The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1898-10-21
AT CAMP MERRITT,
Adjutant-d General Byers Says They
do not Ask to be Mustered Out.
ARE GAINING IN FLESH.
They are Provided with Plenty of Clothing


Capital reporter, Gen. Byers, who has
just returned from Camp Merritt says:
IL arrived at San Francisco on the
evening of September 80, and proceeded |
to Camp Merriam, Presidio, where
found the Fifty-frst Iowa encamped
on beautiful hillside overlooking San
Francisco Bay and the Golden Gate.
found Colonel Lopez and his staff in
the usual good health and cheerful and
obedient to orders. MY first question
was, Are you ready to 60 to Manilla?'
Colonel Lopez replied, 4 and the regi-
ment are ready to go anywhere and at
any time the government directs us.
We are not asking to go anywhere or
to be mustered out of the service, but
we are here as soldiers of the United
States, ready and willing to do our
duty at any and all times
LAS soon as my arrival was noised
about the camp and while | was par
taking of the Inequalities of the col
onel's table, the Fiftyfirst Iowa band,
which is noted for its efficiency among
the San Francisco people and among
the army people there, gathered on the
outside and gave a serenade, uneXpect-
ed to me. | found some kickers among
the men, as the saying is in San Fran
cisco, who had cold feet,' who desired
to be mustered out and return home,
but a great majority OF the regiment
are soldiers and are ready to do their
duty and obey orders when issued.
II visited each of the companies and
l found them provided with excellent
army rations; all that a soldier could
ask, and in most instances it was cook
ed in excellent shape. made inquiry
of the different companies as to wheth-
Ell they were getting plenty to eat and
in each company they said they were
we'll provided with all they wanted and
had provisions to sell. l ate with the
men in each of the twelve companies
of the Fifty first, none of the COM
panies knowing when was going to
eat with them. ate the same rations
as the men ate, and will say that it
[ had had such rations and such food
to eat during the civil war, l would
have thought was near the Golden
Gate
"The men who are we'll have gained
from five to twenty pounds since they
arrived ia San Francisco and are look
ing hearty and rugged. The regiment
is now provided with all the clothing
and equipment that it requires, and all
that is asked for, so that there can be
no complaint made as to clothing OF
equipment.
Upon my arrival in San Francisco
visited the division hospital, where
my son-in-law was sick. Major Mat.
thews being the surgeon in charge, and
found it in most excellent condition
and under the most stringent sanitary
regulations. Major Matthews has
proven himself to be most excellent
executive officer and / think it is the
finest and best arranged hospital that
ever visited. When | arrived there
we're 1856 sick in the hospital from al
of the commands in the Presidio.
do not now recollect the exact number
of the Fifty first Iowa that was in the
hospital, but when 1 left San Francisco
the sick had fallen until there were only
PIG in the division hospital.
ssThe health of the men of the diff
ferent regiments has wonderfully i'm
proved since they moved from Cam
Merritt. The Fifty-frst Iowa has lost
by death from all sources and from al
causes since mustered into the United
States service, twenty-three. The pre-
vailing sickness in the Preside is throa
diseases and pneumonia. consider
the First-first Iowa as a whole very
healthy regiment. There, of course. i.
sickness among the different compan
les, some companies more than others
from natural causes. Men expose them
selves to the night air and, of course
will get sick the same as they would il
this climate. If we camped the same
number of men in.Camp Mckinley ant
kept them as long as they have beer
kept in San Francisco, the probabilitie.
are that we would have as much sick
ness as there is at the present time il
the Fifty-first Iowa.
''Any reports that may be sent from
members of the different companies G
the Fifty-first Iowa as to their want o.
clothing or want of rations are abso
lutely false. The men who write sucl
things home do it for a purpose; they
hope that their friends at home will
make such a complaint and bring sucl
a pressure upon the authorizes as will
eventually muster them out of the ser
vice, as has been done heretofore in
other regiments. But | can see, from
all the information that could get, NJ
good reason for mastering out the Fiji
ty-first Iowa. They are in as gooG
health and have all tho naoassariac nj