The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-07-13
IN VIRGINIA CAMPS.
Soldier Of the First Writes
a Chatty Letter to the
Old Folks at Home.

UlQ fOlKS at home.
In spite of the arduous duties of New
ark boys doing service in ''the ranks,
says the Newark Sunday Call, it is
gratifying to know they make time to
write to relatives, and are even generous
enough to carefully describe scenes of
camp life. Frederick t. Somers, of Com
pany D, First Regiment New Jersey Vol
unteer Infantry, whose home is on SUM
mer avenue, is among those doing guard
duty at Dunn Loring, Va. He writes to
his mother this account of recent inter-
esting experiences
AT present writing l am sitting out in
the woods back of our new camp. They
can't seem to find enough work for us in
any one place. / suppose you read of our
long march The papers did not get it
just right, so will tell you the particu-
lars.
Our brigade broke camp at 4:30 Mon
day morning-the First New Jersey. Sew
enth Ohio and Sixty-ffth New York
about $500 men. We had had our break
fast, everything locked up and were on
the way at six o'clock. We marched be-
tween fifteen and sixteen miles to place
in Maryland, just over the Potomac River,
called Glen Echo, which is about mile
from the famous Chain Bridge where
several battles We're fought in the six
ties. eve crossedsthe memorable bridge)
The day was perfect a nice breeze blow
ing, but the roads were in a terrible con-
dition ankle deep with dust and very
rolling. They let us rest often, as this
was our really first long march, but we
| reached our destination and had camp
pitched before four o'clock in the after
noon. And think of i'll After that long
march We were up all night doing guard
duty!
1T had been arranged that two troops
of cavalry would attack us along the
march, but we gave them the slip some
how, and to get square they made five
attacks on our camp that night
! "A short distance from our camp, UP
| the Potomac where two pleasure resorts,
also memorable places, called Glen Echo
Park, and Cabin John Bridge It seems
| some of the New York boys jumped the
| guard as soon as we struck our camp.
| and went sightseeing. They ran across
| these places, started to clean out the
place and easily did so. The manager
of the park Immediately came down to
camp and reported this to the officer of
| the day who by chance was our Captain
| Runyon At the mans request the cap-
| tain sent Company D to the park We
took the trolley near our camp and after
a nice half hours ride up the Potomac,
| reached the park. We found nearly two
hundred men at both of these places, ar
rested them, loaded them on cars and
sent them back to camp under guard
"Our company then located at Glen
Echo Park and guarded the place until
| midnight, sending every soldier back who
came there and making them get off the
cars so they could not get above us to
Cabin John Bridge. The sswells at these
| resorts could not do enough for the boys
they brought us all we could eat, drink
and smoke. and give some money in the
bargain. The manager gave US SPLEEN
did supper and between our tricks of
guard admitted us free to the theatre
where a first class comic opera and var
iety show was produced. We forgot we
were tired, and thoroughly enjoyed our
selves. We reached camp about one
o'clock in the morning. having guarded
until the place was closed.
I'VE were hardly rolled in our blankets
before the bugle sounded and the drums
beat our whole three regiments were
hustled out by the guards-the cavalry
troops advance guard had been spotted.
and they retreated and we were ordered
back to bed Again we barely got
asleep in the same way when second
time we were rooted OUT Next time we
went to bed the Sixty-fifth New York
stood guard around the camp inside the
sentinels' line The third time we were
called out the First New Jersey was sent
round the left flank of the cavalry troop
through a thick woods. We fooled the
enemy very successfully, came in at
their rear, drove them toward our camp.
where, with the help of the other two
regiments we made complete capture,
much to their chagrin as they intended
entering our camp, knowing we were
very sleepy and tired and thinking they
could get in unnoticed and capture our
general and colonels. 1t was an impos
ing sight as we marched across the coun-
try, about $500 men, 100 wagons, 400
mules and 100 horses, We marched and
acted exactly as we would had we been
in battle with our enemy. except, of
course we did no real shooting. II must
have been a splendid sight for those who
could look on. The boys enjoyed Il i'm
mensely, but we had our own troubles
getting through the woods; the
night was SO dark you actually could
not see the stars. and, Just think.
We had marched between thirty and
thirty-five miles during Monday and
Tuesday. "Wednesday we had our regular
drills and Thursday had orders to pack
up and be ready to move at moments
notice There are only two companies. p
and c. here This is where our store
houses and magazines are locates and
we are guarding them. We relie%bd the
Ninth Massachusetts, that company hav-
ing left for Cuba. We are about four
miles from the other regiments. I have
just got nicely rested and and, tomorrow
twenty-four hours guard duty. l think
we have had hard week, don't you2 The
march home after having had no rest,
was cooler. We marched against
time, and made fifteen miles In just five
hours. We were under heavy marching
orders. carrying everything with US, and,
believe me, that FIVE hours WAS the hard
est days work / ever did. I stood II well.
however, as did the others. Only five Of
our men dropped from exhaustion. but
the New Yorlxs and Ohios were NOT so
lucky We had good sleep that night,
hit indeed. we needed 1t "
v1ffH