Title

Eugene H. Garland letter to his sister, Ollie Garland

Creator

Files

Date Original

1917 September 27

Description

The letter from Eugene H. Garland, Camp Pike, Co. 5, 346th Infantry, to his sister, Ollie Garland, 800 Summit Ave, Little Rock, Arkansas, is on Y.M.C.A. stationary and is dated September 27, 1917. The envelope is postmarked September 28, 1917. The letter details Eugene's experiences at Camp Pike, since he was inducted into the Army on September 18, 1917. He describes how he is still in quarantine and can rarely leave his barracks. After the completion of his examination, Eugene hopes to visit his sister Ollie in Little Rock on a Sunday soon. Since he has not received his uniform yet, Eugene requests clothes from home and comments on filthy condition of his current clothes.

Biographical/Historical Note

Eugene Howard Garland of Alum, Arkansas, was inducted into the Army at the age of 24 7/12 years in Benton, Arkansas, on September 18, 1917. He served in Co. E, 346th Infantry from September 18, 1917, to November 14, 1917; then in Co. G, 39th National Guard Division (Co. D 153rd Infantry) until May 18, 1818; and then in Co. D, 7th Infantry until his death at the Second Battle of Marne in France on July 15, 1918. Before serving overseas (France) from June 7, 1918 to July 15, 1918, Eugene Garland was stationed at Camp Pike, Arkansas; Camp Beauregard, Louisiana; and Camp Merritt, New Jersey. Eugene was born in Dardanelle, Arkansas, in 1893 to James T. Garland. The day he wrote this letter, his brother, Simon Turner Garland was sent his Draft Induction Notice, and soon joined him at Camp Pike and Camp Beauregard. This material is part of the Garland Family Papers, 1914-1919, (SMC.138.04), which is mostly comprised of letters from Simon Garland and Eugene Garland to their sisters, Ollie C. Garland and Laura A. Garland during World War I.

Camp Pike, known as Camp Joseph T. Robinson since 1937, is located in present day North Little Rock, Arkansas. Named in honor of Brigadier General Zebulon M. Pike, Camp Pike served as a home and training camp for the 87th Division (National Army) and then as a replacement training facility after the division deployed to France during World War I. Construction totaling about $13,000,000 on the camp began in June 1917 and was substantially complete by November 1917. The post was a demobilization station and home for the U.S. Third Infantry Division as World War I came to an end. Between World War I and World War II, the camp served as the headquarters of the Arkansas National Guard. During World War II, Camp Robinson became a replacement training center, primarily for basic training and medics, and a German prisoner of war facility. As of 2014, Camp Joseph T. Robinson serves as a 33,000-acre training facility for the Army National Guard and is the headquarters for the Arkansas National Guard.

Transcription

WAR WORK COUNCIL
_______
ARMY AND NAVY
YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION
_______
"WITH THE COLORS"
Camp Pike Ark. 9, 27 1917
Co. 5, 346 Inf.
Dear Ollie, Your letter
received today. It was
the first news I have
had from the folks since
I came here. I sent
home for more clothes
but they have not
arrived yet. We will
get our uniforms
this week, I think, and
possibly I won't need the
clothes. We will have
our physical examination
tomorrow. From what I
can learn the examination
WAR WORK COUNCIL
_______
ARMY AND NAVY
YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION
_______
"WITH THE COLORS"
#2
_____________1917

is not very hard. We
drill every day and in
the evening we take a hike.
The hike is not very long
and I rather like it. I
like this place very well
if it were not for being tied
down this way. The officers
say we will have to go
to France in Feb., but will
not have to fight any till
late next year.
I have got so I can
not hear very well and
possibly I will fall down
on the examination
WAR WORK COUNCIL
_______
ARMY AND NAVY
YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION
_______
"WITH THE COLORS"
3
_____________1917

Do you know what has
become of P.B.?
I think I shall go
home as soon as I can
after the quarantine. The
quarantine will last 10
days. I think Judge likes
this place fine. Vander
Whitehead is pretty home-sick
We are in barracks
no. 71 I will try to come
to L.R. [Little Rock] some Sunday
I don't know where
you could find me out
here for I don't know
anything about the place [Type text]
WAR WORK COUNCIL
_______
ARMY AND NAVY
YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION
_______
"WITH THE COLORS"
4
_____________1917

myself. We were not
allowed to leave the
building except to go
to and from the drill
ground till two or three
days ago, when we began
taking our hikes. I will
be over in LR [Little Rock] soon
possibly next Sunday
if we are out from
under the quarantine
then. My clothes are
awfully dirty and I cant
go anywhere till I get
some more, except, if
I should fail on the exam [Type text]
WAR WORK COUNCIL
_______
ARMY AND NAVY
YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION
_______
"WITH THE COLORS"
#5
_____________1917

I would go home pretty
soon. If I fail to
pass I will either
see you or let you know
immortality. If not write
me at this place.
E. H. G. [Eugene H. Garland]
Co 5, 346 Infantry
Camp Pike, Ark. [Type text]
[Postmark] LITTLE ROCK
SEP 28
1 PM
1917
PIKE BRANCH

[Address] Miss Ollie Garland
800 Summit Ave.
Little Rock
Ark
If not delivered in Ten days return to
E.H. Garland
Co. 5 346 Infantry
Camp Pike, Ark

ARMY AND NAVY DEPARTMENT
THE INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF
YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATIONS
(IN THE FIELD)
GENERAL OFFICE
124 EAST 28TH STREET, NEW YORK, U.S.A.

20[math calculations in pencil]
25
28
_____


100
139
100
80
_____
498
20

Physical Description

Letter (5 pages, fronts) and 1 envelope

Subjects

Military camps; Military training; War; Religious groups; World War I, 1914-1918; Families; Draft; Soldiers

Contributor

Garland, Eugene Howard, 1893-; Garland, Ollie C., b. 1880

Geographical Area

Camp Pike, Pulaski County (Ark.); Little Rock, Pulaski County (Ark.)

Language

English

Identifier

SMC.00138.004.05

Resource Type

Text

Collection

Small manuscript collection, SMC.00138.004

Publisher

Arkansas State Archives

Contributing Entity

Arkansas State Archives

Recommended Citation

Eugene H. Garland letter to his sister, Ollie Garland, Small manuscript collection, Arkansas State Archives, Little Rock, Arkansas.

Rights

Use and reproduction of images held by the Arkansas State Archives without prior written permission is prohibited. For information on reproducing images held by the Arkansas State Archives, please call 501-682-6900 or email at state.archives@arkansas.gov.

Disciplines

Military History | United States History

Preview

Additional Content

Draft Induction Notice from the War Department Local Board for Saline Co., Ark. ordering Simon Turner Garland of Alum, Ark., to report for military duty in Benton, Arkansas, on October 2, 1917. [Postmarked Benton, Ark., Sept. 27, 1917], Garland Family Papers, 1914-1919, Smal Manuscript Collection (SMC.138.04), Item 4