The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-28
TOUGH WORK IN CAMP TAMPA.
MOST OF THE BOYS GRUBBING our
PALMETTO ROOTS.

~ RUOlS.
The site of the Georgia Cnmp Far
Ahead of That of the Regulars
bathing III HiIlsbOrouRh Bay Fn-
vOrite PaStime of the Georgtm
BOys-The Florida Volunteers En-
camp Near the GeOrEians-Canteen
Doing a Rushing business.
Tampa, Fla, May 1.-THE Georgia BOYS
spent a greater portion of the day in grub
bling palmetto roots from the company
streets. The men are better pleased than
at first, for after visiting the camps Of the
regulars, they see that the volunteers have
much the best camp sites
Bathing in Hillsborough bay is a favor
tie pastme with the Georgia BOYS. The
water is delightfully."- cool and pleasant ana
the shore slopes off so gradually that il
would be hard to ind better spot on the
coast for bathing.
There viii be a brigade formation to-
morrow morning under direction of Brig.
Gen. Hawkins, and the regiments forming
tAe brigade are preparing for it, The Geor-
gia and Michigan regiments have been
through this kind of thing before in their
state camps, but the Floridians will have
their first experience.
The men of the Second Georgia are de-
veloping into first-class laundrymen. ana
can be seen every day on the banks or
Hillsborough bay engaged In washing
clothes. Some of the men get out of this
kind of work by hiring others to do their
washing. No fiat irons have yet appeared
in camp and rough dried articles are all
the fashion.
The last official ties binding the First
Florida Regiment of volunteers 10 the mil
itary organization of the state of Florida
were severed to-day, when receipts was
taken by Adjt. Gen. Houston from the
war department for the tents and other
property of the regiment
The Florida regiment had its first expe-
rience to-day of marching through the
country in heavy marching order. Just
after sunrise orders were given to strike
tents and in a remarkably short time the.
white city in the old garrison reservation
had disappeared. The camp equipage was
soon ready and the men were formed into
companies and the march begun Very
few had an idea of their destination, ana
tllNAG were an hlUuS OF GufnOrS aHOat OF
the regiment being bound FOR jackson.
vile, for Key West, for Ballast Point,
and even for Cuba, with the Cubans
1t only took a few minutes to settle the
question, for the line of march was along
the shore of the bay in an easterly direc-
ton, and there 1t was known that De Soto
Park was the destination and that Florida
and Georgia would be camped side by side
The route taken necessitated marching
about four miles. but the men were VIII
ing to swear that IL was ten before they
got there. The road is one of the toughest
in Florida, and it was hard work, consd-
eIing the weight of each mans outfit The
regiment had to cross a railroad trestIe
of nearly a half mile in length, but got
safely over with no accidents. Upon ar
rival in De Soto Park the camp was es-
tablished in a pine grove in sight of the
Second Georgia Volunteer Regiment.
AS soon as the camp was laid off the
work of erecting the tents was done and
rapidly carried out By dinner time the
tents were all UP and the men were hun
CRY enough to eat anything without
gTumbling.
The new camp site is a vast improve
ment over the old one, for there is no
dust and no danger of 1900 mules break
ing out of corral, which was constantly
feared at the old camp.
The ground is one solid bed of palmetto
room for the tent poles. AS soon as pos
sible the men were put to work grubbing
the palmetto roots around the tents so the
trenches can be dug. This work and the
work of grubbing the roots out of the
regimental and company streets will take
| several days and will afford abundant ex-
eTcise for the men.
The Floridians and Georgians being
canped side by side are fast becoming bet
ter friends than ever. The Georgia regi-
ment is fortunate enough to have a can
teen established close to the camp line.
The Florida boys ascertained that the
canteen was serving Florida boys and
there was a rush for the product of the
| Tampa brewery. The Georgians made no
objection and The canteen man did ire
merdous business for a while
There Is talk Of establishing a canteen
near the Florida camp for the accommo-
dation OF the Florida soldiers.
The formation of the twelve Florida COM
panies into a regiment has caused numer-
Gus changes in the formation of the bat
talions. The Second battalion of state
troops was the only battalion that was
| mustered in as a unit, and the four COM
| panieS forming that battalion remain as
they were formerly, with Mai c. p. Lowell
of Leesburg in command. Lieut. Col
Webster, former major commanding the
Fourth battalion of state troops, will have
INC privilege Ol StittliHk the Jour COM
panieS 10 form the First battalion. 1t IS
understood that he will select the two
Jacksonville companies and the ST. Au-
gustine company, which was formerly in
the First battalion of state troops, and
also the Chipley Light Infantry OF Pensa-
cola, formerly of the Third battalion This
viii leave Maj Sackett of the Third bat
talon of the regiment the Pensacola Light
Infantry, the Gadsden Guards of Quincy,
the Suwanee Rifles of Live Oak and the
Bradford County Guards of Starke for his
battalion.
Under the second call OF the President
for 1900 men, Florida will be required to
furnish about go. these can be easily re-
cruited for the entire Fifth Battalion OF
state troops commanded by Maj. D. f.
Conoley of Tampa, and consisting Of the
Tampa Rifles, the Key West Guards, the
Indian River Guards of Titusville, and
the Halifax Rifles Of Daytona, where ie-
jected when the First Regiment was
formed The battalion Is still intact and
can be mustered in as a unit. Then there
are two batteries of artillery, one al Jack
sonVile and one at Pensacola, which may
also get in under the second call.