Brodhead's Tribute to her Men of the Service

1914-1918

Compiled by The Civics Club

©1921 Brodhead, Wisconsin (Cantwell Printing Co., Madison, Wis.)

Extracts from Letters of the Boys With the Colors

(Copied from Newspapers)
From Lieutenant E. J. Mitchell (pp. 111-113)

Fort Riley, September, 1917. "Will tell you something more about our camp. It is located in a rough bluffy country. Quite a bit of timber is growing in
the ravines, which consists of oak, hickory, maple and some ash. The bluffs or ridges are covered with grass, sunflowers and much out-cropping limestone. The terrain shows a limestone formation where clam-shell and other evidences of shell-fish are found, showing that this section of our country was covered with water at one period. From the place where our camp is located can be seen an out-cropping of limestone, which seems to project at the same level, looking at a distance, like a stone wall, which had been built by man. This projection extends for a long distance about the camp. The bluffs or ridges are at an elevation of 25-150 feet, up and down which we are taken on our marches sometimes at the double quick. This is quite a picturesque country and is quite a sight in the morning to see the various formations. The drill-grounds are upon the summit of the bluffs or ridges, some of which form quite broad table-lands. There are also cavalry drilling here which we enjoy watching. Many of the men secure horses on Sunday and takes rides about the country. "About 200 new doctors are coming in this afternoon. One fellow came having strapped to his side a new shiny sword,
and he surely was a mark for the 'regulars.'"

October, 1917. "I forgot to mention that quite a branch of the men were not feeling very well this morning and did not get up at the bugle
call. We turned over in our cots and had just decided to stay in bed and take another snooze, when down through the bunk house came Major Reno, an army officer, stopped in front of each cot which had a man in and took down his name. Dr. Rowe and I are among the favored number. Darby just escaped and got into his trousers before the Major could turn around. Darby is getting so he can move quite rapidly, when he thinks it necessary. Rowe and I will claim we are sick from the vaccine and, of course, we are. We got up for morning mess all right and just as we were getting nicely started with a big piece of toast and egg and a cup of coffee, in walks the Major and says: 'I noticed that a bunch of you fellows were too sick to get up for reveille, but every one of you are here at mess.' He surely did put one over on us that time. "We have been getting lectures and quizzes for four or five hours a day, drill and physical exercises about two and one-
half hours daily, and then the daily 'hike.' We commenced a course in making military maps last week. The object is to teach us how to read maps, as it is absolutely necessary for a military surgeon to know how to read a military map. "Dr. Rowe and I were over at Camp Funston yesterday. It is quite an interesting place. There are about 20,000 men
there now with more coming each day. The barracks hold 150 men and there are twelve of the barracks to a regiment, making 2,000 men and officers to a regiment. A second lieutenant showed us through one of the buildings and the accommodations are much better than what we are getting. The buildings are well ventilated and lighted and have, or will have, steam heat."

Camp Cody, Deming, N. Mexico. "The commanding officer of the Medical Department told us of the different departments of the work and allowed us to
select the work desired. I asked to be assigned to the department of internal medicine and was given work in diseases of the chest. I have as an assistant a young fellow from Iowa, Mattison by name. We were given a bunch of blank forms and an empty building and told to go to work, and equip and organize the place for forty patients and let me say this is about as big a job as I wish to get while in the army. We began to have patients come in within two hours after we got on the job Sunday morning, and by noon we had thirteen pneumonia cases all to be examined and records made of each case. We now have thirty-five patients and six empty beds and the six beds will be full by tomorrow noon or before. There are nine regular forms to be filled out for every patient and four special forms which are used on about half of them. "The ward surgeon has to get out a morning report and have it on the adjutant's desk at headquarters by 8 a.m., and it
must be there, which shows the number of patients of last report, the number now present, the number died or discharged or transferred and the number of empty beds. He also must make out a diet slip and send it to the kitchen, telling the kind of diet for each patient for that day, also report all dangerously ill patients night and morning to Commanding Officer of Medical Department. Each patient must be examined each morning and prescription written for each, and the serious cases are examined over two or three times daily."

Camp Cody, January 16, 1918. "We work just the same each day, all days alike and it is quite hard to keep track of the days. I hear many arguments
as to whether this is Thursday or Friday or some other day."

Camp Cody, February 12, 1918. "After being released from duty at the base hospital, Lt. Davidson and I came down to Headquarters of the 133rd
Infantry and reported for duty. We were sent with an orderly to the Regimental Infirmary, where we were assigned quarters, an ordinary bunk-house with plenty of ventilation."

