Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1898-09-01
CAMP POLAND.
On Last Friday the First West
Virginia bid Good Bye to
Camp Thomas.


Tive Deaths Occurred Since May 18th
The lowest record of any Regiment
in the Army They are now nicely
located-Plenty Of Good Water, and
connected with the City by Dummy
! Railroad.
Col. G, L. Smith in Fairmont Index,
CAMP POLAND, KNOXVILLE, Tenn
August 80, 1898.
We are now at home in Camp Po-
land, which is named in honor of
the late lamented General Poland,
commander of the End Division, 1st
Army Corps and situated near Knox
vile, Tenn. The camp of the First
West Virginia Volunteers is about
two miles north of the city. The
9th Ohio, which arrived this morn
ing adioins our ground on the east,
and the 15Sth Indiana which has
been here day or two is about
half mile south of us, little nearer.
the city. We had been expecting
orders to move for some time. On
last Thursday night it was settled,
as we thought, that we would break
camp on the following Saturday
morning, but about noon on Friday
we were ordered to prepare to move
at once. Then the hustle began.
Think of what it means for a large
regiment to break camp. The per
sonal effects of over 1900 men, more
than 800 tents and cooking outfits
had to be packed and loaded. This
work was done in hurry and by 4
o clock that afternoon the second
battalion under command of Major
Banks was ready to move. Our q
! four-mule wagons could not trans
port our luggage and we were com
PEELED to borrow fifteen more from
our neighbors, the 9th Ohio. We
had to march to Rossville, a dis
tance of about six miles from our
camp where we were to take the
train. Soon after Major Banks left,
the 3rd Battalion under Major Shat
fer moved out, and in a short time
thereafter the 1st Battalion under
Major Lyon and the Regimental
Commander and Staff moved out,
leaving the disease producing, but
historical Chickamauga Park, be-
hind, we hope forever. Before we
left the sick, who were unable to
travel were sent to the Sternburg
Hospital, near Lyle, which is said
to be one of the best army hospitals
in the world. Those who were not
sick enough to go to the hospital,
but unable to march were taken to
the depot in ambulances. A slight
delay was caused at Rossville by the
failure of the Railroad Company to
furnish the passenger coaches in
time, but by 8 o'clock P.M.we were all
packed and ready to move. We then
went to the yards at Chattanooga
where we were detained until after
midnight We left Chattanooga in
five sections, three sections of IL
passenger coaches EACH A section
loaded with wagons and the last
loaded with stock and freight. The
first section reached Knoxville about
a. m. ON Saturday, land others came
in short time behind. After the
last train came in we began to unload
and in the short time of twenty-five
minutes the wagons and stock were
safely unloaded and the command
was ready to continue the march.
The men were given travelling ra-
tions before they left Camp Thomas
and when we left the train were sup
piled with bountiful supply of ex-
cellent coffee, and they left the sta
ton in good shape and in excellent
spirits. The place selected for our
camp was about / miles from where
we left the train, and the road was
not good and we had to pass over
one or two steep hills, but we reach
ed here safely and soon began to get
ready to live. Our camp is situated
on hill sloping slightly to the
south. This elevation is a part of
basin, which is surrounded by high
hills on every side. 1t is supplied
with water from the city water
works and the water is thought to be
pure and healthy.
The situation seems to be an ideal
one, and the only objection we can
see is the absence Of drill ground, So
far we have found no place big
Or, orrrb ~, fo~v,, ~. 80 H.