The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1898-09-01
FROM CHICkAMAUGA TO LEXINGTON

CAMP HENRY CLAY, LEXINGTON
KENTUCKY. Aug. Goth, 1898
EDITOR PosT:-When the new,
was spread about Camp Thomas las,
Sunday evening that it wasdefnitely
determined that our camp would bt
moved toLexington, Kentucky, ev.
cry one breathed sight of relief
For the army at Chickomauga has
for the past two months or over been
fighting against an enemy more
terrible than any opposing army,
more treacherous than any Spaniard.
Nearly as many men fell victims to
that dread disease, typhoid fever, as
died fighting before Santiago. The
sick were not counted by tens or
hundreds, but by thousands. Is it
a marvel, then, that our marching
orders were received with three times
three cheers?
AT eighto'clock on Monday morn
ing camp was broken at the trumpet
signal. AT ten o'clock, just as Old
Sol was sending down his fercest
rays, the regiment started, in heavy
marching order, for Rossvillc, seven
and one half miles distant, 1t was
our first bitter experiences soldiers.
Marching in the heat of the day,
with the dust lying two or three
inches deep, and the heavy loads up
on our shoulders, was d severe test
for the strength andnerve of the best
of us. Rossvillc was reached at
half past twelve and the men stacked
arms expecting to take the train
within a few hours. But no train
came and at night-tall we slept with
Mother Earth as pillow, and the
blue sky and the stars above us for
a canopy. Bivouac fires burned
brightly all night about which we
now and again gathered to warm our
benumbcd limbs.
The next days was slso one of
waitingandcxpectancy. Our diet wa,
hard tack and corned bccfand just
enough of that to create desire for
II good square meal. During the
day agrcatm many visited the old Ross
house, built by Chief John Ross in
1899. 1t isa quaint old colonial
dwelling, one story high, standing
back from the road amidst u grove
of beautiful tall trees. Along the
front of the lousc extends Il large
porch andcverything about the place
indicated that when it was construct
ed, it was considered to be a mansi-
on of Il man of no small means. A
hundred yards to the right, the old
Ross spring runs out from the foot
of Missionary Ridge-a stream of
clear, cool water, gushing out from
the rocks, almost equal to the water
of Pennsylvania. The premises
would be turned into Il veritable
paradise, were they in the hands of
oneof our enterprising Northern cit
liens. But now the old homestead
of Chief John Ross presents nobett er
appearance than many of the farm
houses round about, and the residents
appeared to be living in the same
style in which their ancestor lived a
hundred years ago.
On the evening our expectancy
was turned to disappointment, the
ground was again covered with
sleeping soldiers, and the bivouac
fires again cast a wierd light
over the sleeping host. At mid
night the train pulled in, after fifty
two hours wait. Twenty six cars
were soon filled with the men of the
Second and Third Battalions who
bid a not very sorrowful adieu to the
noted battlefield. The undersigned
was one of the fortunate ones to ride
in sleeper, and the first nights
sleep upon bed for many a day
passed like moment.
On the next morning we were
marched to our new camp in the
home of fast horses and Kentucky
Bourbon. Evidences Of the hospit-
ality of the people ofLexington were
to be seen ON every side. The city
roisad a fnnd of &1OO OOO for tho