The Topeka state journal., 1897-09-27
UNCLE SANS MEN HERE
They Go Into Camp on the
Douthitt Tract For Week.
The Reds Arrive With Squaws
and PapoOses.
Man Who Started the Messiah Dance
in the Party.

The United States troops made their
triumphal entry into Topeka yesterday
at 1880 o'clock. They were a tired.
dusty looking crowd of men. AS they
roce along the extremely dusty roads
near Topeka and the hot sun poured
down on them and caused them to per-
splre, the Kansas soil clung to their
skins and they looked like miners
emerging from a coal shaft
1t had been intended that MarshalPs
pand should go to the city limits in
North Topeka and meet the troops and
escort them into the city in style The
schedule time of arrival was 1870
O'Clock. But the troops arrived an
hour earlier and missed the band es-
cort. But Marshal ]. D. Norton and
his escort met Uncle Sans men west
of the city and received Major VIM A.
Rafferty, and staff.
The soldiers marched directly to the
Douthitt tract, just north of the fair
grounds, where preparations were made
for the camp, which has been named
Camp William A. Rafferty, in hon
or of the commanding officer
The soldiers now in camp near the
fair grounds came from Fort Riley and
Second cavalry and Battery B of the
Fourth artillery, all under command of
Major William A. Rafferty,.
The following are in charge of the in
diyidual troops: Captains Colon Au-
CUR, F. W. Sibley, L. NJ. Brett and tt
J. Lewis. First Lieutenant J. H. Stone,
NJ D., assistant surgeon U. S. A, is in
charge of the hospital corps. The sec
Ond lieutenantS of the troops are w. f.
Clark, E. NJ. Leary, A. c. Smith and
John B. Christian. The artillery is
captained by H. r. Anderson, and other
officers are First Lieutenant Albert
Cronkheit and Second Lieutenant E.
M. Blake
Hundreds of people watched them
make camp yesterday. They We're not
so fast in erecting tents as showmen
but they put up the various tents in a
substantial manner and in just the or
der suggested by the major. The small
watering trough on the west side was
entirely too small to accommodate the
necessities of 200 horses, and for this
reason the work of arranging matters
was delayed.
When long, heavy ropes had been
stretched on the ground and fastened
at either end by stakes, the cavalry
horses were tied in row to the ropes.
Hay had been placed by the lettering
ropes and the hungry animals ate IL
with relish.
All this was done and the whole camp
made before the soldiers were fed
The cOmmissary wagons were sent to
been sent from Fort Riley. Cooking
tents were erected south of the camp,
while to the north the officers tents
held command of the situation on high
some one the soldiers having been four
days on the road. During that time
they had been on marching diet, which
consists of but two meals a day. Nat
urally, they were hungry when meal
was spread before them at o'clock
They ate heartily and after receiving
orders from the major, they strolled
about the city, and some of them held
high carnival in Topeka's Bohemian
district.
DR.. ]. H. Stone, assistant United
States surgeon, is young man OF so
cial position in the east. His home is
at Washington, D. c., and he went into
the army commissioned a first lieuten-
ant in the hospital corps He is very
Young man to be holding the response
BILE position of assistant surgeon, but
the officers speak very highly of his |
ability He was for awhile stationed
at Fort Leavenworth. His headquar-
ters are near those OF MAJOR KaHerty;
and he has charge of the hospital !
corps
Major VIM A Rafferty, seems to |
possess the quality of authority and |
sternness, with Klndness. ms oraena ta,,s |
given to his men are in pleasant tone |
of voice, and his whole manner pc
speaks a kind heart, but carried with IT
is also an unmiStakable hrmness Whlch |
would doubtless show itself in its pow |
er if a violation of the rules occurred.
To a STATE journal renorter, VINO |
called at the officers quarters, Major |
Rafferty, gave pleasant welcome HIS
tent is located in the north part of the !
camp. and although the sun pours down |
with power on the Douthitt tract.
cool breeze blew through the quarters. |
Major Rafferty, said:
lit was long, dusty road. We were
four days on the trip. When we got
within ten miles of Topeka, the Dust
was something awful. Our men stood |
the trip very well. There has been very
little sickness this year in the ranks.
1 haven't made definite plans for the
week yet, but will announce them later.
we are all feeling tired and dirty. At
fer while we will get cleaned up, and
then 1 will try to make my arrange
ments.'
The major called upon his right hand
man. Can't F. w. Sibley, who guided
the reporter through the camp and ex-
tended him the courtesies of the occa-
sion.