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This is, for some reason, the first of Will's letters that I ever read. I didn't find it terribly interesting, and was rather disappointed in my first impression of my grandfather, who died several years before I was born. But he turned out to be far more fun in all the other letters that I've read from him.
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Fort Terry, Plum Island, N.Y.,
August 16, 1902.
Dear Alma,
You are doubtless surprised to receive a letter from this forlorn place. “M” Company was sent up here two weeks ago to build a two-gun siege battery and make themselves generally useful. I think this being useful will consist in mounting some rapid fire guns,in putting up some wire entanglements ,and in operating some search lights and manning the rapid fire guns during the naval manoeuvres. We have nearly completed our battery and have a good deal done on our entanglement.
This Island is about three miles long and averages about three-quarters of a mile in breadth. The government owns the whole thing. There are two companies of artillery stationed here permanently and four more in camp for manoeuvres. We are in camp about a mile from the post and about a mile and a half from the other camp. There is some sort of a fresh sunshine farm about a half a mile from us. They seem to play the fife and drum and bugle nearly all day and about half of the night.
The only other inhabitants are the workmen putting in the search light plants,and the light-house keepers. Most of the workmen are dagos as there is more ditch digging to be done than there is of skilled work. The old light-house keeper is quite a character. This is one of Cleveland’s favorite fishing places, and this old “Captain” can tell any number of stories of Cleveland and other prominent men who have come here to fish. When he gets started it is almost impossible to break away and some times when you are fairly started he will come and make you come back to hear some story or to hear some curiosity.
I have fished several times from shore but have made no remarkable catches. The blue fish will be around in a few days and then you must expect to get some fish stories.
The tide runs so swiftly here that a man can do nothing against it in a row-boat. I have been told that the best place to fish is at these places where the tide is so swift. They go out during slack water and get half an hour or an hour’s fishing before the tide runs again.
The huting around here was very good some years ago,I have been told.
You would have to give up counting all the birds you saw if you came here. There are any number of swallows,gulls,fish-hawks,and meadowlarks here. There are quite a few bullbats and some wild geese.
I am sorry to hear of your malaria. We had a good deal of it at Washington Barracks. I think all the cases we have had here were acquired at Washington. The mosquitoes seem to be as thick here as they are in Jersey. They are not the malaria kind though.
With love,
Will.
August 16, 1902.
Dear Alma,
You are doubtless surprised to receive a letter from this forlorn place. “M” Company was sent up here two weeks ago to build a two-gun siege battery and make themselves generally useful. I think this being useful will consist in mounting some rapid fire guns,in putting up some wire entanglements ,and in operating some search lights and manning the rapid fire guns during the naval manoeuvres. We have nearly completed our battery and have a good deal done on our entanglement.
This Island is about three miles long and averages about three-quarters of a mile in breadth. The government owns the whole thing. There are two companies of artillery stationed here permanently and four more in camp for manoeuvres. We are in camp about a mile from the post and about a mile and a half from the other camp. There is some sort of a fresh sunshine farm about a half a mile from us. They seem to play the fife and drum and bugle nearly all day and about half of the night.
The only other inhabitants are the workmen putting in the search light plants,and the light-house keepers. Most of the workmen are dagos as there is more ditch digging to be done than there is of skilled work. The old light-house keeper is quite a character. This is one of Cleveland’s favorite fishing places, and this old “Captain” can tell any number of stories of Cleveland and other prominent men who have come here to fish. When he gets started it is almost impossible to break away and some times when you are fairly started he will come and make you come back to hear some story or to hear some curiosity.
I have fished several times from shore but have made no remarkable catches. The blue fish will be around in a few days and then you must expect to get some fish stories.
The tide runs so swiftly here that a man can do nothing against it in a row-boat. I have been told that the best place to fish is at these places where the tide is so swift. They go out during slack water and get half an hour or an hour’s fishing before the tide runs again.
The huting around here was very good some years ago,I have been told.
You would have to give up counting all the birds you saw if you came here. There are any number of swallows,gulls,fish-hawks,and meadowlarks here. There are quite a few bullbats and some wild geese.
I am sorry to hear of your malaria. We had a good deal of it at Washington Barracks. I think all the cases we have had here were acquired at Washington. The mosquitoes seem to be as thick here as they are in Jersey. They are not the malaria kind though.
With love,
Will.
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1.
Fort Terry, Plum Island, N.Y.
There's a nice little article about Plum Island here:
https://suffolktimes.timesreview.com/2012/12/plum-island-history-presentation-tuesday/
It says:
Fort Terry was built on the island in 1897 as an artillery post to protect the U.S. coast from enemy ships during the Spanish-American War and later served as a lookout site for German U-boats and planes during World War II, though the fort never saw conflict and was declared surplus in 1948.
And it mentions Grover Cleveland.
2.
I am sorry to hear of your malaria. We had a good deal of it at Washington Barracks.
I didn't know you could get malaria in Ohio, but the Ohio Department of Health website says:
Historically, malaria was indigenous to Ohio. Although indigenous malaria has been eliminated here, vector Anopheles mosquitoes remain prevalent. Thus, Ohio is an area free of disease but with a continuing risk of transmission.
But my understanding of malaria is that once you get it, you never are entirely rid of it: it keeps coming back. And I haven't come across any mentions of malaria in later letters, so I am doubtful that whatever ailment Alma had was in fact malaria.
Fort Terry, Plum Island, N.Y.
There's a nice little article about Plum Island here:
https://suffolktimes.timesreview.com/2012/12/plum-island-history-presentation-tuesday/
It says:
Fort Terry was built on the island in 1897 as an artillery post to protect the U.S. coast from enemy ships during the Spanish-American War and later served as a lookout site for German U-boats and planes during World War II, though the fort never saw conflict and was declared surplus in 1948.
And it mentions Grover Cleveland.
2.
I am sorry to hear of your malaria. We had a good deal of it at Washington Barracks.
I didn't know you could get malaria in Ohio, but the Ohio Department of Health website says:
Historically, malaria was indigenous to Ohio. Although indigenous malaria has been eliminated here, vector Anopheles mosquitoes remain prevalent. Thus, Ohio is an area free of disease but with a continuing risk of transmission.
But my understanding of malaria is that once you get it, you never are entirely rid of it: it keeps coming back. And I haven't come across any mentions of malaria in later letters, so I am doubtful that whatever ailment Alma had was in fact malaria.
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