Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-08-03
AT CAMP RENO,
The National Guard In Camp-AS Seen
by " Fighting Pars0n."

The National Guard In Camp-AS Seen
by "Flshting Parson."
Special Correspondence of INrELLIeENcER.
CAMP RENO, NEAR POrTsTowN,
Tuesday, Aug. 2, 1881.
Halt who goes there ?''-'Advance,
one, with the countersign. .'-''Corporal of
the Guard, Post Number Three "'-"Cor-
poral Of the Guard, Post Number Five ~
Amid such calls for the corporal and re-
peated challenges of men from another
| regiment, who, being out late without the
pass, having failed of an entrance into
camp through their own guards, were
trying to run the guard of the gallant
Sixth, your correspondent lay with closed
eyes endeavoring to sleep. It was pleas
| ant to lie there on a cot in a wall tent,
amid the sweet fresh air of the country,
with the cricket chipping his night song,
and an occasional dash of rain making
music on the canvas roof, thinking of
times and camps long gone BY. The drums
beating tattoo, the bugles in the artillery
camp over the way blowing their pleasing
evening call, and some lonely bugler
making the night sad with "Way down
upon the Swanee River" reminded your
correspondent of the days Of nearly twenty
years ago, when for the first time he lay
down under canvas, thinking not of a
weeks pleasant and dangerless soldering,
but of three years and all the stirring and
cventful experiences they might bring
with them. With such thoughts and full
of pleasing yet sad memories. sweet re-
freshins sleep came at last.
| There is no sleeping late in camp. The
surroundings are not at all favorable to
lying late abed. PhGbus begins his
August archery early in the morning,
scattering his arrows red hot over old
Montgomery's hills with lavish hand.
Besides, the flies are bad-and reveille
beats at six, and there is nothing short Of
cannon shot for waking a man thorough
| ly like good rOusing reveille. It shakes
the last iOta of drowsiness out OF him.
Then the morning toilet and breakfast,
for the officers in Il private mess at The
Mansion House, hard by, and for tho
men in quarters-and tho routine of the
day has commenced. Sick call at O'clock
and what line Of sick men already !!
And all with the same camp complaint.
To what is it to be attributed, whether to
tho quality of certain provisions of the
cOmmissariat, as sOme maintain, or to 4
change of diet and tho customary ignor-
ance new men generally display in the
matter Of taking care Of themselves when
put into the field, Or to all of: these causes
combined, is hard to tell. Certain it is
that the sick call is largely attended and
the doctors kept busy. The day promises
to he excessively hot and with guard
mount (Which glance at as write) and
company drill in the morning, and brigade
drill and dress parade in the afternoon,
and all under broiling sun, cases Of pros
tr,tiOn by heat and otherwise may conf
IDENTITY he expected.
Yet, notwithstanding the ordinary du-
ties Of tho camp, which are by no means
child's play to men taken from the shop
and the desk, and put at once to the life Of
soldier in camp, the men seem to have
an excess of spirits which find their outlet
in games OF football one going on now at
10 a. m.), lcap-fros, fishing in the river,
and singing songs and chatting from tent
to tent till long after taps have beat for
''Ights out" The best of order prevails
in this camp Of instruction, there being, so
far as l have seen, no cases Of drunken
ness Or rowdyis:n anywhere. Strict disci.
pline prevails and due military etiquette is
observed. The colonel commanding the
regiment having himself, together with
nearly every member of his staff, seen hard
service in the late war, and having drilled
one of tho best reg iments in the field-the
S7th p. V.-and being withal courteous
and refined gentleman, has succeeded in
imparting much of his admirable spirit to
his command both officers and men. At
his home (NOrristown, Pa.), the colonel is
known rs COL John w. Schall, recorder
Of Montgomery county, where he is highly
esteemed for his sterling worth and gen
tlemanly bearing. The Lieutenant Colo
mel, P. NJ. Washabaugh, attorney of Ches-
ter, Pa, graduate of a military school and
late major of tie nth regiment, is also a
man OF fine military parts and courteous
demcanor while the Adjutant, Thomas
}. Stewart, Of NOrristown, an old soldier
of tho late war, has acquired wide and
well-deservcd reputation rs an excellent
drillmaster, and is, perhaps. equally well
known as the accomplished humorist of
every camp ut which he may be present.
In the hands of the surgeons, DIR. j. X.
Weaver, of Norristown, also veteran,
and w. J. Ashenfelter, of Pottstown, both
of whom are efficient and courteous prac-
titioners. the sick are safe and well cared
for. Altogether the Sixth regiment has a
corps of efficient officers, both of the field
and staff and of the line, which fact is
abundantly manifest in the creditable drill
and the we'll executed dress-parade.
This Scamp Reno" seems to he the
biggest thing Pottstown has known since
the flood Of 1865. Forty years ago there
was a camp of troopers somewhere here.
about on the hills, but with the proverbal
exception of the oldest inhabitant, the
present generation has never seen any
thing by half SO grand. 1t is wonderful
how they turn out men, women, chill
drcn in wagons, carriages and afoot in
tho rain and mud of Sunday q am told),
and in tic ScOrching heat of this TUESDAY,