From Our Men With the Colors

The following is from a letter by Wallace J. Forbes to his mother, Mrs. P. W. Forbes:
October 28, 1918

"They tell me we will get a fifteen day furlough before we go across, and believe me, 
I am coming home no matter where I am.

"By the time you get this I will be on my way to Fort Sam Houston, Texas.  My address 
will be Motor Truck Co. 400.  We got orders to pack today.  We have turned in our guns 
already.  I am not sure just when we are to move, but I think we will leave tomorrow 
sometime.

"I got an extra good card from this camp.  They rated me as a journeyman I everything 
they had me down for.  In all the examinations I got good marks; in four of them I got 
the highest possible; in the rest of them I got the next best, which is considered 
very good, so I am pretty well satisfied.

"They say Fort Sam Houston is a fine camp. It is in the city of San Antonio, Texas.

"There were only three of the men died here.  One of them died about one thirty a.m.  
He was right at the foot of my bed, and about noon the next day the man next to me on 
my left died, and believe me, it made me feel pretty shaky.  They both passed away 
without a struggle.  If they had shown any signs of passing away it would have been 
different.  They seemed in pretty good spirits up to the last half hours, so I didn't 
know but maybe I might be next.  But my angel was good to me, and I am feeling fine 
now.  I was taken sick on my birthday and was in the hospital just one week.

"I got so poor my ring wouldn't stay on my finger and I had to put it on the next one.  
I only weigh 115 pounds, so you see I was pretty skinny.  I am picking up fast now.  
I feel how as strong as ever.

"All but one of my friends are going to the same camp, so we will not be as lonesome 
as when we came here.  The other is going to Indianapolis, Indiana.

"When we get to the next camp we can get a pass from Saturday noon until Monday 
morning; that will give us a chance to take in the sights.

"We have been in quarantine ever since we came here, with the exception of ten days.  
That is just like being in jail."

The Bureau of War Risks at Washington receives thousands of letters every day 
regarding allotments, pays and kindred other matters relating to war insurance.  Here 
are some excerpts from missives gathered by an employee with a sense of humor:

"My bill has been put in charge of a spittoon (evidently referring to platoon.) Will 
I get more pay?"

"Please send my allotment, I have a little baby and knead it every day." 

"My husband gone away.  He got a few days' furlo and has been away on the mind 
sweepers."

"We have your letter.  I am his grandfather and grandmother.  He was born and brought 
up on this house according to letter."

"Will you please send my money as soon as possible, as I am walking about Boston like 
a bloody pauper."

"I am writing to ask you why I never received my elopment (allotment).  His money has 
been kept form his pay for the elopment which I never received."

"I ain't received no pay since my husband gone away from nowhere."

"You have changed my little boy to a little girl.  Will it make any difference?"

The Inyo Register
Bishop, Inyo County, California
Thursday, November 14, 1918 - Page four

Transcribed by Pat Houser for Inyo County GenWeb August 31, 2004