The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1882-01-12
German Soldiers in Camp.


the camp of the Twentieth Division,
and was well repaid for my trouble. No
more picturesque or secure spot could
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 q chevat
of brook of mountain water, which
was blessing for the horses and q
boon for cooking purposes. EMBODIED
hills, the camp was well protected from
any sudden interruption of the enemy
(the Nineteenth Division) from the
north. 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-
againt surprises. The only comforts
coats and shakedown of straw.
Around each campfire, which is OF
bonfire dimensions, posts are driven
in and connected by a rope. against
which is built thin wall of upright
wheat straw, rs shelter from the wind,
and then thin mating of the same
the men lie, with their feet to the fire,
and sleep soundly, without thought of
cold or influenza But when it rains it
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 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 rifie-pit and field
work purposes. Each officer has a psr-
sonal attendant Zone of his men), who
the culinary art. Straw had also been
which, with their nose-bags and
rope. The horses of the uhlans
stood in q row, with the lances stuck
into the ground at their heads, the
pennons fiuttering gayly in the breeze:
On each stack of firearms were placed
the helmets and bayonets of the men,
ready for instant assumption, and
everything else was arranged with the
utmost precision and method. The
sanitary arrangements were perfect.
never saw a more picturesque or ami.
mated scene. 1t was beautiful, mild
+ night; the moon and the stars were
shining and all the hill slope blazed
with innumerable fires. The bands
were all playing; the ever popular Gar
men" was played to death. The coun-
try side had flocked in and the strains
of music were interspersed with gusts
of cheering. The noisiest of the revel-
ry must have come from the time-ex-
pirea men-about a third of the whole
who in every corps are dismissed
to their homes and into the Reserve i'm
mediately after the autumn manervers.
They were singing and demonstrating
at great rate. At one of the camp
fires at which the sounds of rejoicing
were particularly loud saw the men
engaged in an occupation, the investi4
cation of which may be recommended
to students of Parsee rites and customs.
Over the fire was a kind of cross, or
cross-bar, from which depended num-
ber of spoons belonging to time-expired
men, who thus testify to the whole
camp the near approach of their eman-
cipation from their duties. If by action Of
the fire the spoons are consumed, well
and good; but II not. they are buried
deep next morning under the ashes of
the wood which cooked the mems last
army meal. It is 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 chaplain, but
by the trumpeters of regiment. 1t is
q novel. but yet an effective way to do
ones devotions BY sound of trumpet.
The commander of each regiment as.
sembles all his men, who reverently
kneel with dotfed caps while a slow and
solemn Abendied is performed by the
bandsmen. 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 challenge. Cor. London Times.