AN AMERICAN WW1 SOLDIER WRITES HOME

 [ NOTE: IF YOU ARE READING THIS SERIES FOR THR FIRST TIME, IT'S BEST TO START AT THE BEGINNING] More diary entries - Mar. 13, 1918, Wed., Fair Had some maneuver work in a.m. - 2 nights out. Paid in p.m. I rec'd $14.75. Co. went on guard. I went to town, to show, bath, barber, supper. Back in at 8. Bed at taps. Bought new watch. Sent pictures of range, medals, etc. home by P.R. (?) March 14, 1918, Thur., Fair. Co. on guard and regt'l detail. Sent out laundry. Bought stamps and paper. Wrote few letters in a.m. & p.m. Read "The Hundredth Chance." Bed early. Very warm. [The Hundredth Chance by Ethel M. Dell. Published 1917 - sort of a British romance of sorts] Mar. 15, 1918, Frid., Cold. Windy. Had a big sham battle this a.m. Whole brigade's involved. Used blank ammunition. Capt. Coleman promised me a furlough. Wrote Dad & Anna about it. Auto rifle school p.m. Went to movies of instruction. Bed at taps. Mar. 16, 1918, Saturday. Fair. Reg. insp. this a.m. ...

 [ NOTE: IF YOU ARE READING THIS SERIES FOR THR FIRST TIME, IT'S BEST TO START AT THE BEGINNING] More diary entries - Page from Clyde's diary with ballistics information for the U.S. rifle. Mar. 1, 1918, Friday, Warm. Fair. Hiked in a.m. Finished a.m. with musketry, also part of p.m. Had 2 1/2 hours of bayonet. Pretty stiff day. Went to artillery lecture in eve. Bed late. Mar. 2, 1918, Sat., Fair. Reg. insp. in a.m. Packed extra luggage & loaded baggage during day. Made our packs and entirely prepared during evening. Fine day. Cool night. Mar. 3, 1918, Sun., Warm. Fair. Up at 3:50 a.m. Early mess. Started for Fairforest about 5:50 a.m. [Fairforest is a Census-designated place located in Spartanburg County, South Carolina.] Carried 1 meal. On train 7:15. Arrived at Campobello 9:45. [During World War I portions of Campobello (in Spartanburg County) around Caldwell and Depot Streets were designated as a staging area for the U.S. Army and a tent city for the troops soon appeare...

 [ NOTE: IF YOU ARE READING THIS SERIES FOR THR FIRST TIME, IT'S BEST TO START AT THE BEGINNING] Before getting into more of Clyde's diary entries, I want to shed some light on what has come to our attention regarding Aunt Nellie - the addressee for the letters presented in these posts. With the help of Brian Tabor, the Borrower Services Supervisor at Forbes Library in Northampton MA we now have an obituary (Utica Daily Press, June 1960) for Nellie. We have an entry in 'The Otsego Farmer & Republican' on June 1, 1967, regarding Bessie (Spoor) Bliss. We also have a photocopy of Nellie's birth record obtained by Lisa. Now we have this information to consider - From the obituary and birth record we learn the following - Nellie's birth was recorded as Jan. 9, 1883, in the Town of Laurens, Otsego County, NY. The recorded name is Nellie Mary Sergeant. Her mother was Mary E. (Adams) Sergeant, age 40 and her father was LeRoy R. Sergeant, no age recorded. Nellie died...

 [ NOTE: IF YOU ARE READING THIS SERIES FOR THR FIRST TIME, IT'S BEST TO START AT THE BEGINNING] [Also - no, you didn't miss anything - I took a couple weeks off to spend time on some other projects.] More diary entries - Feb. 7, 1918, Thur. Fair. Slightly warmer. Slept fine, up early. Went to gas mask school, studied, and wrote this a.m. Warmed up a lot more in p.m. Slept and went to auto gun school. MacIntyre was down in evening. We talked woodcraft until taps. Feb. 8, 1918, Frid., Fair & warm. Very warm. Beautiful day. Do not even need a sweater on. Very warm. Went over to gas chambers this a.m. for finale' on gas mask work. Laid around and cleaned equipment this p.m. Wrote C.J.B. Bed early. Feb. 9, 1918, Sat., Fairly warm & partly cloudy. Decent day enough. Regular inspection this a.m. I accompanied Lieut. Hagen inspecting 3rd platoon. Perfect inspection. Send m.o. of $15.00 to C.J.B. Wrote M.R. & H.A.D. Played cards in evening. Bed early. Feb. 10, 1918, Sun...