DIY History | Transcribe | World War I Diaries and Letters | Robert Morriss Browning correspondence to Mabel C. Williams, August-December, 1919 | 1919-10-17 Robert M. Browning to Dr. Mabel C. Williams Page 1

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Robert Morriss Browning correspondence to Mabel C. Williams, August-December, 1919

1919-10-17 Robert M. Browning to Dr. Mabel C. Williams Page 1

U.S.A.T. President Grant
Port of Embarkation, Hoboken, N.Y.
October 17, 1919
Dear Miss Williams -
Since I saw you I've been working harder and more continuously than ever before. If I'd spent a couple of months like the last week on my thesis in the graduate college I'd have my M.A. earned.
Things were in bad shape in the company and I worked night and day at Camp Dix. Then our company came on ahead to Hoboken and found the stevedores on strike so we had to load the ship ourselves. Soldiers did the coaling and everything else. It has been a constant strain getting things in shape. We are all done without part of it now, as the rest of the Brigade arrived yesterday and relieved our men at 10:00 A.M. and, of course, the officers were still on duty. In fact last night was worse than any of the others as I had a bunch of lieuts to contend with. We had a big argument about quarters. Some mistake was made at the office so that too many men were assigned to a compartment. Our men were there and the officers from the other companies wanted us to move out so they could put their men in the bunks their tags called for. Of course, we were all fighting for our men and we had an awful time getting the other men to understand that the tag scheme couldn't be worked.
When you get a bunch of officers fighting for the comfort of their troops you sure have a fight. Talk about a lioness fighting for her cubs - say that would be a pink tea in comparison.
We got what we wanted at last. Tho I had to get another Lieut. from our company to help me as there were three or four other officers down there fighting against one for a while.

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U.S.A.T. President Grant Port of Embarkation, Hoboken, N.Y. October 17, 1919 Dear Miss Williams - Since I saw you I've been working harder and more continuously than ever before. If I'd spent a couple of months like the last week on my thesis in the graduate college I'd have my M.A. earned. Things were in bad shape in the company and I worked night and day at Camp Dix. Then our company came on ahead to Hoboken and found the stevedores on strike so we had to load the ship ourselves. Soldiers did the coaling and everything else. It has been a constant strain getting things in shape. We are all done without part of it now, as the rest of the Brigade arrived yesterday and relieved our men at 10:00 A.M. and, of course, the officers were still on duty. In fact last night was worse than any of the others as I had a bunch of lieuts to contend with. We had a big argument about quarters. Some mistake was made at the office so that too many men were assigned to a compartment. Our men were there and the officers from the other companies wanted us to move out so they could put their men in the bunks their tags called for. Of course, we were all fighting for our men and we had an awful time getting the other men to understand that the tag scheme couldn't be worked. When you get a bunch of officers fighting for the comfort of their troops you sure have a fight. Talk about a lioness fighting for her cubs - say that would be a pink tea in comparison. We got what we wanted at last. Tho I had to get another Lieut. from our company to help me as there were three or four other officers down there fighting against one for a while.