The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1898-07-28
FROM CAMP THOMAS.
All in Fighting Trim, But Are Afraid
They Will Get Left. Corpo-
raj Galley Promoted.
ShoweE Baths Becoming Fashionable
to Cool Off Hot Arguments
Anent the Hospital.

are ABOUT evenly divided in their Opin-
ions sol OF whether or not we will go. Last
week we put in three days of brigade
drill, and each regiment caught one
days very hard drill out of it. Two
regiments took position on hill and
the third attacked the position. This
necessltated a crawl of about quarter
OF q mile oyer sharp rocks, chips,
brambles, etc, and they were all sore
boys when it was over.
There has been a change in the Of
fcers OF the company since my last let
ter. Lieut.. Southard's resignation was
accepted and he has gone home, The
lieutenant has been very unfortunate,
having been i'll almost ever since he
came south and unable to do duty. In
his place we have Lieut.. W. S. Bris-
pin, son of an old army officer, and
although only rs, has seen fighting in
the Indian wars out west. Sergt.
Pratt is now first sergeant, Corporal
Galley is now Sergeant Galley and Pri-
vate Wilson has been made corporal.
Captain Patterson returned Friday
forenoon and we again have three Of
ficers for duty. Gap" was loaded
with innumerable packages which
kind friends had sent to the boys and
his tent for few minutes had every
appearance of a church Christmas tree.
After he had distributed the packages
and the boys had gone the officers of
the row began to drop in and for the
rest of the day he held a sort of re-
ception. <-s.
Major Skunk, of the engineer corps,
came over to our camp last week and
gave US an interesting talk on fortifca-
tions. He has also been superintend-
ing the building of the different kinds
of earth-works, and the hill near divis-
ion headquarters is now fully fortified.
The El s lnajof says that the length of time
it will take the men to build these pro-
tections will be lessened considerably
when the time for them to be built
comes in earnest.
Corps headquarters left yesterday
afternoon for Porto Rico and our regi-
mental hospital has been notified that
supplies are awaiting it in Newport
News. This of course makes the boys
feel as if we were about to start, but as
large number of troops have already
embarked it is quite possible that San
Juan will fall before we leave the
American soil. Of course this will
please the folks at home but it is
far from pleasing to the boys, who
have several times been worked up to
a fighting pitch.
In most of the brigades in camp
there is some illfeeling between the
different regiments but in ours, though
there is rivalry. we have nothing but
the friendllest relations. Our boys ap-
plaud the Ohio or Pennsylvania men
whenever occasion offers and they re-
turn the compliment. Pennsylvania,
whose camp joins ours, has a code of
honor which is frequently brought into
use. Whenever a man feels aggrieved
he invites the offender to step out into
the woods and there in the presence of
a few close friends and a referee they
have a setto which lasts until one or
the other is out of it. The officers are
powerless to prevent these meetings
and it is only when a couple of bruised
faces appear at roll call that they know
what has happened, so secretly do they
guard their movements. This has not
entered the other regiments yet and
the officers hope it will never come.
The boys were. remembered by their
friends at home again last week, the
Evansville young ladies sending a
draft for S25, and the young ladies Of
Blue Hill So, the proceeds of entertain
ments. While the boys are not suffer-
ing it makes them feel good to be re-
minded in such a manner that they are
nOb forgotten by the folks at nome.
Another pleasant surprise to the
knights of Pythias who are with us
was the payment Of their dues by the
home lodge. Such acts always make
all concerned feel good, and although
the amount involved is small it shows
the right kind of a spirit.
Mayor Caley's interview in the Min
neapolis journal concerning division
hospitals furnished everyone in camp
plenty to talk about and in fact the
pros and cons are still being discussed.
Mr.. Caley's story was followed by one
by the Journals special correspondent
and things are still heated.
ON THE PICKET LINE.
50 The hove aro sa11 ihrnwnar than her,