every mile, crushed rock ballast with many sections where the edge of the ballast is lined up in a straight line, not a stone out of place, ties all tarred. 

            As usual forgot to number my cards and letters as I said I would so will never know whether you got them all or not.  Am calling this 2G but think there are two letters and 2 or 3 cards between this and 1 G. 

            Hope daddy is long since home all O.K, and that his trip did him as much good as it did me.

            Now I’ll bring this to a close with the usual Goodbye and God bless you all as I cannot tell now when I can write again. Or when I’ll hear from you.  I got the box of cookies and the wedding cake, also the fruit cake that followed it, but if you sent that box you spoke of last Sat or Mon it is hard telling who will get it or when. 

                                      Again Farewell till next time.  

                                                           Your Son & Brother

                                                                                  George
Love again and again to my dear ones and regards to everyone.  Get them to write me when I get “over there.”  Thanks for all the eats.  I acknowledged all but I thot maybe you missed letters. 

April 27, 1918 -- George Passes Through Buffalo, New York

Just a line to you from Buffalo to let you know am still all right and on our way.  We sure will have to hand it to the Red Cross Unit here for they have given each and every one these cards, cigarettes and chocolate bars.  Been pretty busy this A.M.  It is now 12.15 P.M. but our time is now 1 hr. ahead of yours.

Love to all

George

April 26, 1918 -- Somewhere in Ohio, After Indiana, Which was After St. Louis

Still Somewhere in Ohio

10 P.M. Fri. Apr 26 – 1918

Dear Mother, Father and the Webers,

            We are rolling along over the “Nickel Plate Line” towards Cleveland.  Expect we will pass thru there about midnight.  There is really little to write.  Stop at every few places, then usually in the yard.  Occasionally some of the citizens get wind of our approach and turn out to see and greet us, but not often.  Quite a number down to the train at St. Louis last nite.  We stayed over an hr. and I struck up a passing acquaintance with a girl who seemed quite nice. She had a brother in the 110^th Engineers she said.  I have his name and hers, so if I ever see them I’ll try and look him up.  But there is so little we are allowed to tell of what we know even, that conversation on what interests us all is rather limited, same as writing.  We have passed thru some fine farming country today in Ind. & Ohio.  Barns and land remind me of home tho it is much smoother.  

            Well, it is nearly bed-time and the train rocks so I’m doubtful if you can read this.  So I’ll say goodbye for tonite.  My letters seem so newsless and flat to me, so must to you, but there is little that can be told.   

            So give regards to all the friends and write occasionally.  

            Good night with love,

                        George

 

April 26, 1918 - George Writes to Aunt Nellie

 
Friday P.M. Apr 26

My sentiments well expressed on the opposite side of this.  But we may yet get there yet if we keep up present progress.  Travelling thru Ohio now and we are not hiking.  Just passed Craigville [Which was in Indiana, so they must have just crossed into Ohio]..

With Love – Nephew George

April 25, 1918 - Somewhere in Missouri

 

 Somewhere in Missouri

April 25 – 1918

Dear One’s All – Including both families & Aunt Nellie.

            From the heading on this you will see we are traveling right along for a troop train.  It is much colder today and has evidently been raining a couple of days and has not stopped yet. Fairchild is quite sick so the rest of us have vacated the drawing room to him and a hospital representative for the most part.  As the Major says we are sort of orphans just now. O’Mally slept in upper berth in Drawing Room last nite. M.E. Winslow and I in uppers in the Officers car.  As it is an up to date, 1^st class Pullman, we had fine beds anyway.  Slept fine, but it was so hot when I turned in I only had sheet over me, so I woke up frozen in the middle of the night and pulled my two blankets over me.  Then I was fine.  Didn’t wake up when the bugle sounded reveille even.  At the burg where we just stopped some girls came all along the train and gave us magazines of all kinds.  I have a few extra privileges on this trip, one of which is permission to get off the train when we make stops of any length, so I got outside and got a “People’s” for Nov & a Popular for August.  Also gave one of the girls a card to mail to Vincent.  Find out if he gets it O.K. and give him my address. 

            We are still in Missouri I think.  Well, I feel fine and there isn’t much in the line of news to write so guess I will close this up for now and try and send it while we are stopped here.  Regards to everybody and love to all my home folks.

George Sherwood

Hdqtr. Company

108th Engineers

American Expeditionary Forces

c/o Postmaster New  York

April 24, 1918 - Somewhere in Texas, Bound for the East

Satche [Sachse], Texas.  Apr. 24, 1918

            Somewhere in Texas, bound somewhere East, sometime on the 24^th.  Will try to hurry up and scribble a little note to you while we are here on the siding.  Now we’re on the go again.  And maybe this is Oklahoma.  Anyway, we are on our way at last.  You see dad you only beat me out of Houston by about 29 hours.  I told you we were at last speeding up and Monday things just jumped.  We don’t travel so very fast, but we stop very seldom; and then on secluded sidings as much as possible.  Hit very few large places.  I received three letters from you folks just a couple of hours before we left Houston.  In fact we (Maj. and I) were already at the Camp Logan depot siding with all our baggage.  The letters were sent 18^th, 19^th and 20^th respectively.  The last two were numbered 1 & 2.  So I’ll number this 1G. The G stands for George.  * Had to stop right there and clean up for the Major a little.  Must go shine his shoes presently, too. 

            Everybody is in fine spirits.  Even the rails seem to say “Going to France, Going to France,” as they click away beneath us.  It is a little cloudy today which makes it just about right for us with our wool underwear on.  The country up here is much better than around Houston, a black, rich soil, and the crops and farmhouses look much more prosperous.  Just passing thru Celeste now.  It is now 10:00 A.M. will try to mail this soon up the line a little way.  A trip like this makes one appreciate more than ever how much people think and expect of us.  When you see men wave their hats and mothers with tears streaming down their faces for troops, they don’t even know, it must indeed be a yellow cur who wouldn’t give the best he had to deserve their trust and sacrifice.

            Well, guess I better draw this to a close and start another one later.  People along the way seem only too glad to help us out what they can and mail our letters, so expect to mail this at next station. I won’t receive any more mail on this side perhaps, but write when you can anyway and I’ll get some of them sometime.  Address:  George Sherwood

                                                                                                            Hdqts. Company

                                                                                                            108^th U.S. Engineers

                                                American Expeditionary Forces

With love to all, c/o Postmaster, New York

Regards to my friends

                                                                                                                                           George