The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-09-13
RECRUITS ARE HERE
LATE ADDITIONS TO THE THIRD
REGULARS RETURN FROM
GEORGIA
BUT NOT ALL OF THEM CAME
There Were Five Deaths In Camp
Before the Men Started North,
and They Left Some Very Sick
Comrades In the Care of Twelfth
Infantry SurgeOns-DisappO
ut Not Seeing Active Service.

Comrades In the Care of Twelfth
Infantry ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ut Not Seeing Active Service.
Weary, travel-begrimed and sore
ly disappointed at not being al
lowed to go to the front, yet, withal,
a cheerful body of healthy, vigorous
men, S54 recruits of the Third United
States infantry returned to st. Paul
last evening after three months of
trying camp life under a Southern sun
at Waco, Ca Most of the recruits
are Minnesota boys, and their JOY at
getting home was unbounded. Soldier
ing in war times, with prospects of
fighting for the old flag, is one thing,
but the dull monotony of camp life
after peace negotiations have been
completed, with its hardships and dan
gers from disease, is another, from
which the Third infantry recruits re-
joice to be relieved
The soldiers came in over the Great
Western road. From Chicago the train
was made up of two sections, each Of
seven tourist sleepers. En- route the
men had meals Of bread, hard tack
and coffee, the latter made on the
train or purchased at stations. The
trip was pleasant enough, save for the
WEAKNESS incident to such extended
travel. Along the route the soldiers
were heartily received, particularly at
Indianapolis, where they were given
an ovation.
The first section, bearing Lieut.. Ed
wards, the detachment commander,
who has had charge Of the recruits
since they joined the army, and 1877
men, reached the city at $50 o'clock.
Shortly after II o'clock the second
section, in charge of Sergeant Mar
shall, pulled into the Great Western
yards on the West side, where both
trains were sidetracked for the night
The soldiers were tired out with the
long journey in close quarters, but
were not allowed to leave the cars
Some were sleeping when the trains
arrived, but most Of the men were
awake, cherishing the hope, perhaps,
of meeting friends or relatives from
whom they separated, not knowing
whether they would ever see each other
again. Not many people greeted the
soldiers, however, doubtless because
their arrival was so long delayed. be-
yOnd the expected time. Little knots
of women gathered about the coaches,
however, occasionally finding the one
for whom they sought, while a civilian
here and there clasping the hand of
blue coat denoted a reunion of broth
ers or Of father and son.
AS each section arrived guards were
Immediately stationed outside of the
coach and none CT the soldiers were
permitted to leave their quarters. This
was a needless precaution, though, as
the men were too weary to care for
a walk about the yards and lounged
contentedly about the coaches. The
water in the ice coolers had run out,
and demands for liquids were heard
through the coaches. When this was
RI rdC hn dot
a dozen men with buckets to bring
water from a nearby spring, so that
the thirst of the men was soon quench-
ed, and at intervals snatches Of pa
triOtic songs or negro melodies which
the soldiers had picked up in the
South could be heard through the
yards. Gradually the few people about
the coaches sought their homes, and
by midnight the soldiers were asleep,
save those marching up and down on
guard duty. The men will remain in the
coaches until o'clock this morning,
when it is the plan for them to go
out to Fort Smelling on street cars.
The baggage and camp equipment will
be taken to the fort today. Lieut. Ed
wards said last evening that he was
not certain whether the men would at
once occupy the company quarters at
the post or temporarily pitch camp
He was of the opinion, however, that
the latter would probably be done
While in high spirits at returning
home, the recruits are dissatisfied with
their experiences as soldiers. They say
they were not properly cared for at
Camp Mcpherson and that the priVa-
lions were not diminished by their re-
moVal to Waco. The men speak in
the highest terms of Lieut. Edwards.
however, and say he was tireless in
his efforts in their behalf Every day
a al
camp, the men say, and at no time
sheltered himself from hardship behind
his commission, partaking of the same
food as the priVates and having no
better accommodations than they.
The recruits were sent South as early
as the middle of May and In small
companies afterward, until the latter
nearly 600 men. At Fort Mcpherson
supplies ran short and sickness be-
gan. Half Of the men, the recruits
say, were without proper clothing and
equipment. Clothing could not be pro-
cured, according to the men, and some
of the soldiers were without hats,
others had no coats, while still others
had to go witout shirts and under
clothing. AT times, it is said, men were
Obliged to remain in bed because thew
had not enough clothing to permit
them to be up and about Then, too.
1T is said that the camp location of
the Third Infantry recruits at McPher-
son was poorly situated. The water
was not of the best, and when typhoid
and malaria became prevalent it was
found necessary to remove the men to
Waco. Here, the men say. a camn
was located in perfect wilderness. Ali
or the shelter they had were the or
binary shelter tents, and as 1t rained
frequently for several days at q. time
much sickness resulted, until at ONE
time fully 100 men were In the hos
pttal. Five Of them died. They were
John D: Browand, Company I, enlist
ed at Milwaukee, Wis; Harry King
company M, enlisted at Milwaukee,
was; Henry Flemming, Company L,
enlisted at Washington, D. c.: Albert
Comdohr, Company M, enlisted at Mil
waukee, Wis; Albert Strand, Company
K, enlisted at st. Paul At present
there are left In the hospital at Waco
seventy sick soldiers. Forty other men
who were confined in the hospital have
been furloughed since convaiescing.
Lieut.. Edwards had entire charge of
the Third infantry camp, both at Nc
Pherson and at Waco. With untirine
energy he developed the raw recruits
into well drilled and excellently dis
c1pIlned soldiers. Fifty of his picked
men were sent to Manila, having been
merged into the Eighteenth regular IN
fantry, and when Gen. Shafter's call
for reinforcements came from Santiaro
100 more of the Third recruits were
sent to Cuba. They arrived before the
attack on Santiago and took part In
the battle. At this time Lieut. Ed
wards says, he had his men in FIRST
class condition, and he sent urgent re-
quests to Adjt. Gen. Corbin to be or