The War Diary of Cpl H. Fletcher Davidson, USMC
ENLISTMENT & TRAINING AT PARIS ISLAND
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1917
Sat-May 4th
- Worked in Diehl's in AM. Went to N.Y. in PM and enlisted at 23rd
St. Station for Marine recruiting. Was examined and told to report
again the 10th. Went back to Elizabeth [N.J.]
and took in a movie, "Womanhood, the Glory of a Nation".
Sun-May 5th - Packed my trunk and left
Elizabeth at noon for home.
Mon-May 6th - Arrived in Delhi on the
forenoon train. Rode home on truck with James Hilson.
Jane and Kate Reynolds was with him too.
May 7th, 8th, 9th - Spent at home. A
surprise party held for me at Vera's [his sister] on evening
of 9th. Had a fine time and felt especially good at finding so many
friends bidding me a `bon voyage'.
May 10th - Father took me to `Flyer' in
morning and I arrived in N.Y. too late to take the boat
that left in that PM. So was given room and meal tickets at Joe's
resturant and ordered to report
again the morning of 12th. Took in a movie that night.
May 11th - Went over to Jersey City and
called on the Morgans. Charles Salzman and I went to city that
night and took in The Flame then playing at the Lyric Theater.
Stayed with Salzman that night.
May 12th - Board ship City of St.
Louis and left dock at 3 PM bound for Paris Island.
May 14th - Docked at Savannah about 7 PM
and went out with bunch to see the town.
 Pilot Boy
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May 15th - Boarded Pilot Boy and
left for Paris Island. Landed about 3 PM and went to
quarantine camp.
May 20th - Was sworn into service as a
`U.S. Marine' and issued a uniform.
May 21st-26th - Squad drill at the
quarantine camp.
May 27th - Packed heavy marching order
and marched to maneuvering grounds.
May 30th - Ran a quarter in a mile relay
race on the team winning first place.
Jun 3rd - Had trouble with eyes and was
on light duty three days.
Jun 4th-11th - Company open and closed
order drill every day.
Jun 12th - Marched into old barracks
where I encountered my first bedbugs.
Jun 13th - 16th - Was back on sick list.
Jun 16th - 26th - Drill one day and work
on new barracks the next.
Jun 27th-Jul 11th - Work on the range
where I qualified as marksman.
Jul 12th-29th - Drill every other day and
work on the new barracks or hauling materials on the other days.
Jul 30th - Went from Paris Island to Port
Royal in barge and there boarded train for Quantico. Stopped for a
fine supper at Florence, N.C. and took sleepers from there to Quantico.
[ Letter home ]
23rd Co H, Marine Barracks
Port Royal, S.C.
(Undated)
Dear Sister and Brother,
Your letter came the day before yesterday and this is the first
chance I have had to answer it. I hope you will be able to read it for
I am writing on my knee. I guess the best way to answer your questions
is to start in and describe a day.
The "get up call" comes at five o'clock, we have to get
dressed, washed, our tents `policed up' and fall in line for drill
until 6:30. Then we get a breakfast of coffee without sugar but you
have a suspicion someone dropped a drop of milk in the washboiler
full, a slice of bread and either beans, oatmeal without sugar or milk
or rice the same way. In about half an hour we are back in line and
drill until 11:15 and rest until 11:30 when we get our dinner of
water, beans, beefstew and a slice of bread. The stew usually is about
half potatoes and if not we get a potato boiled with the jacket on
too. Next we get fixed up for inspection at 1:00. Every other
afternoon we have to take a bath and scrub a set of clothes. The other
afternoon we are liable to either drill or do some sort of work, one
afternoon I was a carpenter and yesterday afternoon I cut brush and
weeds. At 4:30 we have supper of sweet tea at about 65* temp,
more beans and stew, and another slice of bread. Then drill again
until about 7:30 or in other words
until dark.
We each have a tin cup, knive, fork, spoon, platter with cover for
dishes. We have to line up and march past the kitchen and get served
to a mess of everything. They have a kitchen for about each 225, after
we are served we set around on the ground and eat. Then all wash our
dishes in a pan of water they set out behind by a garbage pail. All
wash in about the same pail of water so you can imagine how greasy it
is for the last ones.
Our tents are about 7' x 10' and have three cots in so there is
no room to turn around and we have no place to keep anything and when
we move we pack everything on our backs. When we drill we carry a
light pack of about 15 or 20 lbs. And on moving or in heavy march
order with about 80 lbs. We each have a bucket and stand in line for a
bucket of fresh water every day after dinner. We use that to wash
ourselves and our clothes and once in awhile on wash days if we are
smart enough we can get a second bucket before the time is up and they
shut it off. We each have a canteen too which we fill up for drinking.
It is all sulphur water so you know it tastes good (NO!)
Sunday Afternoon-
I had to stop yesterday to start on a twelve mile march. I don't
think I ever saw such a hot day and it was so dusty one could hardly
breathe. Before we had gone very far I had a good coat of mud all over
me, then it would run off in streaks.
I got the letter last night that Mother sent Wednesday, but I
haven't gotten those back ones yet, but hope to get them before I
leave here as they are just beginning to get them straightened out. It
is rumored that our company leaves here tomorrow or the next day for -
no one knows where. Some of the fellows that came down from New York
on the same boat, but were put in a different Co. left yesterday. They
are building a heap of wooden barracks here and some say they are
going to turn the island over to the training of the conscript army
and all the Marines will have to get off. They are as good as
prisoners when they get them here for there is no way possible for
them to escape save swim.
I must get ready for mess again so will say `goodbye'.
Lots of love to all
/s/ Fletcher
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