The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-04
ACTIVITY AT CAMP THOMAS.
Four or Five Hours n Day Spent in
Drilling Volunteers.


Drilling Volunteers.
CHICKAMAUGA PARK, June 3.-This
has been the most active day at the park
since the volunteer army assembled, every
regiment and brigade on the field having
spent from four to five hours in drills. The
men are becoming accustomed to camp life
and rough fare, are seasoning rapidly and
are being put through the routine of in
structions with more vigor each day. Every
open field at the park was covered during
the morning and afternoon with regiments,
brigades and divisions and every command
in camp was engaged at one time or another
during the day. Numbers of regiments are
yet only partially uniformed and a number
have not yet received their guns, but Capt.
Rockwell, of the Ordnance Department, is
distributing arms and ammunition fast
as it is received, and he hopes to have every
regiment equipped within a week or ten
days. An entirely new complement of arms
is being supplied as fast as the department
can turn them out.
Captain Richards, of General Brooke S
staff, states that, in case regiments now
here were filled to war strength, there
would be, with the regiments yet to come,
something like ninety thousand men at this
rendezvous.
The First Ohio Cavalry will proceed to
Tampa just as soon as they are supplied
with horses and their proper equipment.
Steps were taken to-day TO begin as early
as possible instructions in the use of fire
arms, and orders were issued from head
quarters to the division commanders to de-
tail three men from each brigade TO seiect
and prepare rifle ranges for target practice.
This branch of military instruction has been
neglected because of the lack of arms
Practice will begin in all brigades as soon as
they are equipped.
Preliminary work was begun to-day re-
modelling the park hotel for corps hospital,
and the work will be rapidly pushed under
stuff, corps surgeon. and Assistant Surgeon
General of Volunteers Nicholas Sem.
syvana nfentrs Of left here
on the sick list. died this morning at the
hospital of the First Division of the First
shipped to Philadelphia for interment
A two days review and inspection of the
First Division of the Third Army Corps was
begun at o'clock this morning. General
Fred Grant was in command of the DIVISION
and nine thousand men were in line. The
inspection was conducted by General Breck-
inridge. The men showed at their best In
the exercises this morning In addition TO
the review a number of battle exercises
were gone through and some difficult man
euvers were executed Both General Breck-
inridge and Colonel Aston expressed them
selves as pleased with the showing made.
L
The seemingly well-founded report that
Chickamauga is to be the camping ground
for $1,000 volunteers during the summer has
set the whole army to talking. The officials
refuse to discuss the report, but 1t is be-
lieved to be fully correct. General Brooke
is now spending much time seeking add
tional available camping ground and 1t is
generally believed that he has been notified
that the number of his men will be doubled
Many excellent locations are being offered,
and there would be no trouble in accommo-
dating 100000 men if this number should be
sent. There are now Al 900 soldiers at the
park, and this number will be largely in
creased during the next few days.
The hospital of the First Division, First
Army Corps, has sixty patients, of which
isolated. The hospital corps is made up as
follows: Captain Wakeman. surgeon in
Third Wisconsin Captain Wright, of the
First Ohio, and Captain Starret. of the
Third Illinois DR.. Thomas C. Clark has
tai of the Second Division of the First
Corps. Dr. Clark was taken from the
Twelfth Minnesota. Pneumonia is preva-
lent in the army to a considerable extent,
but none of the cases is believed to be dan
gerous.
An order has been issued from corps head
quarters directing the division commands to
instruct the brigade commanders to appoint
an officer in each regiment to act as judge
advocate and try all offenses which do not
Col. J. S. Culver, commanding the Fifth
Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment, has
De6n named Dy DlVlSlOI zen
eral Wilson to command the First Brigade
of the First Division, First Army Corps,
succeeding Colonel Hunt, Of the First Ohio,
who has gone to Tampa. The appointment
will go into effect at once. Colonel Culver
is now in charge of the brigade
The board of army horse buyers. composed
of Captain Carson, Lieutenant Blune and
DR.. Foster. returned last night from their
tour of middle Tennessee and Kentucky.
During this trip they purchased and sent to
the park 450 horses and fifty mules.
The work of paying the Ohio volunteers
was completed last night. The amount paid
was about $125O00.
Ronald Mcdonald private, First Missouri
Infantry of St. Louis was drowned last
night while bathing in Chickamauga creek,
making the fifth man who has been drowned
in the same waters His body is lying to-
night in an undertaking establishment in
this city and no directions have yet been
given as to it's disposition.
Adjutant General Arthur Macarthur. on
General Wade's staff, recently appointed a
brigadier, left to-day for San Francisco,
having been assigned to the command of a
brigade to go to the Philippines.