Omaha daily bee., 1889-08-23
FORTROBINSON'S FITFUL FIRE
Night Scenes Among the Tent
Dwellers at Camp Crook.
A CITY OF CHINESE LANTERNS.
How the Place Looks When the
Weary Blue Conts Are Return
',e to Rest-Notes
and Personals.
At Camp Crook.

FokT ROBINSON, Neb, August H.-ISpe-
cial to THE BEE. last night, under star
lit SKY, the soldiers of the Department OF
the Platte lay down to soldiers dreams for
the first time In Camp Crook. Ten civilian
eyes gazed upon the spectacle The sight
was one which will not soon be forgotten by
those who witnessed It, What had been
city of marble during the day, in the earlier
hours of the night had become city almost
of living fire. The tents of the day had
been transformed into stationary Chinese
lanterns of gigantic proportions. The occu-
pants, as they moved about within them,
appeared like so many silhouettes endowed
with vivacity and intelligence
When '1taps" were sounded the notes were
taken up along the line like the echoing and
reechoing of the expressive SOUNDS from
each company.
Tue response upon the part Of the tent
dwellers were almost instantaneous. 1t was
watched by old campaigners with interest,
and cne of these who stood beside me re
marked, 81 never saw more instantaneous
response in my lifen Even as he spoke the
plain IN front Of us was transformed from
one almost OF living Goals to one OF the black
ness of night
Yesterday, General Brooke had decided,
would be gwen over TO rest. Accordingly,
there was no drill. The few soldiers who
were compelled to do fatigue duty and those
who were on guard, alone had to work. The
other lounged in their hunks, rambled to The
post or slept.
For short time the band of the Ninth
cavalry, under Prof. Waters, entertained the
soldiers in various parts of the camp with
programmes of interesting music delightfully."-
played.
General Brooke received calls from num-
ber of his officers, and Major Vroom entered
upon his first formal inspection of the camp
Some Of the commanders, however, were not
rnrnn arnd fn~r rha mt nd hni ms m
ater be subjected to the majors practiced
eye.
Chief Clerk Davis, of the adiutant gen
erals Office, OF Omaha, at length has OBJ
taineu his full quota of five clerks, and finds
no difficulty in keeping them employed. The
orders issued to the different commands are
voluminous and require to be gotten out with
neatness and despatch MIR. Davis says he
Is able to do this but bemoaus the fact that
he has been the victim of wind, dust and
rain since his arrival His tent is paved
with sawdust, which, he says, is an antidote
for dust, and receives his most hearty appre-
citation.
Private Clayton, of company, of the
Second infantry, who died at Hemingford on
Tuesday last was buried to-day with mill
tary honors, a squad of E company, of the
Second infantry, and the panG of the same
regiment being in attendance.
Lieutenant Trier, Of Company ID, Seven
teenth infantry, Fort Bridger. heard bad
news on his arrival. HIS wife had left home
before the departure OF his company and had
gone to her former home In Missouri.
Shortly after her arrival there SHE was
taken sick, and word was transmitted here
to be gwen to her husband on his arrival.
When the gentleman arrived he was notified
of the fact, and with stain of travel almost
upon his clothes, hastened to the bedside of
his stricken helpmeet.
Jim Stephenson, of Omaha. through his
partner, q. F. Williams, has eight four horse
teams here, in which luggage aggregating
N 9
and Bridger troops, was hauled from Bor-
deaux to this point, u distance of l2S miles.
Pay day will arrive about the 9th of mex
menth, when, 1t is estimated, not less than
$4,000 will be paid into the hands of the
Country's defenders.
The Second infantry, General Wheaton's
command, ID il excellent condition. The
general himself is in the enjoyment of robust
health and as genial as ever.
Major Butler, who, when saw him leav-
ing for Kearney, looked as il he had zoo
early risen from q sick-bed, has beco me
round. red and rosy in the breezes and sun
shine.
Adiutant Kinzie is as florid US blushing
tenor and his notes have lost none of their
sweetness in the Kearney canal.
Quartermaster Sarson is as. busy as ever,
although his family is not so large as it is
when he is in Omaha.
Lieutenant Chrissman has been partIcu-
larly busy as engineer officer and when the
column goes again the march will have ln
CreaSeu WORK Oh bne SlSflal SerVlCe.
DIR. Cochran has little to do, only two sick
young men having to-day applied TO him for
relief.
Lieutenant r. H. Wilson. in command Of B
company, does not allow the duties even Of
officer of the day to prevent him from writ
ing for the papers, apd it is more than likely
that his confreres will read some of his
efforts before they return home
II company is in command of Lieutenant
Clark.
ID company is commanded Dy Lieutenant
Warning, who suffers from thelunpleasant-
ness of "a cold in the head.
Captain Catly, of company, has in no
way been afflicted by the walk and was this
morning among the earliest rIsers.
Lieutenant Rowell holds his own with the
exception that there is a bronze upon
his cheeks which has supplanJed that of the
pale cast of thought which mantled them
when he left for Kearney.
Major Kellars vivacity and methods
change not under stranger skies. HIS tent
Is in a corner and it is saiu that before the
western zephyrs can reach his brother
officers they must first secure his permission.
The permission is never grudgingly granted,
however.