The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-25
THE 15sTH INDIANA.
Colonel Smiths Regiment Preparing
to Go to Porto Rico.

TO 90 to Porto Rice.
Correspondence of the Journal.
CHICKAMAUGA PARK, Ga, camp OF
the One-hundred-and-fif -fifty-eighth Indiana
volunteers, July 22.-Three months from the
time the old Second Regiment went to camp
at indianapolis the One-hundred- -and-fi fifty
eighth Indiana Volunteer Infantry is pre-
pairing to go to Porto Rico. To-day the re-
serve ambulance corps and the First Di-
vision of the First Army Corps are leaving
and all arrangements are being made to
take the Second Division as soon as trans
portation can be furnished.
The ambulance corps and the hospital
corps of the Second Division have been di-
vided into four parts. One part is to be
sent with each brigade and the other part
is to be sent with the division headquarters
The sick who are too i'll to go with their
regiments will be sent to general hospitals
Those who are convalescent will be car
ried along in the hospital train.
The Ordnance Department is now issuing
Colt revolvers and belts and holsters to the
officers of the regiments. Target practice
on the rifle range is being continued. Two
companies now go out every day. General
Poland, commander of this division, believes
that the men should know how to shoot
and how to shoot well. Brigade drills are
to take place Tuesdays and Fridays The
first drill of the Second Brigade, Second Di-
vision, under General Mckee, was held this
morning. In this drill the One-hundred-
and-fifty-eighth made the best showing OF
any regiment in the brigade.
Capt. r. II. Mitchell, a son of United
States Senator Mitchell. of Oregon, re-
ported to General Mckee last week as quar-
termaster, relieving Capt F. F. McCrea,
who has returned to the command of his
company.
The health of the regiment is excellent
and improving every day. A medical board
has been convened and is now passing on
applications for discharge on account of
physical disability. This regiment will lose
quite a. number of men when this board has
rendered its decision.
When Colonel Smith was home he en-
ployed young man named blizzard to go
with him as stenographer. The officers
and men say they will not have to fear the
hot weather now. They will just let Biz
zard blow down on them over the quarters
of General Mckee and Major Conde and
they will be cool enough
Some of the men in Company L gave their
terminates quite scare the other night. A
number of men in this company have built
hunks in their tents arranged like the berths
in sleeper. They put up four uprights
and then some horizontal poles, and then
using stout cord or wire, they wove a net
across between the uprights on which they
slept. One bunk is only a few inches from
the floor, the other is just where the tent
walls begin to slope toward the apex. One
of these men retired to his tent and went
to sleep in his bunk. While he was asleep
the other men tied him in, and then lighting
piece of newspaper waved it to and fro
in the tent yelling fire. This awakened the
sleeper and he tried to get up, but could not
move hand or foot, and yet he thought his
tent was on fire. After they had sufficiently
scared him they explained the joke and cut
him loose.
Lieut.. Col. E. p. Thayer and First Lieut.
Elston, of Company NJ, left Thursday night
for home on a seven days leave of absence.
Quartermaster General Richardson and
son are visiting friends in the camp. James
Billingsley. of Indianapolis, is also shaking
hands with friends before they leave for the
coast
Major Skunk, of General Poland's staff,
has been instructing detachments of men
from each company in the work of building
intrenchments and throwing up breast
works. H. J..