West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1898-06-30
BOYS IN Blue.
Preston Boys Down at Camp George
H. Thomas.
special Letter 70 rne Aner..

June 27. 1898.
To day we will try to give The
readers Of The AgeUs a pen and
picture story Of lifcst Camp George
IA. Thomas ~ IL appears 60 re-
crnit who has been here week.
The recruits Numbering 81 left
F'irmont. Saturday morning. June
II. at 1880. IN three cars over the
n. Il. Railroad. They w.re IN
charge OF Corporals BasselI and
Ewing Holmes and T. T. Richard
son. Lieut.. Harry A. Eaton. who
did Tho recruiting. remained ut
Fairmont TO examine some more
applicants. The people OF Fair.
mont. the G.. a. r.. the Greater
Fa:rmont Band and large numb
OF citizens saw Us off, and gave us
a royal good bye.
The rocrui,s at Clarksburg
changed cars II $3.50 and pulled out
behind b Il .. flyer. Everything
went TRANQUILITY. as things Will do
sometimes. Made short stops at
Pennsboro and few other places.
Got to Petersburg at 1910 and
ate our first meal ,sff OF Uncle Sam.
Al Chillicothe, as we spoke in
our last letter, was given us royal
reception. The boys still talk
about it aud say il was out Of sight.
Cincinnati was reached about
1870. where we stopped TWO hours
~aiting for recruits from Michigan.
Ohio and other States. The bows
were let off there and went down,
or up town, or some other drec-
lion. and filed up on Raymond's
or Schnlmach s product. while those
that didn't imbibe talked TO the
girls who came out en- masse to see
us. and several Of the bows think
they have found girls up there.
Everybody went to sleep. or tried
10. and till ID O'Clock, when Ley
ington was reached. Now LexIng
ton is supposed to be temperance
town. bnt they have place where
you can get it on the SLY. Some
OF the boys found this out and
started for II. In the dark they
ran into n barbed wire fence. Nov
they say the way Of transgressors is
hard. Nobody slept from that on
except Frank Watson, whose nasal
twang you could hear like "a saw
mill whistle.
We crossed over into Tennessee
about daylight. We ALWAYS held
that West Virginia is the roughcst
place on earth, but Tennessee beats
It two to one. For miles aud miles
YOU conldn't see anything but scrob
brush and deep hollows.
Stopped at Abei batehie Hotel
for few minutes. They charged
40 cents for pie. The crowd That
came ntxt day stole nearly every.
thing they bad at the hotel.
Got TO Chattanooga abont $50
Left IN about twenty minutes Got
TO Lyle at Q o clock and walked
out to our camp. IL being SUNDAY.
the boys were lined up on eaci,
SIDE Of the road Cries like this
met us: "Beans =" "lIari Tack -
Sow belly !" You'll be sorry YOU
came !! eve had good homo,
but we left left left -
Nearly all Preston uoys are in
Go. Oh" This company came
from Martin. burg originally. We
like all the officers very mach, aud
they re first rate set of men.
This company occupies very
good position, and the only incon-
venience we lack is water. There
is well across the street opposite
our regiment, but you have o take
your turn, which usually comes in
30 to 45 minutes. Besides, it's nee
essary to get mon commish" to
pass you over the guard line.
We get mp about $3.50. roll-call
about 6:l5. Company drill from
7:30 TO $3.50 Rest till $50. Then
comes battalion drill till 1920 or
1890. Dinner at 1910 or 1920.
We rest till $3.50. Then comes regi.
mental drill for about one hour.
supper at $50; roll call at 1880
Lights out at 900.
The Ohio Y. NJ. G. A. is Just
outside of our guard line. There
they supply you with envelopes and
paper free. All kinds Of harmless
games are INDUCED in. Reading
matter is supplied. Our boys spend
considerable time there. We at
tended Bible meeting there Sunday,
and, besides, they give entertain
ments.
We met Charley Mouser the olhcr
day. He is in the ambulance corps.
and says be won't be good for any
thing but soldier from this on.
Yesterday was sunday. hut we
did not hardly realize it. With the
exception Of drill, It is Just the
same as any other old day. Can't
Moore told rs Saturday evening
that we could 90 IN the creek. have
sunday School aud PRAYER meeting
and wash our clothes. So Yesterday
we turned washerwoman for short
while. and we are not stuck on the
job at all.