Furlough Impossible. Don't Come
Telegram to Father, July 26, 1918
Camp Merritt, New Jersey
The 51st Pioneer Regiment celebrated the French holiday Bastille Day at reveille Sunday morning, July 14. The tune of the French national anthem, La Marseillaise, floated in the morning air after The Star-Spangled Banner. The French holiday marked the storming of the Bastille by a revolutionary crowd on July 14, 1789.[1]
The men packed their bags and sat around on Wednesday, July 17, until ordered to get in formation. At 9:00 a.m., with the morning sun reminding the men of its existence, the order came down from command to march to the nearby train station. The soldiers trod their last time in the South Carolina heat and dirt. Elmore hoped it would be the last he’d see the red Carolina dust—“at least under similar circumstances.”[2]
Elmore’s backpack contents included: a blanket, half of a shelter tent, tent pole, five tent pegs, ramrod for the rifle, and a Turkish towel. Numerous kinds of clothes were stuffed in the bag: pair of underwear, two or three pairs of socks, and a cotton blouse. The backpack contained a smaller pack and carrier, condiment and bacon cans, soap, comfort kit, bayonet and scabbard. Elmore carried his squad’s first aid pouch. On the cartridge belt hung a pair of pliers, smaller first aid kit, canteen, pistol holster, and 10 rounds of rifle ammo. He stored the rest of his belongings and equipment in a barracks bag and transported in a wagon along with all the other bags.
The train pulled away from the camp railroad station at 10 a.m. At the first stop in Spartanburg, the men received bananas. The opened train windows refreshed Elmore with the cool window breeze. The moving air also reduced the amount of odor created by the march. The countryside exuded its natural beauty of forests, cultivated cotton fields, and rolling hills. He served as the corporal of the guard assigned to the third relief from 6 to 10 mornings and evenings, with eight-hour off duty shifts.
The train crossed the state line into North Carolina, then into Virginia. Enthusiastic crowds gathered along the route and wondered why the soldiers were so quiet. The men were allowed to wave, but they were ordered not to shout. In spite of this prohibition, the excitement filled the New York boys’ hearts because they were going back north, at least for a short time.
Whenever the train stopped, the YMCA served refreshments: Philadelphia–ice cream, cigarettes, etc.; Washington, D.C.–coffee and sandwiches. The train also stopped in Baltimore. In Washington, the men were allowed to detrain and exercise. The friendly welcome at the stops raised a question in Elmore’s mind, “Could it be that a uniform would make all the difference?”[3] This question revealed the vast contrast in the reception the men received wearing civilian clothes going south to Camp Wadsworth. The stop in Washington lasted longer than planned because of engine troubles.
Elmore woke up Friday morning and learned they were north of Jersey City, New Jersey, on the west side of the Hudson River and across from Manhattan. They received breakfast near Tenafty, north of Jersey City. They detrained at 9 a.m. Elmore’s squad transferred barracks bags onto trucks and sat with the bags for the ride to Camp Merritt.
Camp Merritt processed soldiers to and from Europe during the war. Over a million men passed through the camp. Instead of tents, more than 600 barracks gave the men less rustic living space. Elmore’s assessment of their quarters, and the camp as a whole, was summed up with two words, “Fine camp.” And they did what army soldiers did when they weren’t drilling or fighting–they sat around. They used the down time also to explore the camp and visit the YMCA huts where Elmore found a Cornell man to talk with.
The next few days the men were issued clothing and equipment that included gas masks. Chemical warfare developed rapidly during the war. Whenever possible, Elmore tried to relax. He visited the No. 4 YMCA hut where he found another Cornell man and caught a glimpse of the former Cornell football coach, Albert Sharpe, who coached the 1915 national champions. Several He also saw several Black soldiers preparing for boxing matches at the hut. They represented several segregated regiments for African Americans.
A scheduled inspection Sunday morning prevented Elmore from attending the worship service. The inspection never took place and this made missing the service more disappointing. A big dinner, however, of real chicken, mashed potatoes, and pickles didn’t disappoint an empty stomach. ‘Real chicken’ meant that it was fresh meat. Watermelon, cake, ice cream, and lemonade completed the meal. Elmore hoped to see his Uncle Harry who worked fulltime for the YMCA, but he didn’t show up. On the other hand, Elmore and a Dolgeville friend enjoyed a brief reunion.
Guard duty took up time on Monday, July 22 along with receiving more clothing. He handed in some cotton clothes issued in South Carolina. He and hometown friend Will Kindler worked on naturalization papers for Company B until after midnight. Earlier in the day, they watched the happy crowds at the Hostess House come and go. These houses were visitation facilities for soldiers, families, and friends to spend time together.
A three-phrase succinct description of Tuesday was all that Elmore wrote about the day, “Laid around. Got more equipment. More work.”
Uncle Harry and wife Ethel, and two of their friends, showed up at the camp Wednesday evening. It took some effort for Elmore to find them. Once they met and exchanged hugs and greetings, a military police officer escorted the group to his wooden barracks. He explained how much more comfortable his bed was in the building than in the tent at Camp Wadsworth. The group walked to Hostess House No. 4 and let ice cream melt in their mouths. The visitors laughed at Elmore’s stories from the previous two months down south. Harry, Aunt Ethel, and their friends left about 9 p.m., entrusting Elmore with apples and cake.
Most of the Company B soldiers, including Elmore, didn’t receive 24-hour passes to visit their families at home. This upset the men who stayed put at the camp. Elmore’s father intended to visit at the camp, but he received an urgent, but sad, telegram: FURLOUGH IMPOSSIBLE DON’T COME VERY SORRY LETTER FOLLOWS. A telegram’s standard message used capital letters, but in this one, they also emphasized the great disappointment felt by father and son. Uncle Harry’s recounting of his visit with his nephew to his older brother and sister-in-law had to suffice. Their memories of Elmore’s face at his departure from Dolgeville on May 27 had to sustain them until he returned from the war.
The regiment received the wake call at 12:30 a.m. on Friday, July 26, to begin the march to the ferries. Coffee helped them wake up. They received a lunch to carry and eat later. Departure began at 3:30 a.m. The unit left Camp Merritt in groups separated by half-hour increments to avoid congestion at the Alpine Landing on the Hudson River. Their packs felt like lead and they sweated profusely. Many men fell out of the march to the Landing due to sore feet and other ailments. The road became a steep incline that the soldiers descended to the river where ferries waited. They looked like hungry monsters waiting to devour their prey. Elmore rode on the Cincinnati. The loaded ferries traveled about seventeen miles south on the Hudson to the piers at Hoboken.
The United States Army Transport (USAT)Kroonland awaited the arrival of the 51st Pioneer Infantry Regiment at Pier #1. The steamed-powered transport ship carried 3,200. 3B Hatch or Hold became Elmore’s temporary home. These Hatches or Holds referred to areas deep in the ship’s hull. They contained rows of multi-tier galvanized iron bunks. The cramped spaces lacked good ventilation. Elmore called the place an “awful coal hole,” meaning it reminded him of the space in his house’s basement for storing coal. He claimed the bottom bunk with a wire mattress for the journey “Over there” to Brest, France.
[1] Quentin Roosevelt, 20-year old son of former U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt, died in an aerial battle against Germans. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/july -14/quentin-roosevelt-killed. Accessed September 14, 2026.
[2] July 20 letter.
[3] Ibid.