The Wichita daily eagle., 1896-11-13
THE TENTH IN CAMP.


| TIE TENTH IN CAMP.
\ Fort Reno. Nov. II.
To the Editor Of the Eagle
Strange TO say, very many, indeed tn
great majority of people have yer.
vague idea of army life and of the mel
WAC compose Uncle Sans army. tn
Eprevalent idea seems to be that the arm,
is the place for men who are not desirabI
citizens. Perhaps twenty years ago thi
belief might have had some foundation
but better class of men now form tbs
rank and file of the army. But old tradi
ditions are hard to down, and IT IS proba
bic that the false and unjust opinion o.
! the Regular will be held for years Il
come.
| There is time when the soldier Is popu
lar, and that is when by reason of popular
disturbance and tumult the soldier is need
ed TO protect life and property. Perhaps a
brief account of army life by one who /:
now serving as an enlisted man at one OF
our frontier posts, and who is proud to be
a United States infantry man. may be OF
| interest to some.
!
who have been gathered from almost ev.
cry state in the Union. They are withou,
exception worthy representatives of the
| people of the states from which they came.
They are no worse. If no better, than the
majority of citizens. Many OF the trades
and several Of the professions have rep
resentatives il the army. There are many
carpenters. a number of stone and brick
mEsons, painters. blacksmiths. machn-
lists. plumbers engineers, and other skilled
mechanics. The buildings of the post,
which are substantial structures of stone,
brick and wood are monuments to the
skill of the enlisted men.
The routine duty of a soldiers life is
monotonous. ard in the fall, the time for
going into camp is welcomed by all the
men.
Three companies Of the Tenth regiment
left Fort Reno Sept. 3s. The plan was for
this battalion or part of a battalion to
meet the Second battalion. from Fort Sill.
at DR.. Stearn's ranch, fifty miles from
Fort Reno in Indian Territory, and thence
to proceed eight miles west to Pond Creek,
and to encamp there for a month or more,
under the command of Lieutenant Colonel
Kellogg. The troops left Fort Reno at 8
o'clock in the morning of Sept. Is, with
colors flying and the trumpeters playing
a march. Each enlisted man carried be-
heavy wooden blanket. a fatigue blouse
and half shelter tent. Sherman's troops
when they marched to the sea- carried
just such a load, and it is strange that al
ter thirty years so few improvements have
been made in the equipment of the soldier.
1t was an uncomfortable burden, and an
unnecessary burden, too, for each COM
pany had two wagons and plenty of room
for these things. The average march per
day was ten miles. The North Canadian
river ws crossed. the men riding In the
wagons. The river bed was full of dan
gerous quicksand. but by driving hastily
all reached the other shore in safety. On
the fourth day, after marching over some
fifty miles of desoiate and often sandy
country, the battalion arrived at the ranch
OF Dr.. Stearns, in Indian Territory. The
next day the Second battalion Joined the
First, and Lieutenant Colonel Kellogg
proceeded eight miles to Pond Creek where
they went into permanent camp. Tho
country a5ounded in game, including deer.
turkeys, quail, rabbits and other game.
The streams abounded In sh and enough
game and fish were shot and caught to
supply the troops with fresh meat (nearly).
While at DIR. Stearn's ranch Musician
jones, Co. F. proudly carried q deer into
camp, and while in the permanent camp
Joe Siegel shot another deer. This deer
was about as large and weighed as much
as Joe's, but had 1t been as big as an ele-
phant Joe would have managed TO bring
il into camp or would have died IN the at
tempt. The troops had a most enjoyable
time in camp. There was little sickness.
Colonel Kellogg was q most conslderate |
and there was little to mar
the pleasure Of the outing. There was.
however, one occurrence which many Of
disgrace. We were IN Indian Territory. |
and the government allows no intoxicating |
liquor to be brought into the territory. The |
troops were kept on the parade ground. |
while the officers searched the tents for |
liquor. None was discovered. A squad Of 1
men under the command Of Lieutenant Of |
fey Of Co. F. went to Minco. some forty |
miles from the camp and brought In the |
soldiers pay. amounting 10 over ten thou
sand dollars. The money was brought /
through very Wild and de.olate country. !
and at one time hold-up was feared. Al
though nothing of the sort occurred. the 1
boys who formed the escort declared thar
had any such thing been attempted they
would have made 1t sultry for the hold
ers-up.
The troops left the camp. which was
named Camp Cleveland IN honor OF the
president. and marched back TO Forts Sll
md Reno everybody. officers and enlisted
men alike. declaring that they had spent q
most enjoyable time.
There is one thing that seems strange to
IN enlisted man: There are several enlist
a men who have served long and faith
ally who do not seem 20 be getting their
uSt desserts. Sergeant Lewis, who is First
sergeant OF Co. F. is an example Of one OF
hese men. The sergeant has spent about
S years IN the service. He enlisted a. a
Ime when being Regular meant TO
lave 20 endure hard and often very dan
.erous service. The sergeant is about 20
ears OF age. hale and hearty. every inch a
eidier, and has 2 wonderful kncwie1xe %
military tactics Co. r leads the Teztn
essmsnt IN discipline and efficiency. and
: secocd TO 10 organ.zatson IN the army Ia
he qualities which 60 10 make an etf-
snt company. Much os the coz1psay's
eiciency has been on account OF the En-
easing efforts and skill OF Sergeant Lewis