Clayton M. Sherwood:
Diary of Foreign Service, August 1917 to February 1919

ENTRIES FOR FEBRUARY 1919

[February 1919]


Sat[urday], Feb. 1
Inspection on boat. Worked cleaning till 10:00 [A.M.]. Physical inspection in P.M. but didn’t stand it. Had to explain to Bull afterward.

Sunday, Feb. 2
Expect to be at land soon. Storm of the other day is said to be worst seen for many years by some who have been a long time on water.

Monday, Feb. 3
Wached for land all morning. Sighted just after dinner. Everybody glad and out watching. Statue of Liberty passed and Fort Ny [New York?], then Welcome boat with Mayor of N.Y. [New York Mayor John F. Hylan] and some Lady Police and a band escorted us to Pier 3. Threw on board papers and candy and cigarettes. Calm day, water smooth as glass and sunny except for little fog. Fine day and a happy one. Got off on pier on Hoboken side, where were given coffee, cookies and candy by Red Cross and Mich[igan] [news]paper. Man took my name and
address with many others. Got on ferry and went up over to Brooklyn and boarded L.I. [Long Island] train for Mineola to Camp Mills. Put in barracks in camp, fine barracks with plasterboard on side.



At right: The Agamemnon in Boston Harbor in late 1918 or early 1919. Clayton spent about nine days on this ship on his return to the United States.

Tuesday, Feb. 4
Slept on bunks last night with slings, first for long months. Feed last night about 12:00 [midnight], excellent. Camp is fine, nice barracks and kitchens where feed is excellent and wash houses. Oranges and apples for breakfast. Moved to plot 13 in P.M. and got barrack bags in evening.

Wednesday, Feb. 5 [Begins in ink, reverts to pencil after “Forney”]
Took cootie bath last night at 3:00 A.M. Got new underwear and pair pants and cap. Put in for pass to New York and went with Barnacastle and Parker and Forney. Curses on the taxidriver. Went to theatre in evening and supper after and beer on 4th Ave[nue]. Back early in morning.

Thursday, Feb. 6
Found out something about getting discharged. All after Apr. 1st enlisted get out unless under punishment, etc. About 210 in battery are eligible. Went to show in evening, [“]Vanity fair[”]. Went with Thomas. Sent home bundle with souvenirs and what things I had. Also finished letter home and sent it.

Friday, Feb. 7
Went to Hempstead [Hampstead] with Stone who got serge suit and had it fixed up. Ate dinner there. Bought some pins and stuff. Was supposed to have gone on guard at 11:00 [P.M.] but didn’t know it till [I] got back and had to see Noland about it. [He] Said [I] would be on tomorrow and would be all night. [Was] Put on fire guard around billet.

Sat[urday, Feb]. 8
On guard.

Sunday, Feb. 9
Moved to Fort Hamilton in A.M. and arrived about 2:30 [P.M.]. Got in barracks and have bunks with mattresses.

Monday, Feb. 10
Bunch [of servicemen] living 350 miles from here turned in stuff and will be discharged here. We who have to be sent to state camps will go soon, I guess. Washed overcoat to get wrinkles out of it.

Tuesday, Feb. 11
Bunch from within 350 miles of here are getting ready to get out turning in their stuff and getting examination. Thomas and White go.

Wed[nesday], Feb. 12
Downtown in Brooklyn to show in evening, “Little Women.” Pretty good. Ate at canteen today. Egg sandwiches, pie, cake, milk, etc.

Thursday, Feb. 13
Took bath and washed clothes last night and got notice to turn in all stuff this morning as Mich[igan] men leave right away. Turned in stuff and signed couple papers. In Brooklyn to show at night with Thomas and “Speed.”

Friday, Feb. 14
Bunch getting discharged here went at 10:30 [A.M.]. Wrote letter home and [had it] sent by Alexander to Y.[M.C.A.] to mail. Promised Kid Beaver and Otto and Jaynes I’d write to them some time. Said goodbye and started with bunch. Took barrack bag, two blankets and messkit. St. Morrency goes with us. Got to New York after a dozen changes [of trains] and got aboard Pullman [rail coach with sleeping berths] to take us to Battle Creek. Saw Tommy Gillespie and Demsky on train up forward. Red Cross gave us sandwiches and coffee, candy and apples on way in Syracuse and on train in N.Y. Followed Hudson river a long way. Had upper berth and slept good.

Saturday, Feb. 15
Woke up in Canada having passed Niagara in night. Entered tube in Windsor side and went under river to Detroit. Had sandwiches, cakes, apples, candy, coffee by Red + [Cross] in M.C. depot. Sure treated us fine all along. Got in Battle Creek about 11 o’clock and went out to camp [Camp Custer] and were put in barracks with our bags and got bunk and mattress. Dinner on tin plate and dishes and expect to get out Monday. Got letter from home in answer to one I sent in Mills just before leaving Fort Hamilton.

Sunday, Feb. 16
Nothing doing all day and went to Battle Creek in evening.

Monday, Feb. 17
Got examinations and discharges made out but can’t leave till tomorrow. Saw good show at K.C. in evening.

Tuesday, Feb. 18 [FINAL ENTRY]
Had to sign new discharge and payroll. All but four of us got theirs this A.M.



* * * * * * * * * * *


Original text © 2002-2003 by MysteryVisits.com, Willowshade, West Grove, PA

Contents

Foreword and Summary

August 1917 | September 1917 | October 1917
November 1917 | December 1917

January 1918 | February 1918 | March 1918 | April 1918
May 1918 | June 1918 | July 1918 | August 1918
September 1918 | October 1918 | November 1918 | December 1918

January 1919 | THIS PAGE: FEBRUARY 1919

Battle analysis | Definitions | Names | Family


OTHER WORLD WAR I INFORMATION
WWI and the CAC in general
History of the Great War | Trenches on the Web | WWI Links Page
WWI: Western Front | 59th Coastal Artillery | Coastal Defense | Doughboy Center
Railway Artillery information | WWI Photos and Artillery | WWI documents notes and archives
WWI Document Archive | The Soldier's Experience of WWI

Camp Bordon, England
Bordon map | Bordon main site | Bordon Today | Hampshire record office

Other personal recollections
List of memoirs via WWI.com

Essays
Why did WWI end?




John C. Sherwood's Bibliography

Send E-mail to John C. Sherwood