Camp Cody, February 13, 1918. "There are seven medical officers to this regiment, including the major. They are a fine bunch of young fellows and are
very enthusiastic over the work, every one watching everything which will keep the men from becoming sick and giving very close attention to all the little ailments of the men and keeping them effective as soldiers if possible. One medical officer is made Officer of the Day; two are detailed to make a sanitary inspection of the camp and three of us are kept in the Infirmary. The Major is boss. "Well, after dinner today an order came out for all officers to appear at the Colonel's headquarters mounted. Lt.
Davidson and I had received no horse equipment, so we said we were not in it, but one of the orderlies stepped up and said I could take his horse, so I had to go. We were having one of our sand storms, but that did not stop the Colonel, so away we went down through Deming and south of the town for about five miles, and let me tell you this old boy had some horse and he kept us lieutenants busy keeping up with him. I had been out of the hospital as a patient a week, and it was pretty hard for me to keep in the saddle for awhile, as I have not ridden a horse for fifteen years, but a fellow never forgets how to swim and by the time I had gone a mile I got my horse's pace and after that it was easy for me, except for the clouds of dust and sand. The Colonel took us right out across the desert through the mesquite and the sage-brush, and our horses would keep jumping around the brush making it hard to keep the saddle. On the way back we had to face the storm, but the old boy kept the horses going at a canter the most of the time, and I thought the sand would burn my eyes out. "March 4th we are to begin our training in the trenches. We have a dressing-station 27 feet under ground and we are
to go out there with full field equipment and stay out there for four days and nights. We will take the field ration which will be cooked in the field and consists of bacon 12 oz., hard bread 16 oz., coffee 1.1 oz., sugar 2.4 oz., salt 1.6 oz. This is one man's allowance for one day. While we are out in the trenches, the Regimental Medical Department will hold its sick-call at night and morning, also establish regimental aid stations and will go through the same work, as near as possible, as in actual battle. Each officer has an orderly and is furnished a horse and equipment. The orderly cares for the horse and works around the quarters bringing in the fuel, etc."

Camp Cody, May 25, 1918. "On May 20th I received orders to report to the Commanding Officer of the 125th Machine Gun Battalion for detached
service at 7:30 a.m. the next morning, and act as surgeon on a three day practice march to the Florita mountains, which lie twenty miles southeast of Deming. We left camp at eight a.m. with full field equipment and marched fourteen miles and made camp where we camped the two nights we were out. I was given a 9x9 tent, so I had quite commodious quarters. I was supposed to have this tent for my infirmary and for my own sleeping quarters. I was to sleep alone, but in the morning, when I got up, I found I had a bed fellow. A large tarantula had crawled into my bed roll and spent the night with me. Fortunately, I discovered him before he decided I would make good eating."

Somewhere in England, Oct. 1, 1918. "In my travels I saw the old town of Winchester, which was founded in 1065, the oldest cathedral in England, and the
famous Round Table of King Arthur. "We are camped on the side of a hill and get a fine view of the country-side. All land is farmed so intensively, cabbage
and potatoes, etc., planted in front yards. I cannot say that I enjoyed English cooking - so tasteless. Everyone seems glad to see the Yanks come in and meet them as they land, with hot coffee and crackers. Such things cheer up the men a good deal. War news looks encouraging and the men are afraid it will be all over before we get in action."

Somewhere in France, Oct. 14, 1918. "The French people are so kind and generous. "I have been through some of the large chateaus around here. They are beautiful with their mahogany furniture and
marble or tiled floors. "It is difficult to write here in the Infirmary, as there are about fifteen small French children here and they can make as
much noise as some others I know of far away. Many of them have no fathers and the mothers walk about in such a quiet way, dressed in black. We passed through a camp of engineers some time back and they had two boys of Robert's size, whom they had adopted. The father was killed in battle and the mother was killed in a recent air-raid."

November 13, 1918. "I was in Paris the day the Armistice was signed. It would be very hard for me to describe the demonstration which took
place. No matter how long any of us live we never will see any such excitement again. There were people shouting and laughing and weeping. Traffic in the streets was impossible for hours. The descriptions you will read in the papers cannot give you a complete picture of what occurred on that day - that is the immensity of it. The streets were a mass of people as far as one could see and the demonstration continued through the night. The officers who came out of it with insignias were lucky, as they were in great demand for souvenirs. "Paris was all dark the night we arrived, but on this night all lights were lighted. We went to eight different hotels before
we found rooms. "We left Paris at eight a.m., for the north and east passing through Chateau Thierry, where we saw the terrible destruc-
tion wrought by war. Passed through many other places by the River Marne, saw shell holes every few feet, in places one could jump from one to the other. The houses are masses of ruined masonry. From these scenes we came on through to this station which has breast-works all through the streets and dugouts in many places. Since the hostilities have ceased they are tearing these defenses down and hauling them away. "The officers and men of the 133rd Infantry have been used for replacements - being sent where they were needed. "I have been assigned to take charge of an evacuation hospital."

November 16, 1918. "Some days two hundred men pass through this station. A medical officer came in for treatment today. He was gassed
at the front six weeks ago. Upon learning where I was from he asked me, if I knew the Nuzums, he having roomed with Frank Nuzum, while at college. "One of the boys succeeded in getting me a pail of coal last evening, and I have a little fire and how I do enjoy it. You
would laugh to see me in a bed as high as your head covered with a feather tick."

Nov. 20, 1918. "Had two hundred patients this morning, so you see we keep busy. "The Germans have never occupied this place between Metz and Verdun. It shows the effects of being bombed. The
depot is surrounded by sand bags. We see many troops passing through here all the time. Some of the men want to stay, if they are to be sent into Germany, but when Uncle Sam notifies me he is through with me, I start for the U.S.A."
E. J. MITCHELL.

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