The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1898-05-06
OFF TO WAR.
MankatO Recruits Go to the
Front.
FOrty.Five Join the Third Regiment and
Take the Special Train Friday
Morning


There was lively scene at the
union depot Friday morning. The FL
more train at $50 a. m. switched off
two cars filled with the Blue Earth
City company, which was organized
Monday night. These cars remained
down near theMilwaukee round house
until a special train of baggage car
and two coaches pulled in at 1870
o'clock, bearing the ST. James COM
pany, 1OS strong. The Blue Earth
City cars were then attached to the
rear of the special. About half OF the
st. James men were in uniform, wear
ing the regulation blue, with brown
leggins and web belts. All OF the
others, being new recruits. have not
yet been uniformed. The St. James
and Blue Earth City companies are
composed of fine looking young men,
brawney and good natured, and one
could not but feel that they will give
a good account of themselves if they
are brought face to face with the
Spaniards.
Lieut.. Col. @. E. Johnson, resplen-
dent in full uniform, boarded the
train, and took with him fOrty-tive
recruits for the Third regiment, there
having been no place found for the
Mankato company. Half of these
men, it is understood, will be assign
ed to the Zumbrota company, and the
others scattered among the companies
that have not reached the full war
strength.
A vast crowd of people, numbering
several hundred, packed the depot
platform while the train was waiting
to pull out. ca There were greetings
for such of the strangers as were
recognized by acquaintences in the
crowd, and there were numerous fare
wells to the Mankate boys. The lat
ter are a brave and enthusiastic lot of
youths, who will make excellent SOL
diers and splendid fighting material.
The juvenile 'drum corps was on
hand played several selections of mar
tial music. Old soldiers present,
wearing the Grand Army button, said
that the scene recalled the days when
they went to the front thirty-seven
years ago.
AS the train pulled out for St.
Paul, the men cheered and the ladies
waved their handkerchiefs, and the
recruits on the train responded with
a cheer. The train was covered with
fiags,s the engine being particularly
we'll decorated. Each Of the Blue
Earth City recruits carried small
flag pinned to his coat or hat.
The St. James company was given
a splendid send off Thursday by the
citizens Of that town. A reception
was given the company, attended by
nearly everybody in town, followed by
an elaborate banquet and Ipatriotic
speech making.
The three: regiments which form
Minnesota's quota of volunteer
troops rendeVoused at Fort Smelling
Friday. All of the recruits will be SUBJ
jected to searching physical ,exami-
nation, and many will doubtless be
rejected. The ranks will be filed
again, and the drilling will COM
mence. In about ten days the troops
will be moved southeastward, perhaps
to Washington. A: few weeks later,
a move will be made further south,
perhaps to Chattanooga, Tenn. Then
after a while another move may be
made to near the Gulf coast. In this
way, the new and raw troops will be
broken into the routine of camp life,
brought down under strict discipline,
hardened to marching, and made
gradually used to the warmer and
more enervating climate of the south.
This policy will'be pursued in order
that the health of the troops may not
be affected by too sudden changes.
At the present time, it seems likely
that the first army to be sent into
Cuba will be composed of the regu-
lars.
We have been handed the following
partial list of recruits who went to
St. Paul with Col. Johnson:
John A. Jorgenssn, Hiram E. Van
Buren,, G. R. Larson, Michael Buego,
Hans G. Johnson, George Davis, Mark
Todd Coffin, Warren Turner Fuller,
Oscar Garfield Jache, Geo. Edward
Kenney, Sophus Knudson, Arthur
Henry Lang, Eugene Ryel, Henry
Madison, Royal Horton, Chas. John
Thornby. Oliver J. Duane, Gradus
Seghers, Chas. A. Goodridge, Harry
George Quinn, Edward ]. Kruger,
James T. Minton, William John
Davidson, Armin Robert Jache, Frank
Aldrich. Harvey Martin Hickok,
Garth Lawrence Rice, Geo. Johnson,