The times., 1898-08-07
LIFE IN AN ARMY CAMP
As Seen From the Priyate's
Point of View.
A PROFE SOR In THE RANKS
He L. Teacher of Greek i'm Time
of Peace. But Now He IS SERVING.
His Country as a Soldier-How IL
Seems TO Lose All Individuality
and Sense OF Freedom,

As an example Of the kind of thoughts
whsca I'll the mind Of ne American vol
unteer the following extracts from a.
1etter written by Prof joan Nelson, of
Lexington. Ky. and published in the
Now York Sun. may be noted. Prof
Ne,soa Is a private in Company C, First
Kentu Ky Volunteers, Col. John B. Cas-
TleEan. He is a graduate of the Uni
vec5.ty If Virginia, ana later assistant
professor of Greek in the University of
Texas. Writing TO his brother, Prof
J Poyntz Nelson. he says:
Into what absolute insigniicance the
individual lapses when he dons the uni
form of our country, As far as / can
analyze it. a soldier must fully realize
that waen he takes the oath he is in no
sense hs own. but another's-his coun-
try's. whom he must serve regardless Of
anything that may befall him. The Ego
OF life is buried Then, as a consequence.
h arrives at the knowledge that he is
only part, a.'aeit a thinking part of
vast machine. about which there is only
one concern-that he properly performs
the work adotted, and that there be
counterpart Ct this piece TO take its place
when worn out or broken.
.'F1lday ] had my first test of what is
known as fatigue duty, consisting of
sweeping up the rear of the company
street picking UP paper, burning trash.
etc. Four Of US We're engaged in the
work. and. though l do not say il, we did
d good job. OF suca is soldier life.
Yesterday morning we got an awful
dose. Gen. Grant, as an initiatory eXer-
else. conducted a sham battle. We Sot
up at o'clock and started shortly after
3. We thought We were only to have a
brigade drill. but We We're woefully mis-
taken. We marched. cOuntermarched
and then marched some more and some
more. At last We went at double quick
down a steep slope. wheeled a short dis
tanee and dropped fat, only for few
minutes, when UP we got and dashed for
a gravel pit where down we went had
pretty fair rest; started up again, back
up the steep slope. down a gradual de-
cline, when we formed in a skirmish line
our battalion. We knew the other two
batialinns were ahead, our regiment
forming the extreme left of the brigade
and Company the EXTREMIST left. We
lay down some more and then we got up
in a hurry. and how we double-quicked
II, Oh those old muscles, bones and
lungs and that gun that weighed ton
and that internal Snodgrass Hill looming
UP half q mile ahead, which We all felt
was the objective place for US, or else
some place beyond!
''On we went then falling fiat literally.
legs inclined TO the left. good firing posi-
Tion; some more rushing. We had got
them in the timber. Drop again; forward.
and on We go; roadway is reached wi h
good enbankment IN front: down on
the gravel and hug it. And then, my lord
We have JUST reached the most interesting
or damDabie part Of Snodgrass Hill
about s. degrees inclination-and rushed
up. I'll be hanged if / didn't think | was
gone entirely. I got UP to the top some
how. stayed with the line, where we drop
ped stiil some more. / have heard artis-
tic cussng. but the most marked origi-
nality was developed in creating impreca-
Tions on Gen. Grant that j have yet had
the fortune 10 listen TO.
But this was not all. Forward is Civ
en-. and down hill we go and then up. My
legs and back felt like man with infiam-
matory rheumatism-and the victory was
won. We soon commenced our march
back. and we imagined we were on our
direct way home. But at one point we saw
the old man wheel to the left with his
staff. jump d ditch and start for a hill
where were the colors and a man Gen.
GranO sitting on a cannon. This meant
TO pass in review. not as we supposed in
company formation. but some as skir-
mishers and others as supports. We got
to camp at 10 o'clock. Right smart eXer-
else Five OF our men dropped out. Two
of them had no business going. The 9TH
ers were lacking in sand.
Last night after dress parade we had
q very pretty regimental drill after
which. to our surprise. ave were lined I'D
fF vfaI,@ aer1a g~.T lpaTly "a
the band led US in singing 'Old Kentucky
Home Dixie My Country etc You
should have heard the boys yell when
Col. Belknap called for three cheers for
the old Commonwealth. the complement
to which was given by Major Gray of our
batta ion. who shouted What's the mat
ter with kentucky? The answer in
words and volume was strictly correct.
At this stage the men and officers of an
Indiana battery rushed on the field. and
as we marched by in column OF f9urs
they cheered US to the echo. We forgot
ali about the mornings trying work and
we came through the battery camp with
a swing that would have done your heart
good.
This was a genuinely bright raw Of
sunshine in our life and served a splen-
did purpose The shades are sometimes
very dark but we have lights, too. and
VERY bright ones. / am in fine spirits
trying to do what I can. ] only ask for
physical health to endure TIL real serv.c ce
IS TO be met. when 1 trust this will be
Supplemented by strength to continue
steadfast TO the end The letters are a
great comfort ] constantly h.nk of you.
especially when those muscles. bones.
etc ache. tremendous reserve force.
believe me. inexhaustib'e. heaven grant
Private Nelson is a great grandson OF
Gov. Thomas Nelson of Revolutionary
fame and one Of the signers of the De
claration Of Independence. He is a first
cousin of Thomas Nelson Page. the au-
thor He was one of the first men in
Lexington 10 signify his willingness 10
enlist after war was declared with Spain.
The Tax on Deeds
In regard to deeds on burial lots. the
Commissioner of Internal Revenue has
rendered his decision that those daass