Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-07-30


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to its utmost capacity. hung by my side. Az I
reached the street loud laugh went up from
| the crowd Of idlers on the sidewalk; bat il was
1 no laughing matter for me, for could scarcely
stand, and, learning that Ne were to 20 10 Camp
| iates, hired man to carry my surplus bag
gage.
| The principal rendezvous was Camp Butler.
Tour miles below the city, but Camp Yates had
| oeen established to accommodate the overflow
and was only intended to be temporary, and as
last as room was made at Camp Butler recruits
were sent there from Camp Yates. Each of
these camps was inclosed by high board fence,
OUTSIDE OF which was a line of guards; q few
good buildings were used for the headquarters,
put the barracks were cheaply constructed
afairs
TaE BARRAcxs
At Camp Yates were Ave of these built OF
rough pine boards sef on end, and in many
places the green lumber bad shrunk, leaving
cracks large enough to insert q finger. Each
barrack would hold 100 men, tiers Of double
] tiers three deep ran along each side, and the
furniture consisted Of an immense stove which
was supposed to heat the whole building. and
as TINS was kept red hot most Of the time those
near 1t were roasting, while few feet away the
heat could not be felt. Back of each barrack
was long shed with q cook room In one end
and provided with long table. TO which were
tin plates and tin cups secured by chains about
three feet long. No seats of any kind were fur
| nished. Each barrack had its own cook shed
and the occupants were expected TO get their
meals there. No doubt the government paid
for plenty of rations for all but the quantity
cooked and served was often SO scantv that IL
was suspected that some one was making good
profit ut our expense.
Those dining sheds would hold sixty and were
kept locked until the cooks announced the
meals. line was formed and passed in until
the tables were full and then the doors were
closed. The tables were thickiy coated with
dirt and grease and the only attempt at dish
washing was to have man with a pail OF water
go along and rinse the cups and plates in il oc-
casionally. No knives forks or spoons we're
provided, and the food consisted of poor coffee,
soup, Deans, salt pork, bread aud sometimes
rice or hominy.
FIaHTINe FOR FOOD.
The cooks poured the soup and coffee into the
cups. but the rest Of the food was placed on the
table in tin pans, and as they were only filled
once for tableful the first ones in rushed for
the pans and the end of the line got what they
could snatch from those in possession, and there
was always SO much disorder that a squad of
guards was on duty at each shed at meal times.
AID men were frequently taken to the guard
house for fighting. Those who left the first
table hungry used to try to crowd into line for
the second or 60 to some other barrack and try
to squeeze in, and rs men were coming and 60
ing daily and very few knew anybody except
those from their own neighborhood this some
times succeeded. The sheds were only opened
twice for each meal. and it often happened SAt
recruits were unable to get in at all and those
who had no money Jared badly But poor as
were these arrangements our little party and
fhose who came on the same aud the next day
Jared worse. We went from barrack to barrack
only to find them crowded and were then con-
Quoted to some tents and told 70 occupy them
until room could be found inside
The winter of 1S63-64 is still remembered in
the northwest for its severity heavy fall of
snow was accompanied by high wind all day
on December 81 and that night the mercury
fell to thirty-six degrees below zero, and at the
time we went to Springfield there was two feet
OF snow on the ground and the mercury went
nearly to zero every night and did not reach
the thawing point even in the warmest part of
the day, SO 1t may be imagined that to be
turned into tents with not even straw between
us and the frozen ground did not impress us
very favorably with the delights Of soldering
However, We were new at the business and ex-
pecting TO trough it, We took it a matter Of
course and did not grumble much and by
doubling up and spreading our blankets and
lying down fully dressed We managed 10 keep
warm. Plenty Of wood was furnished and
great fires were kept burning night and day in
front Of the tents, and groups surrounded
these fires every hour Of the twenty -four.
When we went to the cook sheds for dinner We
found more trouble. We were told that rations
we're only issued to the men in barracks and
there we're none for u.s. We felt that we were
being swindled, but knowing nothing of mill
tary affairs nor to whom to appeal we did not
know what to do. and from arguing with the
cooks We proceeded to threatening them; a
crowd gathered from the barracks and, Of
course, sided against US, and at last we went to
the suffers and bought our dinners We looked
around and VT hon, tho ttar Iun xa1
and next morning early we went to the bar
racks and formed line near the door and held
1t in spite Of complaints and threats until the
cook sheds opened. When we drew our uni
forms We had no time TO make any choice of
sizes. but took the article on top, being told
would have to trade among ourselves until
fitted.
HIS CLOTHES DIDN'T FIT.
Being the smallest in our party it had been
my luck to draw large sizes Of everything. Ny
trousers would have done a six-footer, my
jacket was meant for man Of at least two hum
dred, the skirt of my overcoat dragged on the
ground and ny hat, ornamental with a red
cord and tassel and crossed cannons, nearly hid
all above my shoulders We were very anxious
to get into our uniforms, and after a day or
two spent in trading with others who had misfits
l managed to get suit not more than two sizes
too large, but had to acknowledge that did
not cut 50 martial a figure or look SO well in
uniform as / expected to.
The first night we were made the victims of
practical Joke. We knew we were soon TO 20
to Camp Butler, and about midnight some fell
low called out for us to pack up at once to leave
camp. Cold and sleepy we sat around the fires
till daylight waiting for orders, ard when it
was evident that we had been fooled we were
very angry. A couple Of nights later some fell
low thought he would repeat the joke, but I'M
fortunately for him the first tent he approached
contained wide-awake and fully dressed man.
who seized the joker and gave him an unmerci-
full beating, and the rest Of us awakened BY the
noise cuffed him and rolled him in the snow
until he begged for mercy, and we went back to
bed much better for the exercise. Although
the weather was cold and we had 10 use our
wits and sometimes our muscles to get our
meals, believe we thoroughly enjoyed our
three days in the tents. We were all young aud
in good health. and everything was new to rs.
Sitting around the huge fires, roasting on one
side and freezing on the other. singing martial
and sentimental songs and going from one
group to another listening to the stories. all
possessed the charm of noyeltv and having