Omaha daily bee., 1889-08-22
AMONG THE RANK AND FILE.
Tired Troopers at Fort Robinson
Taking a Rest.
A BATTALION DRILL TO-DAY.
Partial List ofthe Regiments Alrc ady
in Camp ana Their Command
ing Officers-A Bustling
Scene.
An Animated Scene.


cal Correspondence of THE BEE. Day
broke cold and blustry. 1t was thought that
the storm which had brought to a close yes
terday evening would be renewed But the
wind died away about noon, the sun shone,
and the genial warmth was appreciated by
every mortal on the grounds.
Little effect had the temperature upon the
soldiers of the department of the Platte.
They had too long and wearily oeen plodding
along strange highways towards this Mecca
of heroes to be prevented from attaining
their journeys end because of little blow.
AS a consequence, and as If summoned by
the same mysterious whistle with which
Rhoderic Dhu called his retaners to his aid,
columns Of troops and wagon trains made
their appearance on every hillside and valley
around the camp grounds. A more ami
mated scene had never been witnessed
even when these valleys and elevations re-
sounded with the shots and shouts of con-
tending paleface and savage. In the dis
tance, the lines OF the whts.covered wagons
stretched almost to the horizon, slowly fol-
lowing the marching forces, the arms of
which reflected in long lines of light the
early rays of the sun. From the southwest
came the Sixteenth infantry, and simultane.
ously, from the southeast, the Seventeenth.
Preceding them had arrived the Twenty.
first its band playing as it marched through
the fort. Then came the Fifth artillery;
then tho Seventh infantry; then the Eighth,
and finally the Second, which had walked
from Hemingford, on the b. s. Nj. line from
Kearney, distance of nearly thirty eight
miles, the march having been made in two
days. AS mentioned in my telegram of yes
terday, death overlook one Of the members
of General Wheaton's command. The day,
1t seems, had been oppressively warm. The
victim, Private Clayton of company E, had
suffered greatly from the heat. While pass
ing hill down which a stream of water
flowed, he ran to the summit and there drank
freely of the water, which was almost icy
cold. He overlook the column, mounted
one of the wagons, from which he
soon after fell to the roadside and died
almost Immediately. His body was brought
to this place in Red Cross ambulance and
buried to-day
Companies ID and H of the Ninth cavalry
and X company of the Twenty first infantry
arrived Monday night and went into camp
Immediately, did the Robinson troops
early in the morning of yesterday and to day
on their return from their operations against
the enemy.
When all these forces reached the camp
ing ground there was scene such as can be
witnessed only when an army takes the
and dusty soldiers broke into fragments as
each company marched to the sight designed
for its quarters. The cumbersome wagons
followed them Off flew the wh!tened COW
erings and out flew even whittier ones tied
with many folds of rope. Following them,
an indscribable variety of shovels, spades,
axes, mauls, tent pins, poles and
camp furniture dropped to the ground.
Like ants the blue coated soldiers busted
themselves along the lines and in a scarcely
apprecable length of time the green hillside
and plain was oblterated with canvas
town which shone with dazzling whteness in
the SUM- To realize the magnitude of this work
one must imagine plain consisting of about
a mile square. From east to west and for a
width of several hundred feet is a mass of
tents. North of these stands the row for the
for the officers quarters and north of them
stands the division headquarters. In the
northwest corner of the square stands a little
city separated from the rest. Here General
Brooke has established his headquarters and
is surrounded by his staff officers and clerks
In the southwest corner of the square, the
cavalry and artillery are quartered, and
east of them stand hundreds of wagons
which have just performed, like their human
companions, the tolsome duties of the
march.
In this scene of beauty and impressiveness
handsome young officers, many of whom are
just fresh from graduation, gray-haired
heroes of many years and battles gallop upon
SPIRITED chargers which seem to drink in the
inspiration of the time and place. A central
figure among these is General Brooke, who,
with a dark blue cloak gracefully covering
hls ample proportions, rides with the grace
of Ney. The general is a heavy man, but
there is no evidence of the fact in the grace
with which both horse and driver cover the
field.
Scarcely less noticeable is the presence of
Inspector General Vroom, who also rides
with ease and dignity.
Then there is Captain Richards, the quar-
ms ,xrhn
dupois does not prevent him from attending
to his varied duties in all parts of the camp
Another busy officeris Quartermaster Tay-
lor, OF the Ninth cavalry, whose life these
many days has been in the saddle, making
preparations for this great event His work
has been great one, but 1t has been ad-
mirably performed.
Fires now begin to burn, coils of light blue
wood smoke, the odor of which is not un-
grateful, ascend above the tents The soldiers
are preparing their first meal, and life in
Camp Crook has been begun in earnest
The regiments IN camp, as nearly as could
be ascertained, are commanded as follows:
Twenty-first lnfantry-A company, Lieu
tenant Palmer; G, Captain Ebsteln; r, Cap
tain Duncan; G, Lieutenant Williams: !,
Lieutenant Bonesteel. These are commanded
by Captain Ebstein. They consist of about
one hundred and twenty men, and walked
l20 miles from Sidney. They were harassed
by Captain Worth, but escaped without
damage.
Sixteenth lnfantry-Command der, Major
ParKe; h company, Captain Ward; B, Cap
tain Palmer; ID. Captain Morrison; II, Lieu
tenant Allen; /, Lieutenant Chandler; G,
Lieutenant Wright. The command marched
ITO miles, from Bordeaux to the camp, having
ridden from the fort to that point The
regiment received the compliments of Col
onel Merriam on the march yesterday, in
the attempt TO deprive IL of its train or ad-
vance guard Three of the former were
captured, though the wagons ana the rest OF
the line were admirably protected. In its at
tempt TO get out of his way and, if possible
reach the camp before the colonel did, the
regiment walked yesterday twenty six
lies.
Seventeenth Infantry = Major Casey
IN command; company, Captain
Bennett; A, Captain Van Horn; H.
Captain Henry Howell; B, Department,
Charles H. Green; Il, Captain Frank ID.
Garrlty; x, Captain James M. Burns; /,
First Lieutenant G.. H. Roach ID, First
Lieutenant G. st. John ChuDb; C, Second
Lieutenant Edgar S. Walker: c., Second
Lieutenant James l.. Druien. Eight of these
companies walked l6l miles, from Fort Rus
sell. Two companies from Fort Bridger
walked l06 miles. They were visited by rain
every night. There are 3i5 men in the regi-
ment.
Seventeenth Infantry Colonel II. c. Mer-
riam in command; company, Captain Qun-
ton; e. Captain Burnett; Q, Lieutenant
ROOth. II Iiantanant IOhnsnn. I Tiautan.