Monroe Women Provide Troops on Train with Biscuits, 1917

The Monroe Journal, Sept. 11, 1917

With No Cooks, Soldiers Were Minus Their Bread…But Officers Wired to Monroe, and Citizens Came to Their Rescue With Auto Load of Biscuits and Loaves

Pennsylvania soldiers, who passed through here in droves Saturday and Sunday, entertained the citizens of Monroe with music and drills, but the local folks had an opportunity to do the troops a favor Sunday night when a message was received here stating that a troop train was minus its daily bread, owing to the lack of cooks, and with the request that people here get all they could in town for them.

Immediately there was a stir and a bustle. Ladies went home and soon the odor of cooking biscuits was abroad. Grocery store proprietors were notified of the predicament of the Pennsiylvania troops,and they did their share by donating all the bread in their respective shops. By the time the train arrived, nearly an auto load was had, and it was all turned over to the soldiers.

An officer of the company, in appreciation of the courtesy extended by the Monroe folks, handed Mr. G.B. Caldwell the following note:

“We the men of the first squad of Co. M, 10^th Pennsylvania Infantry, wish to thank the people of Monroe for their kindness during our stop.”