Richmond Ladies Serve Cantaloupe, Coffee, Post Cards, as Troop Trains Pass Through Hamlet, N.C., 1918

“Richmond County Canteen Work” from The Rockingham Post-Dispatch, July 18, 1918

The Rockingham ladies served 10 troop trains at the Canteen at Hamlet Saturday. The day being cool, strong hot coffee was served one train of thirsty boys from a Texas camp. John Dockery had donated 250 cantaloupes, and these were served another train. Chewing gum, postal cards, cigarettes, etc., were served another. Magazines another, and so on. One train was filled with Indian troops and one with colored; and of course these trains received the same treatment the white soldier trains received.

Sunday over a dozen troop trains passed. Monday six, Tuesday eight.

Here is a splendid opportunity for farmers and others to help by donating melons and any kind of fruit they may have. It makes a soldier-lad feel mighty good to be served with something at these Canteens. It shows visibly to them that the people on the outside are behind them with their very hearts and souls.

An instance of appreciation of the soldiers occurred Saturday. So pleased were they that they had been served so well that the troops in one car insisted upon taking up a collection, amounting to $4.95, and presenting it to the Red Cross Canteen. This fund will, of course, be used in providing things for other soldiers.

Mrs. B.F. Palmer had in her garden a dozen thousand sweet potato slips; she had no use for them, and felt that it was a pity for them to be wasted, when someone else might be glad to plant them. And so she informed the editor of this fact. And that accounts for the five-line notice that appeared in our last issue advising the public that free slips could be obtained by calling at the Post-Dispatch office. In response to this, by actual count, 37 applicants were received and given slips. And so grateful was one young lad for the slips that he insisted on giving Mrs. Palmer 50 cents, saying that if she wouldn’t accept pay then to give it to the Canteen work of the Red Cross; and she of course gladly did this.

Only three troop trains passed Hamlet today, two being with colored troops. A train from Sevier is expected at midnight tonight, and possibly some Richmond County boys will be on it. The Rockingham Canteen ladies have prepared an abundance of fried chicken to serve this midnight train.

The Rockingham Chapter of the Red Cross has prepared 5,000 postal cards for distribution to the soldiers passing through Hamlet. On the front of the card is the emblematic Red Cross, and facing the Cross is the picture of an accoutered soldier, bearing aloft the Stars and Stripes. At the bottom of the card, in small type, is “Compliments of Rockingham Chapter, Richmond County, N.C.” The cards are printed by the job department of the Post-Dispatch.

Senator John Sharp Williams recently read to the Senate a poem, “Toast to the Kaiser,” written by George Morrow Mayo, formerly a railroad clerk but now a gunner’s mate in the Navy. This poem is printed on the card, and is beautiful in sentiment.

Here’s to the Blue of the wind-swept North,

When we meet in the fields of France;

May the spirit of Grant be with you all

As the sons of the North advance.

Here’s to the Gray of the sun-kissed South,

When we meet on the fields of France;

May the spirit of Lee be with you all

As the sons of the South advance.

And here’s to the Blue and the Gray as one;

When we meet on the fields of France;

May the spirit of God be with us all

As the sons of the Flag advance!