St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1898-06-15
PROTECTED CRUISER, CHARLESTON.

The Spaniards, sklfuly posted, repulse
the attempted landing, and the Amer
cans drew off. No damage was cause,
by the shells from the ships, which KEEP
distant, evidently afraid to venture with
in range of the guns of the forts.
} The vermonters are Clothed.
l The Burlington News gives the follow
J ing interesting letter from the boys a
the front:
J The Division review a few DAYS age
was good thing for the Vermont boys
AS the regiment marched by the review
ing officers with every man looking
straight to the front and every company
!. marching with almost perfect alignment
but with half of the men dressed like
tramps, one of the officers exclaimed
why didn't those men wear their uni.
forms? What regiment is that?" Some
one at his side replied, THAT is the
First Vermont-the men have not vet
been equipped" uniform them at
once" was the answer. And so the
Green Mountain boys now have their
uniforms. None Of the regiments have
as yet been fully equipped with guns, rub
Der blankets, shelter tents and other arti-
cles necessary for field service.
Many interesting incidents occurred
while the men were being uniformed.
First came the shoes. Every man was
asked which size and width he wears.
Some Of the boys had seen the shoes that
other regiments were wearing and de-
cided. that the sizes ran very large,
so almost all the boys asked for sizes
smaller than they usually wear. But
when the shoes came the sizes all run
small and many of the men found that
the shoes issued to them were full inch
shorter than their feet but in most cases
the diffhculty was arranged by exchang.
ing with someone who had by accident
got pair OF shoes that were too large
tor him. The underwear is of q much bet.
terquaity than was expected. The navy
blue wooden shirts which may be worn
with or without the blouse are of the
very best quality-having two pockets
and being lined front and back for about
SIX inches below the shoulder. The hats
issued are of the same quality as those
worn by most Of the officers and are
probably the best ever furnished to the
army. They are trhe darker in color
and much SITTER and finer looking than
those worn by the National Guard.
When the trousers and blouses were tried
on there was groaning and wailing
throughout the regiment. Many of the
boys are accustomed to wear tailor.
made clothes and getting new suit sew
eral sizes too large or too small is a
great shock to ones pride in his personal
appearance.
The sizes of the trousers were taken nv
the waist and leg measure and for the
most part fit fairly WELL especially when
leggings are worn. For the blouses, how
ever, only chest measure was taken.
They run in sizes 1, 2, 8, 4, etc. 1t is
estimated that about one man in ten
gets blouse that fits him WELL The
Others may be graded as fair, bad and
awful. Here, too, a mans only resort
is to find someone with whom he can
exchange. Chevrons and stripes for
non.commissioned officers were not is.
sued with the uniforms. A special reuui-
sition must be made for them. Those
men who had good leggings were not
given new ones, but those who had Door
ones or none at all were allowed to
choose between high ones reaching to
the knee and the shorter ones used by the
National Guard. Their color is dark
brown.
All blankets, canteens, haversacks.
belts, bayonets, scabbards and guns
have been inspected and those that are
in any way damaged have been con.
demned and will be replaced as soon as
the quartermaster can get the necessary |
supplies.
Monday afternoon came the long.
talked of change in camp position, and
although the site is still nearly the same
as originally it is in many ways much
better. The left of the regiment has been
moved several hundred yards farther to
the left, while the right of the regiment
rests practically where it was before.
Each company now has street by itself
as at Camp Olympia. This spreads the
camp out very much more than before.
leaves much more room between the
tents and will make the company streets
much cooler and pleasanter, especially in
the middle of the day. Whether this
change means that the regiment is in for
two months stay here or not, is not
known, but 1t was probably made only
Tor the convenience of the boys as long
as they are here in camp. 1t is under.
stood that the Eighth New York.
next to the Vermont bows. has
been ordered to leave for San Francisco
and it is possible the Vermont regiment
may leave shortly after.
With the aid of the Or. Webb fund for
the hospital, Col. Clark and the sur.
geons have been able to make great
many improvements i'll the arrangement
OF the Regimental hospital. Cots, mat
tresses, sheets, pillow cases, and blank.
cts have been furnished and the ward
proper has been fitted out in excellent
shape. A special bath room" tent has
been put up in connection with the hos.
pital and each patient before being put
to bed is given bath. The hospital is
now being run on system as near that
OF regular civilian hospital as is posi-
BILE IN field service.
The rations issued by the government
still remain about the same, but with
the little things which the boys can buy
and the boxes received from home they
are learning to get at least one square
meal day.
Lieut.. Stratton, of Co. K, who has