Lament of the CCC

Archive

-

Southern Forest Heritage Museum

Page 1

Page 1

Name/Title

"Lament of the CCC"

Entry/Object ID

2021.8.52

Tags

CCC, Archive, Public

Scope and Content

a letter from a CCC enrollee, Clayton, at Bullis Camp in TX; Clayton wrote this letter in the form of a poem called the "Lament of the CCC"

Collection

Southern Forest Heritage Museum

Acquisition

Accession

2021.8

Acquisition Method

Gift

Credit Line

*title of entry*, Southern Forest Heritage Museum Collection, *Accession Number*, *Exhibition Title (if it's in an exhibit)*, Southern Forest Heritage Museum, Long Leaf, LA.

Archive Details

Creator

Clayton

Date(s) of Creation

circa 1930 - circa 1939

Archive Size/Extent

3.16 MB

Primary Language

English

Archive Notes

Was sent by Jeff Cleveland to Dough Rhodes

Archive Items Details

Title

The Lament of the CCC

Description

he signs his name "Clayton" at the end; no last name or date; no envelope included; Transcription of letter: Stanza 1: A card came one morning/ I[t] was addressed to me,/ It said come right down boy/ and join the CCC/ So Ma said good by boy/ And have a good time/ I jumped on the freight train/ and spent a good time. Stanza 2: Now I[']m at Camp Bullis/ Got here today June 8th/ They looked me all over/ Said I was OK/ The clothes that were given me/ Fit just like a tent/ I[']d swear bloody murder/ But I'm a gent. Stanza 3: I went to the Mess Hall/ And sure fed my face/ The way I ate Chili/ was sure a disgrace/ So three days went by/ They gave us a shot/ It was not whisky/ But a needle we got. Stanza 4: My head is aching/ My arm feels like lead/ So I cursed the CCC/ As I lay on my bed/ My feet are all blistered/ Feel worse than dead/ This "yes sir and no sir"/ Has gone to my head. Stanza 5: I've raked this Camp Bullis/ I've cut down some stumps/ I'm safe from the typhoid/ And even the mumps/ I'm safe from all women/ But that is no fun/ Am safe from all women/ Please God send me one. Stanza 6: The Choo-choo is coming/ I will be here on time/ To take us to Hamilton/ To serve out our time/ To serve out our time boys/ So give us a cheer/ For the boys down in Hamilton/ they have darn good beer. Stanza 7: If I had the Sergeant/ Where the Sergeant got me/ Before our time is over/ He[']d "yes sir" to me/ My story is not ended/ I'll tell you some more/ Out in the forest/ On the lake shore.

Creator

Clayton

Other Names and Numbers

Other Numbers

Number Type

00#

Other Number

SFHM.SFHM.2021.001.001

Parts

Count

4

Research Notes

Person

Rachel Blomquist

Date

Mar 5, 2021

Person

Rachel Blomquist

Date

Mar 5, 2021

Notes

Camp Bullis Military Training Reservation in Bexar County TX; named after Brigadier General John. L. Bullis in 1917; was used by the 315th Engineer Regiment of the 90th Division