The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-05-28
NO. KANSAS MEN
Are Among the Sick at Chick
amauga.
SERGT. MAHANEY WRITES
Monuments of Cannon Balls
on the Battle Field.

Sergeant John P. Mahaney, boy who
was raised in Wichita and who went
away from here as a member of Captain
Everetts company, writes back to his
mother as follows:
"Chickamauga Park, Sunday, May q.
my Dear Mother.
las this is Sunday and all our work is
done, 1 will write a few lines to you. 1
hope they will find you all well, as 1 am
and have been since leaving Wichita But
it seems strange that every other regi-
ment here excepting Kansas. has men
sick in the hospital from fever, sunstroke
and measles. A captain from New York
died Thursday evening from sunstroke,
and thirty men are in the hospital from
the same cause. Well, will give you an
idea OF the trip we had.
I'VE left Topeka about D. m. Tuesday.
May II, with 1,O26 men on three trains,
over the Santa Fe TO Kansas City, arriv-
ing there about o'clock. After supper.
which consisted of hard tack, canned
beans and coffee. we were transferred to
the Missouri Pacific and departed about
p m. for St. Louis. After travelling all
night we arrived there without an acci-
dent TO our men, but a brakeman on our
train had his foot crushed while attempt
ing to make a coupling. When we had
breakfast we were turned over TO the
Louisville and Nashville railroad and
again started on our Journey. travelling
through the states Of Missouri. Illinois.
Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, and ended
our journey in Georgia. From the time
we Ieft Topeka, where a great crowd bid
us goodbye, we were met by large
crowds all along the line. who showed
great patriotism by firing of cannon.
hand shaking and showering flowers up0n
US. and the further south we came the
greater crowds met us Arriving at
Nashville, Tenn, we transferred to the
Cincinnati, New Orleans and st. Louis
road, and then we made the last change
and again started for Chattanooga, Tenn,
arriving there Thursday morning. being
confined in the cars all day until about 4
p. m.
They then started for the park, which
Is twelve miles out, and after going about
eight miles we were ordered to unload
and camp, which we did on the side of a
hill without our tents and nothing to eat
but hard tack and canned beans. With
out our coffee, which we were used to
we all had headaches. but not a man
complained. When the order was given
TO fall in every man was in his place and
then we marched TO our present camp. !
which is in Chickamauga Park, where one |
of the hardest battles of the Civil war /
was fought, and now the men are picking |
up balls on the field that were used in the |
battle and keeping them as relics This
Is beautiful place shaded by all kinds 7.
Of trees, such as the pine, oak. walnut |
and many others. but the only drawback
is water. There are about 40 900 men here |
from over the Union and It takes lots of /
water to supply them. and also each /
company has four mules to be watered. /
and it takes lots of water for them too /
As yet no one has suffered. guess we
will be here all summer; at least. 1 hope T.
SO. for we have fine place to camp and /
a fine creek with a rock bottom to take |
bath in. Yesterday there were about |
300 men in at once, and l guess some Of
them needed it badly. The hospital sur
geons said the only care necessary was
to take a good bath and keep our camp
quarters clean and that would ward off
fever. They are enforcing the order to
the point. In a few days every one Of us
will be supplied with new uniforms. hats,
shoes, underwear and hose. They took
our measures yesterday and by next
Sunday we will look like soldiers.
Mother, I wish you were here this
morning, for it is fine. The chaplain is
holding service and about 800 men are
singing, and the regimental band of ours
from Hutchinson, Kan, is playing
America" and altogether II is delightful
There are some fine monuments erected
In this park which is twelve miles square
They are erected in memory of the SOL
diers of the late war. and there are mon
uments Of cannon balls over the spots
where the high officers of the army fell.
and they are ten 10 twelve feet high.
would not have missed this trip for any
thing I never will forget IL.
Well, this is all this time Your son
JOHN"
Be sure to put the address as below:
''Sergt. John p. Mahaney. co. c. 9lst
Kan. Vol, Chickamauga Park Ga.