Mexico weekly ledger., 1898-05-19
The Mexico Boys Arrive Safely
at Jefferson Barracks.
AN IDEAL SPOT FOR A CAMP.
Rumors That Captain Herbert Black
May Be Displaced.
Some Interesting Facts Concerning
the Camp and the Routine Duties
of the Soldiers Mexico Boys
Are All Well and Hearty.
Correspondence OF the Ledger.

Correspondence OF the Ledger.
JEFFERSON BARRACKS, May b.
This government military reservation
lies just 10 miles directly south of the
Court House in st. Louis and is Access
sible by steamboat, railroad and cleo
trio traction and is as pretty a mill
tary post as there is in this country.
Everything about the large grounds
is as neat as a pin and a more ideal
spot for a military camp could not
have been selected.
Company O arrived this morning
ill right without a mishap of any kind,
but it was pouring down rain when
we got in, which made marching
rather ~disagreeable. The lunch the
boys brought along came in just at
the right time. We doubtless would
have gone hungry for some little time
had it not been for our home "grub."
We we're next to the last company to
get up our tents, which will be of
some disadvantage to us in several
ways. We hear it rumored about
camp that we are to be changed to
Company L, next to the last company
in the regiment, and at this writing
there seems to be some dissention
over the rumored change of captain
of our company. What the outcome
will be I am unable even to guess. All
our boys are in the best of health and
spirits, and straw beds and army ra-
tions don't go bad. If many a fond
mother could see how their precious
boys are working in camp they would
conclude that soldering is not a
school-boy frolic. Putting up tents
and making drainage along our
''streets" fell to the lot of the soldiers.
The water used in camp is brought
from the Mississippi and is not near as
clear as Mexico hydrant water. 1t is
all we have to drink; nothing strong
er is permitted except coffee. The
camp swarms with shot tamale" ven-
ders and when we get tired of 'ihard
tack" we can invest what few nickels
we have left in "red hots," pig tails,
sausages, and any old antique thing
that comes along.
Kodaks, cameras and photograph
ers, both amateur and professional,
daily invade the camp and everything
and everybody has had a snap shot
taken at them. Mckinley and myself
were "snapped" just after we got
into camp and while VIZ were enjoy
ing ourselves eating a "spack." Pic
lures will be forwarded upon appli-
cation, tell the girls.
The boys tell me that in the morn
ing, beginning at 10 O'Clock, and af-
ternoon at 2, the companies drill for
two hours. Although it is said by old
timers that camp life becomes monot-
onous, there is always some sort of
diversion during the hours off duty.
1t is a sight to Q the companies of
men on their way to the Mississippi
river to take a bath. They carry
towels, bags, any old thing which will
perform the service of that indispens-
ible article of the toilet-a towel.
Some have soap, but the majority go
without it.
The tents are arranged In such a way
that a company will occupy two rows
facing each other, and the space be-
tween the rows is called the company
~"street." AT the end of the street is
the captains tent, or company
headquarters.
/ am told that when the shrill notes
of reveille are heard at 6 O'Clock in
the morning great is the transforma-
ton. Men half awake and rubbing
their eyes tumble out of their tents
into their company street and answer
to their names at roll call. Soon the
walls of the tents are raised and
everything within them Is neatly ar
ranged. After reveille call the odor
of cooking and the smoke Of hickory
wood pervades the camp and at $3.50
the men 'smess." The food is scooped
up and put on tin plates and black
co2ce is served in quart cups. The
colonel and star officers eat in their
private mess tent, but their fare is not
different from that of the men. The
government camp fare consists of
bread, no butter, coffee, cream, pork
and beans, fresh meat and tomatoes
IL.