New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-27
CAMP BLACK, NAVAL STATION
NEW VIEWS OF MILITARY LIFE PRE-
SCENTED TO THE TROOPS THERE.
NAVIGATION PRINCIPALLY BY RAFT. AND PRES
ENr EQUIPMENT SADLY DEFlClhSi-
SOLDIERS Up HALF THE NIGHT
FIGHTING THE ELEMENTS.

ENT EQUIPMENT sADhi
SOLDIERS Up HALF THE NIGHT
FIGHTING THE ELEMENTS
1T rains but il pours' VIII hereafter DC
the motto Of Camp Black. The camp mas passed
through series OF storms in the last -FOUR weehs'
but nothing that has preceded is worthy 10 Dc
used as a standard by which 10 measure yes'ei-
DAYS violent tempest OF rain and wind PERSONS
not the hed have no conception OF the state
of affairs which the soldiers were compelled 10 en-
dure throughout Wednesday night. yesterday ana
last night Camp Black is now divided INTO
two parts one of which Is land and the othe'
water OF these the latter part is the greater
Already saturated 10 its lowest stratum oy 'ie az
most incessant rainta!ls Of the last four weeks inc
soil Of Hampstead Plains was called upon OH
Wednesday night absorb another endless 'oi-
rent but It could hold more. Small pools eN-
banded into ponds. and ponds into lakes before
rivers began TO develop TO carry the HOODS on 10 d
lower level II a lower level could be found. Inc
soldiers Of the 18Th Battalion refused TO call 'he
body OF water which collected in their camp any
thing less than an ocean Nothing but the haTo-
and-fast pegs and guy ropes kept the tents OF INC
18th and all they contained from hoatlng away Oh
the aood Officers and men were up all night hsh'-
ing the water and removing their effects TO dry
spots when dry spots could be discovered LONG
before dawn the men Of the 18th discarded their
shoes leggings and socks and padded around pare
footed and ip short order others followed their eN-
ample
ENGINEERING IN BARE FEEL.
Long before noon the territory Of Companies l.,
II and NJ the drum and fife corps and the hospi'a
CORDS OF the 9Th Regiment was under water a
,xond ono hundred feet wide spread itself over the
<7ths camp IN front OF the hospital tents ana
Colonel EDDY made admiral or the 4',n
SQUADRON comprising two large RATS ana siia'iei
pleasure craft OF single boards Crews OF TWO
tnen with long poles for oars. were busy all day
Transporting picnic parties from shore 10 shore ana
back again for the price of a pipefui or TOBACCO
HEADQUARTERS hill was high and dry. but down IN
the hollow below. where the 6sth had bivouacKeu
was the biggest lake in the system. Colonel Duly
and his men, by departing on Tuesday. escaped
great loss OF life by drowning. unless all the
members OF the Goth are good swimmers
stream which by actual measurement was three
feet deep. emptied itself throughout the rhorhiis
and afternoon on the old camp!nS-ground OF the
es,h finding It's way from the shadows east OF
Newspaper Row and the shoals OF Admiral Edoy
lake down the channel between headquarters
Hill and the life-saving station In the Young Men
Cbristian Association tent On the further shore
of this stream. land was sighted on which 'he
tents OF the LIST Provisional Regiment couio DC
seen No loss OF life property was reported
from that section Of the map. but the oareioo'eu
brigade was larger there than anywhere else' anu
the city men mean enough TO say 'hat 'ia'
was because the LIST made up OF countrymeh
ANYWAY and that Colonel BARRIERS boys had been
waiting for an excuse take off their shoes ana
stockings.
MOVING OUT HOPELESS
At the other end Of the field the territory occu-
pied by the 80 Provisional Regiment was cut OH
from communication by land with the ZZd hegl-
ment by a raging torrent flowing throush c"a''
mel formerly carriage road. Colonel norman
regiment was to have left Camp Black In the
morning but its departure. like all other business
except lighting the elements was next 10 linporf b
failure Of the Bureau of Navigation 70 supply the
cournanding officer Hampstead with a ch9rt OF Oh
wi Long
the ocean would have made the marine ser 49,
dangefoGs even if all the transports had not been
sent 10 Tampa and San Francisco: NV, cha rail
Visitors camp had to aight ron me wide
and as many inches deep. which was bounced on
sTth BY the By s'1Oo cock on
toon bridge six inches wide had been piaced across
WAS ns an Extensive system Of rivers and lakes With
the widest rivers where the a. rG pbe crossings
score OF livery wagons plunged hup-deep INTO !he
fields and ponds rapidly as they s0nf get fP b
passenger lists. and that was as rapidly as inc
trains came in
NOTHING LIKE THIS RAINY SEASON.
When the rain falls gently anywhere in the coun-
+rv 4, comes down in torrents at Camp Black. The
longer II rains the darker the clouds grow and the
lower they hang. Sheets Of water drive over me
and penetrating the thickest clothing This IS the
kind Of suffering the soldiers at Hempstead are
from the enemy. After their experiences at Hemp
stead the rainy season in Cuba Will nave no 'erFofs
Every effort made by the officers to iightesn ,
eseap woTn as q much che Of 9e the
There no drills and the guaros were sd aioT TS
horses temporarily quartered IN sheos whlch
had been used as kitchens BY resmrns nov nv 9b
passed around hat in officers row in ne morning
the purchase Of rubber boots and coats for many
Of the recruits who are SUI in peed 1oe or cnfoT
was keenly appreciated in the ranks.
THE NEW TWENTY-SECOND REGIMENT.
Major Russell. OF the 18th Battalion. sent tele-
gram 10 Albany yesterday asking Adjutant-Genera
Tillinghast If It was possible for the battalion &c
be detached from the 22d Regiment in order that a
new regiment might be recruited on the foundation
sense a request because Adjutant- General Tilling
the regiment. but merely query. Major Russel
and the officers and men Of the battalion want tS
form the nucleus Of new res e oS Th 1sb w
tsey ' think that the new call for volunteers may
open way for such action now mat C o,o e
the home section OF the old 18th is acknowledged tC
DC Major Russell has been annoyed by the attemp
of several newspapers to make !! appear that tnt
relations between the 18th sat S and nd the ~
The most friendly feeling R has existed aed be s
TIER m c0o and the s62
regiment to be known as the 18th Is Only iH IN, an.
and its record from oblivion Major Russell hopes
that the Governor and the IN ma b
war Department by which the battalion may =. D.
made the nucleus or q new l5th INesii',V anu "a !
could be done now through the new call Tor Volun
teers they would be glad 10 see II come 70 pas
Immediately without waiting for the end OF the war
THE THIRTEENTHs OFFICERS.
Colonel William Cary Sanger is prominently men
Toned for the colonecy Of a new 18th Regimen
that would be made In this way. Major Russel
would be the Northumberland and Captain Turpil
would be one Of the majors The mN9 ~ S IN
wound at Washington before the battalion could b.
detached from the 22d but II the Acknowledgement
reply 10 the Majors query is in any wise en-