The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-08-09
FROM REvEILLE TO TAPS.
ROUTINE OF CAMP LIFE AMONG
COL. RAYS SOLDIERS.

CoIOncI-The Men Given n Large
Share of Freedom and Are Making
the Most of 1t Before They Leave
American SOiI-The MinnewasISa
Expected To-day and the Regi-
ment May Sail Tomorrow.
At sunset at the camp of the Third Reg
iment, with the cool winds sweeping oNer
the grounds from the river. with hundreds
Of interested spectators. and with the
thousand men in blue standing at parade
rest, the regimental cogors came down
from before the regimental headquarters.
Twenty-four buglers sounded the call.
All day long, as the soldiers passed by
the flag had been saluted. Not an officer
or private passed within the circle of its
Influence without doffing his hat and bring
ing it to a salute. 1t was pretty feature
of military discipline, or military patriot
ism. To the civilian audience many Of
whom had never before been present on a
similar occasion, the Retreat was
unique and picturesque spectacle.
No name has been bestowed upon the
camp of Col Rays regiment. In the city
e is known as Rays camp, but the sol
diers have given it no tide. Life out there
begins with the rising of the sun in the
morning and continues until within an
hour of midnight A few minutes before
; o'clock the notes of a solitary bugle
float over the camp, through the heavy air,
causing the tired soldier to turn in his sleep
and arousing the company buglers 10 an
other day of duty. AT $40 the force of
buglers has assembled and the reveile is
sounded 1t is time for the soldiers to
arise and for the sentinegs to cease chal-
longing. At $50 o'clock the assembly call
is given
Twenty minutes is ample time for the
scanty toilet of soldier. Roll call and
other minor matters consume the time
until o'clock when breakfast is served.
Fifteen minutes later comes the sick call,
when all the sick Of each company must
be reported. An intermission for rest
brings the first drill of the day at 7:9O
O'Clock For one hour each company is
put through the manual of arms. Again
there Is an hour of rest and recreation,
followed by a squad drin from $50 to
1870 o'clock. At II o'clock there is the or
derly's call when the first sergeants re-
ceive instructions and turn in their re-
ports. Just prior to this a school of in
struction for the commissioned officers
has begun with Col Ray or Maj. Wylly
in charge In a volunteer regiment, like
this one, the value of such class can
not be overestimated.
Noon brings dinner. Then at 1 o'clock
the non-commissioned officers are put to
school for an hour, an officer of each
company looking after these subordi-
mates in his own command. From dinner
until 4:30 O'Clock there is little or nothing
for the private to do who is not on guard.
Then, if the conditions permit, there is
reglmental or battalion drill. Not having
adequate space for such maneuvers no
such drills can be held here. AT o'clock
comes supper, followed by the retreat at
sunset. AT o'clock is the call to quar-
ters, and at IL o'clock the "tatto beats,
the lights are out the camp around in
slumber lies"
Such is routine life in camp when camp
life is in accordance with usual regula-
lions. But at the Third Regiments camp
such conditions cannot entirely exist 1t
was expected that the men would be there
but a few hours, that it was a breathing
SPELL a temporary waiting station on the
way to Santiago, and so, while kept up
to some extent, there is a considerable
relaxation of discipline and military work.
Capt. Frost of Company f was officer
of the day yesterday, with Lieut.. Parker
as officer of the guard and Lieut.. McCool
as junior officer. The camp was well
guarded but there was free admission to
visitors and hundreds inspected the camp
and chatted with the men, Company Is
headquarters were naturally the center of
attraction for SaVannahians, and the
friends of the boys from this city swarmed
through the company street, sat on the
ground by the tents and made themselves
as much a home as possible. The Savan-
nahians had many pretty girls out to see
them and were envled by all their COM
rades of the other companies.
Col. Ray gave permission early In the
day for ten men from each company to be
given leave of absence, all being required
to be back In camp by s o'clock at night.
This meant 100 men from the entire regi-
ment. The captains regulated the time the
men could be absent from camp As a
rule the passes were good for four hours.
When one man returned, and his pass was
surrendered, another was allowed the priv
iiege of visiting the city. In this way,
probably over 200 of the men were given
an opportunity to see the city. The same
rules viii be in force to-day. The men,
while in town, were orderly and their be-
havior was i'm distinct and gratifying con-
trast with the reports that have come Of
the conduct of some of the men at Tampa
and at Charleston. Sunday night a few
privates got out of camp without leave.
They were rounded up by a strong guard,
and sent in to the guard house. Two or
three Of the men. who were obstreperous,
were put In irons aud sent out TO camp in
that shape. The city police were request
ed by some of the sergeants to help arrest
the men. but declined. AS long as the sol
diers were not disorderly they naturally
did not consider it any Of their business
whether they had passes. one recalcitrant
private had 10 be dubbed with the butt end
of a gun before he would submit 10 arrest.
AT the guard house last night there were
tweuty-eight prisoners, one charged with
cursing an officer, two with insubordina-
ton three with desertion, and the balance
with having left camp without permission.
The charges Of desertion are unders TODD to
be technical. The unfortunates will do po-
lice work, extra guard duty, be cut down
in their privileges and otherwise punished
for their infractious of the regulations.
Many of the ladies who visited the camp
during the day assured Col. Ray that il
there was anything that they could do 10
add to the comfort of the men they would
ChCerfullV do so. In the hOSpital therp