The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-28
CAMP THOMAS.


night by Captain Ballou, of Company A,
Of Marion. from Representative G +s Ety. w.
was very sound and more than appreciates,
not only by the young officer to Wnom IL
was addressed, but by his companions 10
whom it was read. Said Major Steele in his
letter: ,s
Il am very much interested in yourself
and every member of your company, anu am
feel that on account of my age and expert
ence, you will pardon me for making some
observations. First. on no account, at any
sibly do for the comfort and convenience
of the members of your company. You VIII
learn by experience that the model COM
pany is model family, where the captain
is as you are, competent and willing TO take
the place at the head, as the model father;
You and your officers should take special
care to look after the sanitary conditions
of your camp. see that your men have their
meals as regularly as possible; ana he 'i nat
permitted to expose their health unneces-
sarily by lying on the ground when II can
possibly be avoided or without pf roper f Gos
especially, quite often, ana their ooules
when possible; that they change their un-
derclothing at rational intervals, ana pc not
allowed to become homesick for want OF
something to do. Drill them, Keep them go
ing While on duty see that rlgld uiSclphne
is maintained when off duty put them on
their honor as men. and ask them all to
help you do the right thing OF course tney
won't like the drilling at this time OF 9ne
not drilled but, mark my words. tne very
first skirmsh or battle they are engaged IN,
they will rise up and call you blessed You You
duty two to one. If you keep them occupied,
than will the officers OF company VINO
think they are doing their men kindness,
when they don't find something Tor them
to do. 49, 90 Tho oroo+-
est if not the greatest battlefield OF the
civil war-certainly the individuality or the
soldier was never better displayed than on
that field Go to the south side OF the roe
ald will the monument 10 Ine
regiment to which belonged, where IT
fought before any member of your company I1
was born, / suppose. Go over the Wnole
field and there are no greater evidences OF
hard fighting anywhere than at TINS point.
the markers and monuments of the Con-
federateS in front of us, to the right OF US
and to the left of us.
"a little northeast of that in the Kelly
field we fought later under General King,
cur brigade commander, whose monument
is in the wrong place. for he was killed Cd out
Snodgrass hill. where you will see two
markers, and, while it is not so inscribed,
have two letters from General Boy yh1l1
fear of contradiction, that my regiment q
was commanding it them was the last to
leave the field of Chickamauga. All this
was on Sunday, the Goth of September, 1863
On Saturday. the 18th. at daylight, we
Gaws as SPRING Wa1 in ap the
fight near Lee &, Gordon mill. From there
we vent to point southeast OF the Broth
ertOn neld.
Empress upon your men that cleanliness
solderly bearing when on duty, honesty and
generosity will not only be helpful to each
Individual but of great honor and credit
to them as company.
The noncommissioned officers in Col Har-
nv B. Smiths regiment opened their mess
with ceremony, including a couple of num-
bers by the band and prayer by Chaplain
Christensen. Hospital Steward Moore Is In
charge. The various officers messes are
now satisfactorily conducted, and there is
less complaint of food
The first case of gambling in the old Sec
ond was discovered yesterday. when Cap
tain Tarleton and Lieutenant Main confis-
Gated two pairs of bones, which had been
rolled by small group of the boys.
Some of the regiments in camp are in
cined to poke fun at the government for its
extensive advertising of the Studebaker
wagons Every wagon in camp bears the
fiaring advertisement of this Indiana manu-
featuring concern, while in much smaller
letters stands ~. S." Colonel Studebaker
tells me that this was not due to any de-
sire on the part of the plant to secure it's
advertising on the government wagons. Most
of the wagons were in stock when the gov
eminent bought them and secured them at
a much lower rate than they charge for
government asked the firm for quotations.
which were furnished Shortly after the
declaration of war the prices of wagons
went up considerable notch. The govern
ment wired the plant, ordering several hun
dred wagons, at quotations furnished months
before and rather %than be suspected of
attempting to gouge the government in time
the old quotations, although it could have
disposed of them at more advantageous
figures. G. l.. p.