Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1898-10-05
NO CASES OE TYPHOID.
Thus Far the Fourth Regiment
Has Escaped Inroads.
MEN WELL SATISFIED.
Not Many Requests for Discharges
MADE Under Present Ruling
A Healthy Camp.

1uoCo VI ICNCA vi SGIIOuS SICKNESS III the
Fourth Wisconsin camp. Sergt. McEath-
ron, Co. =, has been sent home on fur
Tough on account of ill-health, but it is
expected that with proper care at home he
Will be III shape to return to duty in a
short time. 1t is true that some of the
men have taken advantage of the recent
general order in relation to discharges
and applied for the same, although the
number of applications filed up to this
writing IS not as large as has been re-
ported. Ihe majority of the men are sat
lsled to remain III the service until the
final muster-out.
The novelty of a brigade camp is some
thing new to most of the Wisconsin Fen.
Bugie calls are almost constantly heard
from the different camps and it Is no
unusual thing to see the men hustling
back to their quarters on hearing TAPS"
blown at some other camp. Orders come
through brigade headquarters, and While
the same routine of work is performed at
each camp, the time is different, that
being left to the regimental commanders.
Consequently when taps" is being sound
ed at one camp, "call to quarters" or
tattoo can be heard blown at another.
Music is in the air all the time and there
is quite a rivalry between the different
bands. The excellent playing of the Wis
consln band has made a decided hit, and
the tunes that were SO familiar to the
men at Camp Douglas are heard On ell
sides now.
The woods here are 50 dense that very
little drilling can be done and extended
order work is about all that can be per-
formed. There is a large empty square
down at Admission where battalion drill
can be accomplished, but it is so far away
almost a mile and a half from camp
that it is next to impossible to go that
distance for drill. :o- all work must he
zone before 9 o'clock in the morning and
after 3 in the afternoon.
A row of shacks for mess quarters have
been erected of oak boughs and branches
at the foot of the company streets. They
present a novel appearance and add much
TO the comfort of the men. IceboXes are
being made by most of the companies SO
that butter and fresh milk may be added
to the fare of the men. The fresh beef
issued here is a big improvement over
that at Camp Douglas and the coffee is
much better.
The streets and arrangement Of tents
in the Wisconsin camp are models of reg
uldr army perfection and cause no end of
praise from both regular and volunteer CT
ficers. Perfect cleanliness is one of the
important features of this camp and there
is NO opportunity for sickness to breed
from this source.
The continued good health of the Wis
consin men has caused much ommen
among the Southern people. There is less
sickness in this camp than there is III the
Southern regiments. This can be laid to
the efficient work Of the officers and the
fine discipline of the men. The soldiers
have been instructed how to take care of
their health, and among other things have
been advised not to eat pies or other pas
tries not baked in camp. This alone has
prevented much sickness.
Water pipes are laid throughout the
grounds and spring water is furnished by
the city of Admission. Well water is pro-
hibited in camp and the men are not al
lowed to drink it in the city. The camp
being situated on a hillside, the drainage
is at the foot of the company streets,
thus making the accumulation of cesspooAS
impossible, and as the hydrants are open
nearly all the time, the waste water IS
continually flowing away.
The difference betWeen the Wisconsin
soldiers and those of the other regiments
can be seen at q glance, most of our men
being larger and stronger bullt-and then,
there is a vast difference in military cour-
tesy and discipline. Even in the matter
of regulation military dress Badger sol
diers are far IN the lead. The Alabama
regiment of negroes can hold their own
with any of the others. They are digni-
fed and military and make good soldiers.
The Wisconsin men are orderly at all
zines, ana InlS 10 saying q Soou ue"l' 1oh-
sidering the opportunities they AVE for
raising trouble, there being hardly any
limit to the number of passes issued each
day. There are saloons galore at Annis-
ton. but up to this writing, strange as it
may seem, there have been no cases Of
real drunkenness in the camp.
The members of Go. e are about as
healthy and jolly q lot of men as ever
made I'D a company OF soldiers. Their
Quarters are always in the best of condi-
ton and much can be said to the credit of
Capt. Lewis, for he has the welfare of MS
men at heart and is ever ready to give
them vc:ds Of advice And as to- Co. Els
tation for getting up dainty dishes that
cannot be surpassed.
The Second infantry, United States
army, which arrived in camp last week
from Montauk Point, where they had
beer TO- son rfcuperafHa,b WeFe 20 q p pee e eght. D of
their original Number are here, the rest
having either been killed or died of sick
ness. while a few are Oft on sick leave.
Many of those here in camp are still sick,
and taken altogether, they present a very
sorry lot. The men of the Fourth Wis
consin have been assisting them in polio
ing and clearing their camp.
The First Regular infantry, who We're
in the field with the Second, are also here.
Some of the companies have a member
shin of less than fifteen men and III sew
eral instances are commanded by second
lieutenants and even non-co1nmissioned
officers.
A good many officers in the Tennessee
and kentucky regiments are SO young
that it seems hardly possible that they
really wear shoulder straps. Still, when
the enlisted men are sized up and their
average considered it does not strike one
as being so awfully queer.
During the review here last Saturday
Gen. Alger was heard to remark as the
Fourth Wisconsin passed by hat it was
a fine regiment, in fact the disappearing
volunteer regiment he had yet seen. 1t
is hardly possible that this could be so,
but when it is remembered that the
Wisconsin National guard stood at the
head of the entire list the past few years,
there might be some truth in the state
! ment.
Admission is a beautiful little city, but
it seems so slow to Wisconsin men. ever
though it has an electric light system and
runs little 2 by 4 electric cars. The peo-
pie fairly crawl along and when they see
a Wisconsin man hurry by, as they al
ways do, they stand still in amazement
and watch them, wondering what is the