Letters from a Soldier

World War One

'Army City' Garnett, Kansas August 6, 1917
My Dearest Mary,
We are in the Army now. I am sitting inside our little old tent listening to the gentle patter of the raindrops on the canvas. It began raining here this morning and it is still at it. No drill today, so I will have time to write a letter or two. We got into the city all O.K., marched up to the armory and had dinner. They have mess in the armory. We have to march back and forth to eat. Eats are pretty good so far as they have some women helping with the cooking.
Set up camp in the afternoon. Shoemaker has been Acting Corporal in our squad. We got the tent up all right under the direction of one of the old heads who has seen service on the border. Some equipment was issued in the afternoon. As my name is down well in the list, I have not received anything yet in my own name.
Corporal Hilton is staying in town so he let me have his stuff. Got pack, gun, poncho, and numerous other things I don't know what are used for. Slept on the ground last night in a tent with just an even dozen in it. Some of the fellows are staying in town at hotels, rooming houses, and private houses. Taken altogether, things are in rather poor shape as yet, but I suppose it takes a little time to get around. A few of the bunch act like a bunch of bums instead of soldiers, but they will get that taken out of them when they get to a real camp.
They got Parker Melliush for kitchen duty the first thing. Walter Anthony was stuck for guard duty last night. It must be fine walking up and down in front of a row of tents watching the other fellows sleep. One thing they did do, everybody had to quiet down at ten-thirty last night. We had a good entertainment before lights out. (We had a light, too, as some of the bunch got hold of a lantern.) A fellow in our squad by the name of Donald gets off some pretty good comedy -- original stuff, too. He is a rather rough nut, but not as bad as some of this crowd.
There was some crowd at the station yesterday, wasn't there? I think I shook hands with everybody in town three or four times. Not a very pleasant task under the circumstances, either. Well, I got so much company in here that I can't think straight. This is rather a poor excuse of a letter, but I will write again soon.
With best of love to my own little girl,
Lloyd S.vv

April 1918
My Dearest Mary, I write this on board a boat that will leave for overseas soon. Our letters are all censored from now on so there is no use wasting my time and the censor's trying to tell you some things.
I took in a little of New York last night. I went into the city from Long Island by the way of the tube under the Hudson River. I got out at the Pennsylvania station and spent the rest of the night to 1:30 a.m. just looking around. There wasn't any chance to go to a good show because you know how the advance sales take everything. Harry Lauder is at the Metropolitan and I would certainly like to have seen him.
I saw where the film "The Beast of Berlin" was being shown and right across the street was Arthur Guy Empey, "Over the Top."
The city is full of soldiers and sailors all the time, I guess. Anyway there were a good many last night.
The city is an easy place to get lost because of the irregularity of the streets. Most all streets out our way cross each other at angles but in N.Y. they may take any direction. I walked down one street and when I took a notion to turn and go back, I wasn't on the same street at all and I couldn't tell where I made any turn.
I got a good look at the city from the waterfront today. It was a bright clear day and we could see quite a distance. I have seen pictures of N.Y. from the Hudson and I can say that the real thing was just a picture laid before you. I would like to have stayed at Camp Mills until I had seen more of the city but the powers that be see otherwise.
I can scarcely realize we are going. Everything moves off without any trouble or delay that it might just as well be a trip up the river.
Well, I have been looking forward to this for quite a while and I guess, now that the time for going has come, it fits right into my scheme and ways of thinking that the going seems only a small part of it.
Well, I must close so as to mail this right away so, goodbye little girl for a time at least. Keep on writing.
With truest love, Lloyd M. Staley
My address: Co. K, 137 Infantry, American Expeditionary Forces