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Albert Hibbard to his Parents, 1917

Photograph of Sergeant Albert Hibbard "Who saw some strenuous oversea service, is now at home with his parents, and has accepted a position with the Coplon Department Store" Photograph taken from The Morning New Bernian, June 4, 1919 [Click image for more detailed (tiff) image (3752 kb)]

BOYS ON BORDER GRIEVED BY LOSS OF COMRADE REA--Sad Funeral Described by Albert Hibbard, in Letter to Relatives.
EXPECT TO COME TO THE STATE SOON

The following is a part of a letter written by Mr. Albert Hubbard, who is doing border duty near El Paso, Texas with the hospital corps composed of New Bern boys, to his father and mother Mr. and Mrs. A. E. Hibbard. Upon request Mr. Hibbard consented for it to be published:

Camp Stewart, Texas,

Feb. 4th, 1917.

That was certainly one of the sad­dest funerals this afternoon I have ever attended. Thomas Lee, Dewey Dixon, Drew Dixon, Tom Gillikin, Tom Bissette, and myself acted as pall bearers. The band, hospital corps, one company and a lot of other fellows who knew Kenneth went to the funeral. The services were held at the undertaker’s place, then the procession formed, with the band in the lead, then the armed guard, the preacher, the hearse and pall bearers, the hospital corps, the com­pany of infantry and last came the friends. The band played the funeral march better than I have ever heard it, and the funeral surely attracted a lot of attention. At the depot the leader of the band blew “taps” over the body and the way he blew it, almost made the hair stand, on one’s head. “Taps” is the prettiest call that is used in military affairs, and when it is so sounded over the dead body of a friend, it only makes it sound more solemn. 

I wish we were all at home so that we could give him the military honor at home that is due him.

I surely hope they will send us home before any more of the men die. I am sorry that so many have died already. I was hoping that we could take all the men home that we brought away.

If this German trouble keeps up, I believe we will be ordered to North Carolina to defend the ports etc. We may be sent to Wilmington to defend Fort Caswell or we may be sent to some other town. I will be glad enough to get to North Carolina because I can go to New Bern from wherever we are sent. The troops are being rushed to their home states as fast as transportation can be secured. I believe we will get our orders before long. They can’t send us away from here any too soon for me, for I am more tired of Texas than I am of the army, and I am tired enough of that.

The Morning New Bernian, Saturday, February 10, 1917, p. 6, c. 3