A forty per cent contingent --- sixty three men --- of Shenandoah County's quota of 161 men, the number required of her for service in the new National Army under the first call, left Woodstock about 6:40 o'clock Wednesday morning for Camp Lee, near Petersburg, Va., on a Southern Railway special train.  The men were under the command of one of their number -- a local boy -- C. Leslie Fletcher, formerly a familiar figure in the Brown grocery store and on the banks of the Shenandoah River during the fishing season.  Mr. Fletcher has had considerable military experience as a member of Company K, the local military company which was disbanded some two years ago, and we predict it will not be long until Mr. Fletcher wins for himself a commission.

Not withstanding the early hour the train arrived at Strasburg, 7:15 o'clock -- the station platform was crowded with fathers and mothers, sisters and brothers, sweethearts and friends of the young men who left to be trained for actual service at the front.  While the seriousness of the work ahead was realized by all, while there were many tear-stained cheeks among those who had assembled at the station, the boys departed in the best of spirits.  They arrived at Camp Lee last night, and were issued their equipment and bedding.  they are expected to get the physical examination at the camp today or tomorrow and those who pass will be assigned to companies, probably by Saturday.  On the same train were 71 men from Rockingham County.  All together the men in the military camps or on the road represent 45 per cent of the total quota under the first call, or about 300,000 men, nearly half of the new National Army.

The names of those leaving from Shenandoah County are:
STRASBURG -- C. Leslie Fletcher, Charles Horan, James Owdie Williams, Benjamin H. Middleton, Roy P. Updike, George Clyde Shank, Howard Smith Sonner, John E. L. Strosnider, Raymond R. Kline, Albert Lee Garrett, Carl Boyer Maphis, Arthur J. Lake.
WOODSTOCK --  George W. Hisey, Chester M. Holtzman, Leleand S. Sutherland, James Mahikoa, Edgar L. Hounshell, Roscoe Lee Funk.
DILBECK --  Walter L. Coverstone.
STAR TANNERY -- Mahlon Rudolph.
DETRICK --  Elmer Shown, Roy Lindamood, William H. Allen, Elmer Tampkin.
NEW MARKET --  John F. Reedy, Cleveland Branner, Jasper Funkhouser, Nell Kingan, Lester E. Tidler, Russell T. Hupp.
TOMS BROOK -- Oliver T. Miller, Jesse Walton Kronk, William H. Baker, Isaac F. Middleton, Robert B. Maphis.
VAN BUREN FURNACE -- Paul Clifford Orndorff
CARMEL  --  Alfred T. Rittenour.
COLUMBIA FURNACE --  Bird Albert Mumaw, Harry W. Johnson.
JEROME  --  Andrew P. Miller, John T. Miller, Ira M. Miller.
LEBANON CHURCH --  Clarence W. Windle.
QUICKSBURG --  George L. Kibler.
SHEN. ALUM SPRINGS --  David W. Baker.
LIBERTY FURNACE --  Franklin E. Funkhouser.
EDINBURG  --  Perry R. Reynard, Lester Wolverton, Gordon R. Newland, William A. Golladay, Kirby B. Hottle.
EDITH --  Charles E. Heishman,  Walter L. Spitler.
CONICVILLE  --  Albert L. Miller.
ZEPP  --  Carter D. Brill,  Bush Strosnider, Clifton Bauserman.
LANTZ MILL  --  Samuel Spiggle.
MAURERTOWN  --  Harry Cleary, Raymond Ryman.
WALKERS CHAPEL  --  Thomas Boehm.
MOORES STORE  --  Randolph Long.
MACANIE  --  Elbert Lee Keller, (substituting for Ray Millhouse, Strasburg).

