The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-08-10
Troop F Boys Sleep on a Mat
ress of Mud and Like 1t.
VERY TIRED OF THEIR JOB
Perspiration Pours OF in Torrents While
the Brave Soldiers Stand in the Sun
and Wonders When 1t Will
All Come to an End.

- abIditlAS fIh'Ns NV ~
special correspondence tells something
of how they spend their time:
Camp George II. Thomas. Chlcka-
manga Park, Ca. July 81, 1S9S.-Grigs-
by's cowboys have mov again-but
only a change of camp. Owing to the
superabundant kindness Of some head
push.'' we have left the timber and
pitched our tents on The Brotherton
field, where no tree ever grew, nor eve
will grow. save it be a weeping willow
that will mourn our fate. The officer 20
whom we are indebted for ,nis happy
change no doubt foresaw hat for us To
continue in the shade of the forest trees
would be TO allow US 100 great an inGul-
gence-the luxury of il would lid Irta an
Incidence which even our highly spiced
food would not overcome. Besides. what
right has a soldier to any comfort,
even IL IL may be had wtta1It Interior
ing with his duties!
SO we are moved. The Brotherton
field is situated half a mile north " IT
Of u former camp, half a miia east Of
Lyle, and at the western edge Of the
park. 1t is on the sum nit y "A oo-foot
ridge. it's crest unmarried by al insight
ly shrub-a reproduction IN miniature
of the great Sahara desert-save there
is no inviting oasis. Two hundred yards
west of us is "A grove of imperial oaks,
the shade of which will he abandoned
to our horses. This is a just law of
precedence. for the horse is an animal
of superior instinct, while the soldier is
but an organism of a lower order-as
witness his enlistment. We shall wax
hardy on this bleak hill. The sun in all
its splendor will send his unobstructed
rays down upon the paTched ground
and will smile warmly upon the snow
white tents. To stand I'm the open
streets would tend to mar our clear,
pure compilations, so that for protection
we viii seek our tents. These will he
delightfully."- warm; this will be toning,
for the perspiration will freely flow,
subjecting us To "A continual Turkish
bath, which is very invigorating. Here,
too. we are protected from the biting
cold, the chill breath or a Southern
summer
We feel deeply obligated because Il
the change. and acknowledge the debt
Of gratitude due TO the prime factor in
the move.
We have had delightful weather re-
Gently. We a " had rain for break
fast, rain for dinner, rain for supper;
the music of l~ow-voiced thunder has
sung us To sleep. the descending storm
has Weakened us. During the day, in
the performance Of our work, we have
trod on the cushions Of soft mud; our
heated bodies have been cooled by the
diminutive cloud bursts which hourly
sweep the park. Between the showers
Old Sol has smiled complacently and
from the neighboring corrals sweet
yapors have risen. which gentle breezes
waited To u willing ~nostrils, Rivers of
crystal water have flowed down our
- 49,
ed by sparkling pools. Our camp-the
entire park-has been an American
Venice. We have pulled the spotted
trout from the convenient torrents,
rave trailed the deer over the wet soil;
but through il all there has been the
vagueness of Imagination, the unreality
of a dream.
The Rough Riders have been left be
hind TO the exciting events of park life,
while better drilled and more valiant
regiments of the First corps hav been
sent 10 the dull. monotonous existence
of Porto Rican wars. We are glad be
cause of this, for we enlisted just TO
pass away the time; to fight Is the least
Of our desires, to enjoy the bliss of
peaceful soldering the greatest of our
wishes. And yet. though we feel riied
at being held i'm inactivity. still w arc
glad that ours was not he fate II the
9th Illinois.
This Illinois regiment was 90 have
been included in the Porto Rican eN-
petition and We're ordered out last
week. Wednesday morning they loaded
their equipments on the cans and were
themselves aboard the train ready tur
the start. Everyone was hilarious.
They were bound to the front and were
to win honor and glory and to take
part in their country's cause There
were many who felt "A little lump in
their throats at the thought of leaving
dear ones so far behind. perhaps to re-
turn no more. But. on the whole, they
were rejoiced.
Suddenly all was changed. There
came an order to unload and return 10
the camp. What disappointment! What
detection What a feeling of despera-
ton! With difficulty the officers sue
Ceeded in having the truck unloaded;
had the men fall in preparatory To the
return march. But the men who We're
so eager to move forward had no heart
for the retreat, and their patience at
last gave way. The men broke down
and rebelled against the injustice. Ranks
We're broken and soldiers scattered here
and there. At least one-half OF them
are camped in their shelter tents he
tween here and Chattanooga. ON
Thursday there were not enough men
to pitch the tents in the new location
where the regiment Is henceforth 10
abide. Wednesday night there Were at
least 200 of them in the city: some Of
them sleeping i'm vacant lots under thu
shelter tents and others staying with
acquaintance who sympathiZed with
them in their troubles There Is no
kind Of order or discipline and there has
been no roll call in the regiment since
Wednesday morning.
Those Of the men who are stopping II
the city and suburbs nave been in the
main well behaved and not guilt Of n
improprieties. but this cannot be said Of
those who are camped along the roads
and on the hillsides outside the park.
These boys have been rendered dos-
perate and have not hesitated to hold
up farmers agons, delivery wagons,
and help themselves 70 whatever these
wagons contained. After the order came
70 go back TO ROssVille the disorder be-