The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1898-06-23
Mr.. Rhamstine's Letter.
CHATTANOOGA, june II, 1898.

>hAiiANo'"A, Jun" IL, 1910.
Soldier life at Camp Thomas is
beginning to feel more realistic to
the forty-three thousand volunteers
camped on the battlefield of Chica-
mauga Park than it was three
weeks ago. The various regiments
have been divided and placed in
corps so as to be commanded by the
brigadier-generals assigned to them.
Uniforms ard ammunition, arms,
etc. have been furnished the vOlun-
tecrs that came here in civilian dress
and armed with a Jack-knife, othat
very few remain to be supplied to be
ready for campaign service. Army
discipline is urged and enforced by
the officers and continuous drill is
kept up to perfect the boys. A trip
to the camps reveals incidents at
times amusing and again pathetic.
In one camp you may see the sick
being famed by his faithful COM
panion, the thin and pale face show
ing inward pain and burning fever
which cannot be relieved to II great
extent when the thermometer is 80
degrees in the shade. The thought
of a cool home IN some northern
state where mother and sister watch
and wait for his return which may
never he. In another camp you can
see the soldiers playing games or
performing upon an improvised
trapeze, or perhaps native pick
aniny who is on his way to the corn
field or melon patch is stopped and
made to dance or singa song. There
has been a littlecomplaint about the
rations furnished the men but from
reports furnished by men of expert
ence it is claimed that proper rations
are issued and that the men should
not expect to receive chicken and
pot pie or ice cream and sponge
cake in an army camp. There has
been sickness caused by the soldiers
buying supplies such as soda pop,
cakes, etc. from the numerous ped
dlers that travel all over the park
and an order has been issued by
General Brooke that the peddling
nuisance must be stopped and the
soldiers asked to continc themselves
to Uncle Sans boarding house.
The men are fed on rice, beans, cab
bage, bacon, and, on certain days,
receive fresh meat. Each soldier is
entitled to one lS-ounce loafof bread
per day. The bread is baked right
near the camp by Chattanooga
, firm who have a contract to bake
one loaf per man per day. So at
this time fOrty-threc thousand loaves
are baked daily and to do this work
it requires Is bakers besides the
other help. The bread is hauled
away from the bakery in army
wagons in the same manner that
I, cord wood is taken from the forest.
There seems to be a demand for
!, teamsters and blacksmiths, and as i
matter of information | will say that
, teamsters are paid thirty and fifty
, dollars per month and blacksmit =
,, seventy-five dollas per month, fosd
', and clothing furnished. Recruiting
,, officers have left for Penna. andfur-
!, ther information can be obtained
,, from them. If | can aid any one to
, secure such place they can address
= me here. Gen. Hastings and staff
= arrived Friday night and inspected
3 the Penna. troops today. Every
= one came ont in their best "bib and
o tucker, the band played patriotic
q music, the soldiers kept step to .
Q o man, the horses pranced and danced
o the Governor smiled his sweetest,
o o and bowed gracefully while th'
q American flag tapped the wind as i
o inpatient at the delay of floatin!
% over "Morro Castle"
u Yours truly,