Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1898-07-07
First Thing Called for In Camp is the
Mexico Daily Ledger Boys
Being Paid Of All
Are Well.
Correspondence of the Ledger.

missed her calling and should have
been newspaper reporter or GRIM
inal court lawyer. There is scarcely
an hour passes but some wild humor
is started about our regiment moving
or about something else equally as
exciting.
Another thing that creates quite a
little excitement is the arrival of the
mail. About the first question asked
is, did the LEDGER come? The bunch
sent are seized upon quite eagerly by
the boys, who appreciate them as they
would good msal. That the paper
is full Of news cannot be denied and
that it is we'll written is beyond the
peradventure of doubt. The paper
gives us all the news all the time and
that is what the boys in white hats,
blue shirts and trousers and brown
leggings are looking for.
II the Fifth Regiment is not called
out before long Company L lie due
to do outpost duty within week or
90. Where We will be sent I would
not guess. One of the aforesaid wild
rumors says that we will be sent to
Chattanooga for the four days sue
ceeding pay day. This work will be
almost as dangerous as going to Cuba,
as q soldier with his hide full Of
"booze' is almost as dangerous as a
treacherous Spaniard and there will
be great many in that condition for
. few days after pay day, which comes
off between the 1st and 4th of July.
1t is said on excellent authority that
we will receive pay from May 4th.
This will make two months pay due
us, and 1t will come in very handy for
the majority of us. I do not under
stand through what means the gov
ernment is taking the obligations Of
the State of Missouri ON her hands,
but 1t is very nice whatever way it
may have been done.
There is almost nothing going on
that will be of interest to the people
of Mexico, unless 1t would be a recital
of the daily duties of the soldiers.
These duties consist of drilling for
several hours of the day, OF doing
guard duty, cooking, digging trenches
and policing the camp or, In other
words, cleaning mp and burning all the
trash. I've seen many q large and
Juicy blister worn in . tender palm in
three minutes, but the boys bite their
tongues when the blister bursts and
keep digging away. They say that it
will toughen up the hands. 1t looks
pitiful to see some Of the boys, who
may have done nothing more wearing
on clothes and palms than handling
dry goods, 60 out before breakfast
and wear their hands full Of blisters
digging q trench or chopping wood
and then at drill call after breakfast
take a gun and drill In the hot sun
when every contact that their hands
makes with the heated gun causes
them to vince.
But they still have the indomitable
spirit with which they joined Uncle
Samuel's hosts and "jes' grin and bear
it" and when they get back to camp
after the tiresome siege of running,
laying down and fighting an imaginary
foe, Indian fashion, they refuse to let
old Satan get a crack at them by sit
ting around their tents by themselves
and thinking OF that old song, 81 Had
q Good Home But Left It," but get
out among the boys and tighten their
sorrows with song and mirth-also
seven.up.
That old derelict, Satan, may have
q good opportunity to get In his heavy
work with the boys while they are in
this humor, too, but even il it is worse
on the souls Of the men 1t Ii better fol-
the cause to which they have joined
their efforts. A dare devil, jolly, goot
fellow makes two soldiers where .
morose, homesick lad is more OF q
drag to the service than O help. II
they get ont of the "cruel war" I'M.
scathed they will be In better fix te
appreciated the teachings Of the
church.
guess had better get of OF thai
subject before / get up over my ears
and can't get ont, so I'll give roster
of the days duties here: ~
FIRST call, $3.50 q. m.
Revielle, 6:35 Q. m.
Assembly, $40 g. m.
Mess and sick call, 9 q. m.
Squad drill, e:45 to 7:15 q. m.
Fatigue call, 7:35 .. m.
Company drill, 8 to 0 q. m.
Guard mount, 9:15 .. m.
Ofacers' school, 10 to IL q. m.
Issue call, 10 4. m.
Recall, fatigue, 1890 .. m.
First Sergeants, 1880 q. m.
Mess, IL m.
Non Commissioned officers school
1:30 to 2:3o p. m.
Battalion drili, $3.50 to s p. m.
Mess, 8 p. m.
| Retreat, sunset.
Call to quarters (tattoo), 9 p. m.
Taps, 9:15 p. m.
An uneventful programme 1t look
like, I've no doubt, but when one ha
to 60 through al OF this 1t change
things. First call has but little effec