Evening star., 1898-07-15
Major Sommers Leaves With Squad
Of Twenty-Five Men.
WILLHAVECHARGE OFFEVER HOSPITAL
Commanders of Regiments Prepar-
ing to Go to Porto Rico.
GENERAL NEWS OF THE CAMP
Special Correspo ndence of The Evening Star.

CAMP ALGER, Va. July Ii. 1898
Majcr Thomas o. Sommers of the ID Ten
nessee and twenty-five men of the same
regiment left camp at o'clock last night
for Cuba to take charge of the hospital for
yellow fever patients. Major Sommers is a
distinguished expert in yellow fever and
malarial fever. He has a remarkable rae
ord Of having treated 1900 patients during
the epidemic of 1S7S-1S79, and of having
saved them all. The men taken along are
all enlisted men, immunes. and will be
transferred into the regular army hospital
service. Major Sommers goes first to New
York, whence the party will embark on the
st. Faul The steamer is expected to reach
Santiago by Tuesday.
Some of the colonies with regiments in
Camp Alger are said to have received word
from the War Department that the Porto
Rico army Of invasion will be drawn large
ly from the I'd Army Corps. They have all
OF them accordingly directed their subordi-
mates TO prepare for being ordered away at
any minute. Boxes are being made of SUM-
plies which cannot be taken along, and the
travelling kits of the commissioned officers
are Delng put In frst-class order. 1t is
sare TO say that almost any of the sixteen
regiments now in camp would reauire not
more than an hours notice to get under
way.
Those Pennsylyanians
something seems to possess about 200 of
the boys of the 9th PENNSYLVANIA which
makes it impossible for them to remain
quietly In camp. About a week ago they
were paroled to remain within the camp
limits, but given perfect freedom otherwise
Ihat they did not deserve such Indulgence
was proved that same night when a whole
party stormed one of the sentinel posts and
tried to force their way out of camp out
OF the number who were given liberty bv
their commanding officers 1874 broke camn
Went INTO the city and were finally placed
under arrest. Last night forty-eight of
this number stole out of the guard house
and slipped away, in order to be with a
party from the 4th Missouri and I'd Ten
nessee.
An alarm was sounded soon after the
pennsylvania boys had gotten away, and
a roll call ordered of the men in the guard
camp. Only 1876 responded. and these were
at once discharged because they had re-
fused to run away. The others tried to get
out OF camp by going in the rear of the
quarters occupied by Colonel Coursen of
the 18th Regiment. When word was taken
to the commanding officer of the 18th that
the men had broken away he at once teIe-
phoned the other Pennsylvania comma nd
ers. Meanwhile the refugees had stormed
the quarters of the New York cavalry, and
after a short but decisive engagement they
retreated over the hill to Falls Church A
guard was at once sent after them
Whether they are caught by the pursuing
party or arrested by the guards in Wash
ington, the forty-eight are to be dealt with
as severely as military law will permit.
Camp Notes.
The court-martial convened by order Of
Gen. Graham, and known as the corps
court-martial. has been dissolved.
Col Marcus Kavanaugh of the 7th Illi-
nois and Col F. S. Welch. jr., of the 65th
New York have been giving their men prae-
tical lessons in making excavations. Most
OF the men enlisted in those two commands
can now dig trench that offers ample Sc
curity in time of battle in twenty minutes
Private Hoge. Company NJ, 4th Missouri.
has escaped from the guard house. which
fact has resulted in a very unusual state
of affairs. The misdemeanor for which
Hoge was confined was the theft of a glass
of jelly. Now his friends are petitiontng
the colonel to have Hoge tried on the charge
OF absence without leave: the quartermaster
wants him taken before the court-martial
for having stolen from the quartermaster.
supplies, and the colonel has just about
made up his mind to try him on both
charges. with the added one of conduct
prejudicial to good discipline.
Lieut.. Gov. Haggert of Indiana has re-
ported at Col. Bal -ett's Headquarters
Sergeant Pat. NJ. Leahy reports that re-
cruiting Is the NEST remuneratiye employ
ment soldier can find. He is in Company
d Of the 7th IlIirois, and says he spent
considerable time in Chicago, almost With
out expense. at extra pay. and brought
back with him a fine new revolver holster
and Webb belt.
Major c.. R. Parke, surgeon of the Sd
Brigade, has returned to camp after
weeks leave of absence spent at Glen Sum-
init, Pa.
Private Charles F. Koeler, Company +,
18th Pennsylvania, jabbed himself severely
with his bayonet yesterday afternoon. He
is now much improved.
Only one well is in operation at Dunn
Loring. Col. Hoffman of the Sth Pennsyl-
u iS n Nf ftx,s, >
Dunn-Loring, has been overwhelmed with
applications for stand privileges. but has
refused them all. As long as either Col.
Hoffman or General Goblin is in charge of
that camp there will be no stands at all
In it's immediate vicinity.