Evening star., 1898-05-07
With the Regular Soldiers at Chicka-
mauga Park.
ANXIOUS FOR ACTIVE DUTY
Troops Want to Be Turned Loose
Among the Spaniards.
RECRUITS IN THE SOUTH
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.
CAMP GEORGE H THOMAS

Chickamauga Park, Ca. May 4, 1885,
The light batteries of artillery, the oath
United States Infantry and the 9th United
States Cavalry have departed from Camp
Thomas, amid the cheers of their less for
trnate comrades, and speculation has been
rife as to the next regiments to board the
cars for Tampa. Want to go? 1 should
say tie soldiers do want to go, and there
Is q general feeling among the regulars
that a force large enough and strong
enough to hold their own on Spanish soil
should alone be sent No paltry landing
party is wanted. They say that yellow
jack and Spanish bullets would soon sac
rifice such a forlorn hope. At the same
time the regular officers freely express
themselves as being in favor of a postpone
ment of Cuban invasion until fall. The
recruiting of the rev companies and the
whipping of the raw recruits into shape
for a foreign war is insignificant task,
let alone the organization of a vast vol
unteer army.
But the feeling among the private SOL
diers Is that they want to be turned loose
among the Spaniards, the sooner the bet
ter; and the hearty cheers which saluted
the departing troopers as they marched to
the trains and the cries of .We'n be with
you soon. boys" "Our turn next" and
other expressions, bore testimony to the
sense of comradeship in the nations crisis
between the white and black troops One
giant trooper of the 9th Cavalry created
CO considerable amusement by shouting out
at frequent Intervals. Use wah-yah,
now. accompanying his speech by swing
ing his campaign hat about his ebon face.
Regular Daily Drills.
Regular Grills have become a feature of
each days duties. and from 0 to IL O'Clock
the long lines of infantry swing over hill
and dale, and through the woods and
clearings the cavalry skirmishes in extend
ed order. in preparation for more serious
work in the near future
Inc Georgian natives stop and wonder
open-mouthed at the spectacle, and the
southern grandsires tell the crowd how
II used to be. under Longstreet and Bragg
and Price. But all sectional feeling is
buried in war against a national enemy
and the people of the neighboring city of
Chattanooga are patriotic as those of
any city in the country.
Recruits in the South.
Under the terms of recent orders, the
people of Georgia and Alabama will soon
be given an opportunity to show their
patriotism in a practical way. Recruiting
officers-four or five from each regiment
are to be sent out into the neighboring
states to gather in likely young Americans
for the regular service. Just at present
regular officers tefS me, there Is a rush to
the volunteer service, and there are grave
fears lest the regular service will be out
classed But they predict that before many
nonths-if the war lasts that Iong-the re-
cruit will find out where he is best fed
clothed and treated, and that the regular
army will then be filed by transfers from
Che volunteers just as 1t was in the latter
days Of the evil war.
An Eye for Insurance Business.
BY the way. -"veral Insurance agents in
Camp Thomas are doing a big business
Most Of the life insurance companies have
refused to assume war risks on new insur-
anoe. but at least one company with an
eye for business has telegraphed its agents
TO insure everything in sight, at peace
rates. The consequence is that the com
pany has a monopoly of the insurance
business. and its agents are happy
The first general court-martial of the
camp-perhaps of the war-took place on
last Monday. Although not strictly a
''dI um head" court, the drums were
missing, the court sat out of DOORS be-
meath the green shade trees at the resi-
dence of the superintendent Of the park,
forming circle. with the president Of the
court and the judge advocate at opposite
ends. The officers wore their war clothes
and sabers. and looked as though they
meant business. The cases tried were not
OF unusual interest. being mostly breaches
Of discipline committed en- route to the
rendezvous. Lieut.. Col. Carroll of the 9th
Cavalry Is the president of the court. and
Lieut.. koester of the Sd the judge advo-
cate.
The Sixth In Camp.
The 9Th Cavalry. part Of which Is well
known to Washington people, through their
location at Fort Mysr, have q beautiful
camp at the southern extremity Of the