The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-09-13
INCIDENTS OF THE TRIP.
The Men Had No Unusual Experiences
on the Way Home.

The Men Had No Unusual Experiences
the Way Home.
The trip home of the observation-disclosures
ffty-ninth Regiment was made without
many unusual incidents. The regiment left
Camp Meade, near Middletown, Pa. Sun
day afternoon at 500 o'clock, in four Sec
tons. the last of which, containing the two
hospital cars and fourteen sick men, was
under the command of Colonel Barnett. The
first section was under the command of
Major Fee At Pittsburg yesterday morn
ing at ! o'clock a journal broke down and
the section was delayed one hour and thir-
fy-seven minutes, the second section, COM
manded by Lieutenant Colonel Mccoy and
Major McAuliff, meantime passing it, so
that the second section arrived first 1t
pulled into the Union Station at $40 o'clock
yesterday afternoon. Here ample arrange
ments for the reception of the battalion had
been made by the Board of Trade, which
served ffty-six gallons of coffee and one
thousand sandwiches to the four companies
that constituted the second battalion, Com
panies A, of Vincennes; B, of Terre Haute;
D. OF Washington,and K, of Princeton. Mrs.
j. +. Kurfiss, Mrs. ]. NJ. MCGEE and Miss
Jessie Bird superintended the work of dis
fributing the coffee and sandwiches The
train lay in the station some time awaiting
orders from Colonel Barnett. AS it was get
ting so late it decided best to have
the men remain in the cars over night. On
the way home, Major McAuliff said there
had been but few incidents out of the ordi
nary. The men had plenty to eat and were
furnished, coffee. In Pittsburg citizens were
on hand to furnish the boys with good
Things TO eat. After the train crossed the
Indiana line the soldiers were given an en-
thusiastic reception at all places through
which they passed. Two or three of the
men who had been indisposed before leav
Ing camp became i'll. One of them. Private
Spurgeon A. Cain, of Company K. was taxi
Ell from the train and assisted to the civ
abulance by two of his comrades. and then
taken to the City Hospital. He appeared TO
nave the fever. Last night the hospital phy-
slcians said his case was not apparently Sc
rlous. After remaining on the track for some
time the train was hauled to the Grant
street yards Colonel III. r. Houghton. mas
Ter of transportation. learning that there
would not be room for the four sections on
the South-street yards, it was considered
best to use the Grant-street yards where
there would be room for the fifty cars of
The regiment.
MAJOR FEES SECTION DELAYED.
There Was long wait before the next Sec
ton, commanded by Major Fee reached the
Union Station This section had been de-
layed three hours by minor accidents. none
or which resulted in personal injury to any
man. At Pittsburg. after one of the sleepers
was disabled, the railroad company put in
another that only held thirty of the forty
eight men the first car had contained and
the train was about to pull out when Lieut..
mccormick, who was guarding the train,
discovered the situation and declared that
not wheel should turn until another car
was provided for the eighteen men that did
not even have standing room, say nothing
about place to sleep.
I'VE have no more sleeping cars" was the
statement with which he was met.
Then put in a day COACH" he replied
After considerable delay this was done,
making fourteen coaches on the section. and
the train pulled out again. At Columbus,
O., and at Cambridge City the train was
further delayed but aside from the annoy
ance there was no serious result
Captain Hawkins, assistant surgeon. was
with this section. He said that there were
three or four men who were indisposed but
that their condition was not so critical as TO
require their removal to the City Hospital
he thought If it became necessary thew
could be transferred to the hospital cars
after the trains were in the yards This
section contained the companies constituting
the first battalion, Companies +, NJ f and
]. Major Fee was enthusiastic about the
hospitality of Pennsylvania people, who did
everything possible to make the journey of
the men pleasant. While the trains were in
the station coffee and sandwiches were dis
pensed by the Board of Trade committee.
The second section was still on the tracks
when the third. containing the companies
of the third battalion, c, H. G and L. under
command OF Major Lowden. rolled in. 1t
mad been standing iE the yards down near
the Home brewery for an hour, while Sta
lion Master Lewis was getting the tracks
cleared of the regular trains. Major Low
den had five sick men that he thought ought
to have better medical attention than they
could get in the crowded sleeDers. Mayor
Taggart telephoned for the city ambulance
and they were taken to the City Hospital
The major said the trip of bis battalion
LAD been as uneventful as that on the other
sections. The men were all in good spirits
and glad to get home, so long as they knew
there was no chance TO see any active serv-
ice. There was more coffee and sandwiches
Tor the boys, who hung out of the windows
''Jollying" the crowd.
COL. BARNETT'S SECTION ARRIVES.
1t WIS about o'clock before Colonel Bar
netts section, containing the two hospital
cars, under charge of Major Surgeon
Standard, arrived. Lieutenant Waterman,
Colonel Houghton and Secretary Wilson at
once boarded the car to consult with Col
Barnett concerning the care of the sick
and the movement of the regiment this
morning. They were Joined by DR.. o. S.
Runnels. chief surgeon on the Governors
staff, who explained what arrangements
had been made for the care of all sick In
diana volunteers at Camp Mount Major
Standard said the men had been put to bed
for the night and were resting comfortably
he thought Ii would be as we'll to leave
them until morning. After consideration,
however, he decided TO send two of the
worst cases to the City Hospital, Mayor
Taggart coming aboard to say that hos
pltal ambulance was waiting.
Colonel Barnett and Major Stunkard
seemed TO think that ample arrangements
We're to be had at the camp hospital and
there, although there were two or three
that would likely be better off some place
else than in tents. Dr. Runnels assured the
colonel that ambulances for the removal
or the sick from the train to the camp
hospital would be in waiting on the arrival
OF the regiment at Camp Mount. Lieut.
Waterman said that all the wagons neces-
sary to transport the baggage 10 the camp
ground would be on hand. Colonel Barnett
agreed to all the suggestions that were
made. There was question as to whether
the men should march to Sixteenth street
and there take street cars for the camp In
some cases the railroads have refused TO
transport men further than the Union Sta
ton without additional charge. Colonel
Barnett said that while his transportation
ment that the cars were to run to Camp
Mount and he had no doubt the agreement