September 29, 1918

Left on the Leviathan (Vaterland) troopship to Brest, France. Over 2,000 men on this ship were sick with the Spanish Influenza and many died.

SS Leviathan was originally built as SS Vaterland to serve as an ocean liner by Germany.  In 1917, she was seized by the U.S. government and renamed Leviathan.  In 1918 it was used as a troop transport ship to Brest, France, carrying up to 14,000 persons each trip.  On one crossing she had 14,416 troops on board - more human beings than had ever before sailed on a single ship.

Alfred W. Crosby, in his book America's Forgotten Pandemic, gives a detailed account of the miserable march of the 57th Pioneer Infantry to the Leviathan, on the trip across the Atlantic, and the march after arriving in France.  Sick soldiers fell during the cold march to Alpine Landing, Camp Merritt, New Jersey to board the Leviathan.  In the close quarters of the ship, hundreds of solders fell ill.  The hospital quarters were filled and it was difficult to separate the ill from the well.  Many sick soldiers had to stay on deck, even during storms.  Officers became ill and many of the sick did not wear the indentification tags (called in dog tags in WWII) the army ordered them to wear.  The original order to save bodies in order to return them home had to be ignored so that the many dead could be buried at sea.  About 100 men died on the Leviathan. 

As the soldiers arrived in Brest, France, more died joining victims who had arrived in France earlier.  Hospitals were already full and there were at least 600 doughboys who could not attempt the four-mile march (in a storm) to the army camp at Pontanezan.  Of the 57th Pioner Infantry alone, almost 200 died on land and were buried in an American cemetery at Lembezelle.

September 23, 1918

Left Camp Wadsworth with 3430 officers and men.

"57th Pioneer Infantry: Formerly 1st Vermont Infantry. Arrived at Camp Wadsworth from Camp Greene on February 10, 1918, with 29 officers and 481 enlisted men. Commanded by Colonel Fred B. Thomas and filled to wartime strength with draftees. The regiment left Camp Wadsworth on September 23rd with 3430 officers and men." (Tent and Trench, Appendex B)

September 17, 1918

Received grade of 1/c Sergeant.

Letter to Aunt Ida - September 5, 1918

Sept. 5, 1918

[Camp Wadsworth]

Dear Aunt Ida,

Your letter came yesterday certainly does seem good to get letters from home.

Well since I wrote home last there has been a lot of changes in our Company.  Some of our old boys have been transfered and we have had a steady stream coming in and going out.  You would wonder where so many men came from and where they find so many different faces.  I never saw such ignorant people in all my life they don’t seem to know their right hand from their left.  The wise ones are getting our of this draft in large cities through politics.

Since I wrote last our 1st Sergh. has been reduced and I am now acting first Sergh. That is the highest non-commissioned officer.   If I made good it is just as good as a commission with a pay of $51.00 a month.

We expect to go across next week, that is we leave here for the port of embarkation. We don’t know where that is now but will know before we go. Some of the regiments have gone to Halifax from here and some to Newport News.

I have a [?] by myself with a clerk that does the clerical work and it is much better than it was.  You need not tell anyone that I am acting 1st Sergeant as the fellow that I relieved is from Montpelier and if it gets around of course his folks will feel bad.  He has been transfered out of the Company.  He was a mighty nice fellow but the Captain did not like him very well as he was slack.  Do not mention this as the same thing may happen to me and perhaps it will as I am short of experience.

Will write again in a few days and let you know some more about when we are gong and where to

 

With love and kisses

    Ervin

Letter to Aunt Ida - August 17, 1918

Soldiers’ Club

Spartanburg, S. C.

August 17, 1918

Dear Aunt Ida,

Your letter came some time ago but have been busy night and day for the last two weeks, drilling men and going to Gas. School at night.  Last night I didn’t get through until 11 o’clock. We went into the trenches and they kept sending attack after attack at us to get us used to the different kinds.

I am very sorry to say that I don’t think that I will be able to get home before I go across as they have stopped all furlough’s but I may be able to get one if we go north.  We have not got all our men yet but we expect to get them soon and the story now is that we will be out of here by the first of Oct. or possibly the 15th of Sept.  All of the boys are anxious to get out or this place.  There is also another story that we are going north to be a developing camp for recruits.