The presentation of comfort kits to each of the sixty - three Shenandoah County young men who left Woodstock Wednesday morning for Camp Lee took place in the Court House at 5:30 o'clock tuesday afternoon.  The kits were made and filled by the members of the Shenandoah County Chapter of the National League for Women's Service.  Each kit is a 10 x 13 inch khaki bag, and a costs about $2.00 to equip.  Those presented to the boys from this community by the Strasburg Auxiliary, of which Mrs. H. H. Ramey is president, contained the following:  Testament, paper and envelopes, post cards, pencil, soap in celluloid soap box, needles, and safety pins, white and Khaki colored thread, box of foot - ease, talcum powder, and adhesive tape, scissors, tooth brush, comb in case, buttons, towel, wash cloth, and in some of them were chewing gum and cigarettes.
The Strasburg Auxiliary presented kits to the following:  Marcus Linn,  Fort Slocum, N. Y.;  Capt. S. E. Saum, Fort Myer;  Roy Millhouse, Charles A. Middleton, R. P. Updike, Raymond R. Kline, Albert C. Garrett, C. L. Fletcher, Carl B. Maphis, Arthur J. Lake, G. Clyde Shank, Howard S. Sonner, Clarence W. Windle, and John E. L. Strosnider.  Kits will likewise be sent soon to Paul and John Keister, Paul Furr, Maxwell Borden, Bickle Ellis, Fitzhugh Richard, and Robert Stover, all of whom enlisted prior to the draft.
All the sixty - three drafted men, except Roy Millhouse, reported Tuesday evening as ordered.  Mr. Millhouse was in South Dakota when he received notice to report for duty.  He telegraphed that he was starting at once and arrived at Woodstock Wednesday at noon, but the boys had gone.  Albert L. Keller of Macanie took his place, and Mr. Millhouse will be included in the next contingent, which will leave in the near future.
At the presentation exercises Tuesday afternoon Commander J. H. Grabill, of the Veterans, presided, delivered a short address and distributed the comfort kits.  The patriotic hymn, "God Save Our Boys", was then sung.  Rev. J. D. Hamaker offered prayer, and Rev. M. S. Taylor of Woodstock Episcopal Church, pronounced the benediction.
The Strasburg auxiliary of the National League for Women's Service is a very active organization.  Not including the monthly dues of the 40 active members, the ladies have raised nearly $29.00 to help make our home boys comfortable in the military camps.  They have knit a number of sweaters sets, and out of the remaining yarn are now at work knitting a large afghan, or slumber robe.  Besides this, they have made countless bandages, eye protectors, wash cloths, etc., and the organization deserves the loyal support and praise of every citizen in the community.

Patriotic exercises in honor of the departure of the sixty - three drafted men for Camp Lee on the following were held in the Court House at Woodstock Tuesday evening at 8:00 o'clock under the auspices of the Shenandoah County Ministerial Association and the Shenandoah County Chapter of the american Red Cross.  The ministers of the county were present almost without exception.
Rev. J. A. McMurray, pastor of Woodstock Presbyterian Church, offered a prayer for the men's safe return, after which some patriotic songs were sung by a large choir.  Rev. R. C. Meeks of Strasburg M. E. Church, who was chairman of the meeting, gave a short but inspiring opening talk.  U. S. Title attorney Wilbur H. Newman followed Rev. Meeks with a short address, in which he stated that Shenandoah should be proud of the men she is sending into the service of the country.  Mr. Newman's address was enthusiastically received.  Rev. J. D. Hamaker of Strasburg Christian Church, then gave a talk, urging the men to remember that they are answering the call to battle, not against the Germans and Austrians, but for the principles of righteousness and civilization.  He told the men that they are answering not alone the call of their country in taking up arms, but the call of God to preserve the principles of Christianity against oppression and wrong.
The response in behalf of the soldier boys was made by one of their number, George L. Kibler of Quicksburg in which he thanked the people of Woodstock and Shenandoah County for their interest in his comrades and for the many presents received.  The benediction was pronounced by Rev. J. A. Hopkins, of Edinburg.
After the benediction refreshments, consisting of ice cream, cakes, lemonade, etc., were served in the Court House by the ladies.  An immense crowd had gathered at the county seat to attend the exercises, and to witness the departure of the boys for Camp Lee the next morning.