The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-11-26
German soldiers in Camp.

l. German Soldiers in Camp. r..
Last evening / rode over the hill t.
the camp of the Twentieth Division
and was well repaid for my trouble. Nc
more picturesque or secure spot coulo
have been selected for the camp, which
lay on the southern slope of the thickly
wooded Osterwald Hills that form .
kind of natural amphitheatre here,
Care had been taken to form a cheva
of brook of mountain water, which
was blessing for the horses and 9
boon for cooking purposes. EMBODIED
in the southwark slope of wood-clad
hills, the camp was well protected from
any sudden interruption of the enemy
| 1.-THE Nineteenth lDivision) from the
northa But, though close to thick
| forest, the troops were refused the
kindly shelter. When bivouacking they
must always do so in The open, to per.
nit of greater order and to guard
againt surprises. The only comforts
allowed them are q fire, their great
coats and shakedown of straw.
Around each campfire, which is Of
OOHuIC pOSOo tlO NLlfOb
in and connected by a rope, against
which is built a thin wall of upright
wheat straw, as shelter from the wind.
and then thin mating of the same
material is strewn all around. On this
the men lie, with their feet to the fire,
and sleep soundly, without thought OF
cold or,infuenza. But when it rains ii
must. be very nasty. When straw is
not procurable the sheltering wall,
about . yard high. is formed of canvas.
The officers are better off, several OF
them, according to their rank, being
allowed a tent in common. just out
side The sleeping circle is the cooking
trench, which is always excavated first
by one or two men of each company,
who carry spades for ride-pit and field
work purposes. Each officer has per-
sonal attendant Zone of his mem, who
is supposed to understand something Of
the culinary art! Straw had also been
laid down as bedding for the horses,
which, with their nose-bags and
blankets, were tethered to ring
ppe. The horses of the uhlans
God in a row, with the lances stuck
ito the ground at their heads, the
lemons fluttering gayly in the breeze.
'ngeach stack of firearms We're placed
he helmets and bayonets of the men,
eady for instant assumption, and
verything else was arranged with the
tmost precision and method. The
anitary arrangements were perfect. l
ever saw q more picturesque or ami
aated scene. 1t was beautiful, mild
light; the moon and the stars were
Inning and all the hill slope blazed
With innumerable fires. The bands
we're all playing; the ever popular Scar
nen'' was played to death. The coun-
ry side had fiocked in and the strains
II music were interspersed with gusts
fcheering. The noisiest of the revel-
y must have come from the time-ex-
bred men-about third of the whole
who in every corps are dismissed
% their homes and into the Reserve i'm
nediately after the autumn manervers
They were singing and demonstrating
at a great rate. AT one of the camp
fires at which the sounds of rejoicing
were particularly loud e. saw the men
engaged i'll an occupation, the investi-
CATION OF which may be recommended
to students of Parsee rites and customs.
Over the fire was q kind of cross, or
eross-bar, from which depended a num-
Der of spoons belonging to time-expifed
men, who thus testify to the Whole
camp the near approach of their eman-
cipation from their duties. Ifby action of
the fire the spoons are consumed, well
and good; but if not, they are buried
deep next morning under the ashes OF
the wood which cooked the mems last
army meal. 1t is a curious and long
standing rite. AT nine o. clock the tat
too was played by the bands of the di-
vision, meaning that the market-tenders
must not draw any more drink. Short
ly afterward a gun was fired as the sig
nal for evening prayer, which is not,
strange to say, said by a chaplain, but
by the trumpeters of a regiment. 1t is
a novel. but yet an effective way to do
ones devotions by sound of trumpet.
The commander of each regiment as.
sembles al his men,. who reverently
Sneel with DOTTED caps while slow and
solemn Attended is performed by the
bandsmen.ss Soon. after nothing was to
be seen but PROSTATE forms around the
blazing fires, and nothing was heard
but the imperious ''Halt" of the sen.
tries challenger Cor. London Times.