For the last month the weather has been something terrible.  It has been at least 100 in the shade every day but I don’t seem to mind it so much as some. In fact I never felt better in my life. I have lost some weight but I think that I am just right now.

Ida May expects to go home soon so you will probably see her.  I wish that I might come home at the same time but never mind I will consider myself lucky if I can go later.  I was 3rd in line to go when they stopped them.

I came downtown tonight but I do not very often as there is just as much going on at camp as there is in this place.  Tonight there seems to be more excitement than ever [page missing?]

the men that we got are the biggest bunch of “Black Heads” that I ever saw.   They don’t know enough to come in out of the rain but perhaps when we once get it into their heads it will be just as hard to get it out.

Tomorrow night is my turn to go on Guard and then I will get some time to myself and I can write a few letters.   I expect to have a couple of days off while I am doing my Guard that will keep me from that sun baked field.

I will keep you well posted on everything that takes place and write more often than I have been.

Will send last months State Pay Card it is rather late but I guess it will be good.

Hoping this finds you both O. K.

I remain With Love

    Ervin

Letter to Aunt Ida - July 16, 1918

Camp Wadsworth

July 16, 1918

Dear Aunt Ida:

Your letter came some time ago but have been very busy lately getting our men and getting things settled.  We expect some more tomorrow and by the last of the week we will all be filled up ready for training.

Most of the fellows that we have received so far are from the south and they are a lot of large men.  We are not sure that we will keep all of this bunch but probably the most of them.  All of the Pioneer Regiments are getting filled now so I guess we are going to do something.  It is great to have a lot of men and see them out on the field drilling one begins to take an interest in the company that they belong to.

About coming home I am not sure just when I can come but if everything turns out all right I will be up there very soon now as I am about 7th on the list and two of them go in a day or two.

The weather down here is getting something terrible now but I don’t seem to mind it so much as I am getting used to it.

Some of the fellows that came in and were innoculated fell at retreat and were taken to the hospital but the same thing is at Fort Slocum so that must be part of the joining the army.

For the last day or two I have been helping them out in the office but I don’t like that kind of work I had rather be out in the hot sun with the sweat rolling off my skin.

I haven’t time to write much tonight but will write again soon.  Hoping this finds you both
 O. K.

I remain

With Love,

    Ervin

Letter to Uncle Will - June 21, 1918

Camp Wadsworth

Spartanburg, S. C.

June 21 1918

Dear Uncle Will:

Your letter came some few days ago and also the check. Now about lending the money it is perfectly safe, where the money is loaned the fellows give a slip promiseing to pay at the first of the month and that is handed to the Captain and he keeps the money out of the pay. The fellow that was going on a furlough had gone before I rec’d the check.

Since I wrote you last I have been made Sergeant and my pay has been raised to $38.00 dollars a month. I was made Sergeant over 2 Corporal’s and they don’t seem to like it very much but guess they will have to stand it.

It started in raining since last night and it certainly has been some rain. One side of our tent leaks and there is a regular brook running through the center of the floor.

We expect to get some men from the next draft witch will be in here in about 1 week when they get here. I expect we will have plenty of work to do. We are all going to non-commissioned officer school witch is studying from maps and all kinds of signal practice.

Most of the boys are getting about 8 hours drilling a day now and you ought to see them. They are as black as the ace of spades. The sun is very warm here.  We have to change our under clothes about every day we sweat so much but it is a good thing as we are sure to keep clean. We take a bath every day and it feels good to be in under the showers everyday after our drilling.

The Y. M. C. A. now here in camp are picking out a team that will be called a all star team composed of the best men in the Pioneer division to play the 6th division witch is composed of Regular Army men. This game will be played on the 4th of July. I expect there will be some excitement and all kinds of money put up on the game. I don’t know if I will be picked or not I believe I had rather see the game than play.

Some of the Pioneer Regiments are beginning to leave for France this week. But it will be some time before we go probably late in the fall.

I will keep you well posted about everything that takes place as we can tell within one or two weeks of when we are going to move.

Hoping this finds you O. K. I remain with love to you both.

Ervin R Wakefield