The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-09-07
Evans Complains of the Treatment of
Soldiers at Camp Meade.
MrppLErowN. PA. Aug. 30. 1898

II behooves me to-day TO say few
words concerning our boys now at Camp
Meade, from the Western part of Penn
sylvania. the 10th boys. /, as we'll as
the rest. have been telling no tales out
Of our camp, but it has gone so far
that II Is time some one should say
something about our life and the
usage we get. Now. never have dis
couraged any body's friends at home.
I always praised good grub and will yet,
TO certain extent. but IL could be a
great deal better, especially when we
are in the United States.
Sunday, the 2sth, we had an excellent
dinner, but 1t looks to me rs II 1t was
caused by the visitors that were in
camp. Since we hear that our chances
are good for Porto Rico. what will we
do when we get there and want for food
with no civilized people to look to there
for aid? Our officers will publish that
we are all anxious to go to foreign lands
to do garrison work. Is it garrison
work, or is it good hard labor without
food to labor on? | will say that in
either the 10th or 18th, L. V. J., there
are not more than one hundred men
who want to go for garrison duty. We
are all here together and not one-half
mile away lies regiment Of colored
troops, the 9th Ohio, that would suit
for that kind of work. We. the 10th,
with all the rest of the boys in Middle
town, Camp Meade, enlisted with the
intention OF going to war, not to starvc,
and there are no more willing men in
the United States to get in Il scrap, and
IL called on for that purpose we are all
ready for duty. TO defend our country
and people at the risk of our lives. We
came and shouldered rifle to protect
our country, and how are we used?
Why, never was there such famine
for bread ever heard Of before. In
Camp Thomas, which we left just few
weeks ago, IL is reported that many
deaths are occurring, and | actually be-
lleve that hunger is the foundation of 1t
all. May God bless the day when we
were taken away from that place. All
the sickness we have had was contract
ed there. We lost one comrade OF our
company, Bruce Tweed, of Bellwood,
who died in Fortress Monroe hospital.
Several men are there yet and we ear
nestly hope they will soon return to
our ranks, well.
We were brought here that we might
have healthier place to camp and get
pure water. II we want water, we are
compelled to get pass and go one mile
for it and II we wish to bathe, we go no
less than mile and then a lieutenant
goes along to see that we don't wash too
clean. The water closest camp has
been condemned and we dare not look
at that stream.
Our officers are sitting or lounging in
their tents on couches, sleeping, drink
ing beer and getting food that is good
enough for the Duke of Ireland and
saying that we want to go to Porto
Rico. OF course they do and want the
people to think that we do, but we do
not. They get from 800 to $l75 per
month and we get from sl3 to s25 and
work like slaves.
Yesterday we got coffee as black as it
could be, meat that was o. K, beans
that were burned, and hard tack in
which saw worms three-quarters OF an
inch long. We got no better this morn
ing, except pease instead OF beans with
piece Of bread the size Of your hand,
and the same for dinner. II I am not
wrongly informed, we are allowed forty
two cents per day for food. We get the
two cents worth and the forty goes
some where else. Who gets It? The
man who does is not one-half as honora-
BILE as the man who manipulated the
button that destroyed the Maine and
its heroes. Some one is coming money,
while many are starving.
We have no privilege to kick, as the
man who does gets the worst of the
deal from those who would like to but
lack the courage.
A few days ago some one in the bat
talon tried to circulate paper for the
signatures of those who wanted to &c
home and those who wanted to go to
Porto Rico. 1t raised quite an excite.
ment in camp and the next evening
Colonel Richards called us all to his
quarters and told us that he did no,
want any such thing to occur in the Bird
battalion of the Sixteenth again and al
men who had lost their tail feathers
could come to him and get their dis
! charge honorably, II in his power to d.
, so. The boys all took it to mean tha
J If they should ask for their discharge
it would be disgace, but it would no
, be, for we all left better paying job
, than guard duty, at home.
We have all been vaccinated and mos
} OF us have very sore arms and yet have
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