Unknown letter to Champ Clark - September 12, 1917

Transcript

September 12, 1917. Hon. Champ Clark, Washington, D.C. My dear Sir: I have been intending to drop you a line telling you how delighted we were with Bennett, but I have been so engrossed with matters here I have not had opportunity to do so. I never had the pleasure of meeting him personally until he reported. Since he came I have had opportunity to become well acquainted with him, and I cannot tell you how greatly I have been impressed with him in every way. He is certainly one of the very finest fellows I ever met in my life, and I do not exaggerate at all when I tell you that he is the most popular officer in camp. His training at Fort Meyer [Virginia] was a wonderful thing for him. With his natural aptitude and zeal he was able to accomplish in the short time he was there what it has taken many of our officers years to learn. He was able to take right hold of the instruction of the regiment, and I regard him now as one of the very best officers in camp from a military standpoint. He was ordered down to Fort Sill [Oklahoma] last week to the school of fire. A selected number of officers were sent there to receive special instruction in the musketry school, with a view to having them instruct their regiments when the troops are finally concentrated at Camp Doniphan [Oklahoma]. You should be very proud of him, as I am, and I regard the National Guard of Missouri as fortunate in having him serve with them. With my kindest regards, Sincerely yours, HCC-JRL [Ms illegible: 1 wd]