Evening star., 1898-06-01
THE DISTRICT BOYS
A Graphic Glimpse of Life in an
Army Camp.
DAILY ROUTINE OF DRILL
The Government Mule and Some
of His Vagaries.
A HIGH COMP PLIM ENT


accompaniment of a chorus of voices, in
one of the company streets of the I'd Bat
talon attracted my attention just before
tattoo last evening l was stroling
through the camp of the 1st Regiment of
Infantry. District of Columbia Volunteers.
The night ideal. The moon almost
overhead. made the oak grove wherein the
camp is located veritable fairy bower.
One would not have been greatly sur
1rised, under the circumstances. had the
entire Brownie band appeared tumbling and
leaping from the tents and foliage. Draw
ing nearer 1 able to distinguish the
words of the chorus. The boys sing
Ing the familiar refrain that concludes
''Oh, let me take my place at home again."
Passing on, l approached the quarters of
he 1st Battalion, at the other extremity
G the camp company there was group
I'd beneath a spreading oak. singing. The
mandolin was missing, but the song, in
Tiew of that chosen by the Sd Battalion
soldier lads. was significant The senti-
ment expressed i'll harmony was There's
no place like home. sweet home"
1t would hardly he correct to say that a
portion of the District LIST Regiment of
Volunteers, in the war with Spain, has
not been homesick- If they had it to go
over again several of the men performing
military duty at Chickamauga would prob
ably now be in Washington. attired in
'cits instead of wearing the blue cloth and
brass buttons supplied by your Uncle Sam
ueL From = O'Clock in the morning until
10 O'Clock at night the volunteer from the
District of Columbia has only very few
moments he can call his own. Then. he
IS subsisting the army ration. which is
somewhat of drop from what he has
been raised on at the national capital
The Daily RatiOns.
Fer breakfast he has hardtack. bacon
and coffee The ut dinner
consists of coffee. bacon and hardtack. At
supper effort in the usual course of
Affairs is made to vary the diet, and the
soldiers hunger is appeased with bacon,
hardtack and coffee. The three articles
mentioned. speaking seriously, may be said
TO form the basis of the food supply. In
addition the men are issued plentiful al
lowance of excellent fresh meat. potatoes,
tomatoes, beans and the like. Each man
mas his meat can, tin cup, knife and fork.
AT mess call the companies are formed by
the flrst sergeant and marched to the
kitchens at the end of each company street
The cooks, who. by the way. are enlisted
men in the companies. fill each plate and
cup The men then return to their tents
and proceed to perform feats in magic
along the disappearing food line.
All IN all but little, if any, discomfort ex-
lists In the regiment, now that everybody
Is settled and things running along
smoothly. As intimat ted, some few of the
District boys We're naturally homesick at
the start. The duties and conditions were
new 10 the majority of the regiment but
all have apparently adapted themselves to
circumstances, and every individual is in
all sincerity, endeavoring to maintain the
reputation already established-that the 1st
District of Columbia is the crack regiment
at Camp Thomas. 1t might be well to add
that more than forty regiments from all
sections or the country, are now under can
vas here.
The Officers Mcsses
The officers, too. think they are earning
every cent of their prospective salaries.
UEtil a day or two ago the wearers of
shoulder straps had to perform the most
vigorous foraging in order to even partly
compromise with the inner Individual Now.
however, the situation is more promising.
ReSimental headquarters has a mess and
the reSfmental non-comrnissioned staff is
also provided for. The lst Battalion Off
GERS no longer go hungry and messing
with them are several officers of the I'd
battalion. Major Hine and the majority of
the officers of the I'd Battalion also have
a mess. and invitations to Join them have
been accepted by Major o. Brien, Adjutant
Cook. captain LOCKER and several other
officers of the I'd Battalion. Should the
commissiarl'. for any reason, fail the regi-
fnent Would not necessarily be stared in
the race by starvation. Enterprising indi-
viduais from Chattanooga and vicinity each
lay make their appearance in wagons at
the edge Of the camp. The wagons are
loaGed with sandwiches, cakes. fruit milk
lemonade and the like, and are generously
patronized. the rates charged being rea-
scnaDle- Laundry wagons also make daily
Ilps 10 the camp, and a post office tent
mas been erected. with Chaplain Dudley as
postmaster. There are two malls daily
The soldier boy from the District is
awakened or ought TO be, about o'clock
each morning by bugle cali assembling
Inc trumpeters in front of Headquarters
AT 90 o'clock reveille is sounded followed
Dy roll call in each company street.
- ma
every commissioned officer rnust he nres
eEt As each first sergeant completes the
roll call he reports the result to the conn
pany commander. who in turn repeats 1t
10 the adJutant of his battalion. The bat
talon adjutants report to the battalion
commanders, who at once proceed with the
Information I'M to the regimental adjutant
JhuS IN 4 very short time headuuarters is
aware of the result of the roll calls of all
the companies of the regiment Colonel
Harries is always astir at reveiIle and
makes a tour of observation along the ON
ire line during the roll call.
The Daily Routine.
For fifteen minutes following the roll
call the setting up exercises are in or
der. Sick call is sounded at 5:IJ, when all
who may be under the weather report to
the surgeon. Breakfast is ready at 6
o'clock. and half an hour later guard
mounting is scheduled The trumpeters an
nounce drill at 40 O'Clock, and for an hour
-iSh to4hpdhyp DS SsluduSt Is put through
the PAGES. The men allowed 10 rest
fifteen minutes, and then proceed to the
parade ground, a quarter of a mile distant
Tor battalion maneuvers. which continue as
long as the battalion commander thinks
proper. Mess call for dinner is in order at
noon. An hour later the first sergeants are
summoned 10 headquarters with their re-
ports Each company complander at 30
O'Clock, calls TO order a school of instruc-
ticn, the pupils being the non-commis-
stoned officers of his company. All commits
STONED officers must report at headquarters
at 80 O'Clock for school. Regular recita-
tons are held with Major Hine of the
21 Battalion as instructor. Officers rise
when reciting and no one is excused. Ex-
ceilcnt progress is being made. in three
lessons of one hour each, the school of the
battalion in close order and the squad,
platoon. company and battalion In extend
ed order having been covered. Supper is
served-or perhaps issued would more cor
rectly describe it-at O'Clock. and at 6
O'Clock twice week. Wednesdays and Sat
urGays. dress parade is in order. Tattoo
with roll call is at $50 o'clock and taps at
O'Clock Sundays no drills or ceremonies,