The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1898-07-15
Letter From . Dubois County Soldier at
Camp aIger.

Samp tskSt.
Editor COURIER SD many OF
the young folks about Jasper have
written me asking for a description
of army life, hat cannot find time
10 answer each one personally,
hence | shall try TO do so in a gem
erai way Il YOU al spare space in
your paper for the publication OF
this communication.
TO begin with, a soldiers stom-
ach is next to his flag, and he must
have both well attended to before
he can lie down and rest easy, so
shall say a few wo.ds about our
food, for even the prcsaic act of
eating dinner is made picturesque
by the army method. The first
call that a recruit learns is the mess
call, to which the following words
are said to belong:
'soupy, soupy, soupy, not a single bean,
Coffee, coffee, coffee, not a drop OF cream.
Bacon, bacon, bacon, not a streak of
lean
When this call is sounded the
men form in line in the company
street, each with a tin cup and hav-
ersack. The haversack contains a
knife, fork, spoon and plate fitted
together, one having a handle which
when folded down serves as a lock
and when open forms with the plate
a very convenient frying paa for
use on marches, where each man
looks his own food.
At a signal from the lst sergeant
the line marches to the cook tables
and each man is served with his
food. Coffee is served three times
a day. As the meal is served the
men gather in little groups in the
tents or under the trees to eat.
Here and there is a man who has
something extra to add to his din
ner. After each meal comes the
iishwashing, each man being re-
sponsible for his OWL effects, and
then rest until the next drill.
The cooking of all this food is no
small item. | am excused from
the job, so much despised by all
soldiers. No mon CONS" are re-
|quired to cook, do police or guard
duty. mon com" is our way OF
calling a non-commissioned officer.
While the things mentioned will
keep any man strong, they are not
lust .'llke mother cooks at home.
Boxes are received from home
every week by some of the boys.
Happy is the volunteer whose girl
he left behind remembers him
with a cake sent by express; a bot
tie of catsup makes a soldier the
most popular nan in camp a. long
as it lasts, which is usually fifteen
minutes.
The camp at Falls Church is
named in honor of the Secretary of
War, Alger, OF Mich. BY the way,
have you noticed what a chance the
soldiers have who come from Mich
|igan, Ohio and New York? The
generals from those states get right
into the front. Their states are
represented in the executive depart
ments Of our government, and they
get the first chance. Shafter and
many of his generals are flom Mich
ligan.
The soldiers camp is laid out in
streets, which are named, and each
tent has a number, as houses are
Numbered in the city, My tent is
numbered 507. 1t is Zig enough
for two. | have a private with me.
That is a rule of the camp. Each
mon COM has one private with
him.
When an army is on the march
each soldier carries n half OF his
tent. The total weight carried by
a private solnier on the march Is
about forty pounds. He carries
two blankets, knapsack, haversack,
canteen and all of his clothes.
| have no gun, but carry a small
sabre, dagger and a 80 Colts
revolver. On short marches | walk,
out on very long marches, | am
mounted. | do not know yet what
kind of a horse | will get, but /
know enough to select one with a
broad head if it is left to me. Such
4 horse has "more horse sense
md will learn to drill quicker than
my other kind.
1t falls to my job to lead the
company when on the marcn. In
hat case | would be in danger in
Cuba unless the woods had been
,helled, for the Spaniards have, as
you well know, resorted to ambush
warfare.
In time OF battle | shall; not be in
the greatest danger exceptfromsharp
shooters, as was lately shown in
'front.' of Santiago. My study at the