Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-06-14
CIearlnghonse RepOrt.
MILITARY MATTERS.
The Porter Rifles Taking the
Course TO Win.

Cor. COurler-J ournal.l
NASHVILLE. June PAS Tennes-
see and all the world besides seems to
have the military craze, and knowing
that the readers of the Courier
journal particularly are interested in
the movements of the Porter Rifles,
your correspondent paid visit to
their camp, a day or two since. and
spent the afternoon and part Of the
night there, in order to get material
with which to supply the public
demand for news appertaining to q
soldiers life.
Camp McGavock, where the Porter
Rifles are stationed, is a beautiful
woodland, six miles from the city,
near the Lebanon turnpike. The
camp is situated on an eminence
overlooking the Cumberland river.
Instead of tents, the soldiers sleep in
cabins that were formerly used by
persons summering in that section.
There are two fine springs hard by the
camp, furnishing an abundance Of
pure freestone water, and the nearness
of the river furnishes ample facilities
for bathing. The drill ground is a
large clearing in the midst of a dense
forest, and is admirably adapted
to the purpose. The men are
required to drill five hours a
day; that is, they drill from 6 to 10 in
forenoon and from 5 to 8 in the after
noon. Breakfast is served at $50
dinner at 1890, and supper at S.15
o'clock. At 8 o'clock p. m. the bugle
sounds and all lights are out. The
rules governing the camp are strict
without being tyrannical and oppres-
sive.
No intoxicating liquors are allowed
on the grounds. At first the men
chafed under this restriction. having
been used to an occasional glass of beer,
but they soon became accustomed to
doing without it, and many declare
that the freestoue water is all that
their appetites demand. Officers and
men fare alike. Indeed to see them
off duty, it would be hard to distin.
guish officers from privates. During
their leisure moments they fish, bathe
row, sleep, smoke, or play little game
of draw" In the afternoon, when
the mail arrives, there is a lively
scramble for the Courier journal, and
the military column is devoured with
eagerness. The bare mention oI
Louisville excites every attention
The men ere eager for the coming
contest, and are confident of victory
Perhaps the most interesting fea-
ture about the camp, to the soldier as
we'll as the visitor, is the commissary
department. Here George Carter, the
colored cook reigns supreme, and
doesn't tallow any outsiders or hungry
privates to come foolin around both
erin wild de vittals" If visitor is
accompanied by an officer, however,
George keeps mum, and only hOnors
him with glance when he gets toe
near the buttermilk jar, a treasure that
he guards with unceasing vigilance.
The milk jar is filled every day with
fresh milk from the dairy of Mr.. Nc
Gavock, who, never tiring of doing
good, sends along sixty pounds of lake
ice to makeit cold.
Altogether the Porter Rifles are
faring sumptuously, the menu en-
bracing everything known to this
market. Besides, they have plates,
knives and forks, cups and saucers,
and real sugar and coffee, something
unknown to the boys who years ago
wore the gray. The health of the
men is excellent. and as to their
drilling, Captain Ryer and his lieu
tenants, Creighton and Hunter, say
they never saw better. The company
is composed of twenty-four picked
men. The officers tell me that they
had great difficulty in choosing the
number, as some of those who were
left out had taken part in all previous
competitive drills and were as we'll
versed in military affairs as any men
in the country.
In making the selection they looked
to the form of the man as we'll as to
his knowledge of the manual.