The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-09-05

tian association, at yesterday after
Moons gospel meeting Of the assOcia-
tor.
Mr.. Pearsall is very well qualified
to talk on the subject. Until recently
he was camp general secretary" at
Chickamauga park, which means that
he was in charge of the Young Mems
Christian association headquarters and
twenty-three association tents and
fifty-five association workers.
Mr.. Pearsall said: "In this brief war
the soldier has been compelled to yield
the first place in the settlement of the
conflict to his sailor brother, but when
opportunity offered he showed himself
&c be not lacking in the admirable
qualities that have ever distinguished
the American soldier.
"It was my privilege to spend two
months during the past summer in
camp with the army Mt Camp Thomas,
Chickamauga, where nearly GO, 900
troops were encamped. In company
with my brother. Sanborn, of the Res
cue mission, and a corps of Christian
workers operating under the auspices
of the Young Mems Christian associa-
tilon, we endeavored to bring the
Gospel of Jesus Christ i'm a practical
our armies.
CONDITIONS AT CHICKAMAUGA.
81 know that it will be expected that
there will be some mention of the con-
ditions at Chickamauga that resulted
in so much illness and loss of life,
nearly as great as the army sustained
from sickness in Cuba. i prefer to
say little of the hardships that we en-
dured and nothing in criticism of the
government, although there was a
great deal of sickness and many
deaths. The association workers had
their share Of sickness, thirteen Of
them being compelled to give up the
work, because of illness, and one Sec
retary w. c. Pawley of Lima. Ohio,
who gave up his position at that place
TO work among the soldiers at Chick
amauga, laid down his life a week
ago last Friday, after a short illness
from typhoid fever. Whether all Of
this sickness and suffering and death
was necessary, and if not the aues-
ton as to who is to blame will un-
doubtedly be the subject of official in
Vestigation-I am not prepared to dis
cuss. In the meantime the safest and
wisest plan is to wait and avoid hasty
judgments that may wrong the inno-
cent.
"One happy result of this war, de-
spite Its misery, has been the blotting
out of differences between North and
south. The men of the blue and gray
VINO Fought with such bravery at the
bloody angle at Gettysburg have
marched together under one flag dur
ing the past five months and past diff
and vanished during the hot summer
days in the Southern camps.
CHARACTER GOOD.
THE character of the men who COM
pose our armies is exceptionally good.
Some few, it is true. were men of bad
character. / found in one regiment
some young fellows who had been Civ
EN- their choice of doing time in a
reform school or enlisting. and who
had chosen the army. But for the
most part the boys who wore the blue
We're above the average in character.
Il found Harvard graduate acting
as hostler in n cavalry troop waiting
Tor some one to die that he might get
place in the ranks. Another college
graduate worked around the mess of
another troop, waiting for the same
chance.
Even the ranks We're dotted with
clergymen who had forsaken the cloth
of their professional calling TO wear
the blue of the most menial soldier.
There were exceptions, of course - for
instance, Captain Perkins. of the Ken
lucky cavalry. Presbyterian clergy
man. l recall another, Rev. Mr.. Kenerr,
OF the Fourth PENNSYLVANIA infantry.
who reached camp as a private. His
promptines We're two-fOld, to serve hts
country and because he thought his
care should ue exercised over many
young men of his church who We're in
the regiment He finally succeeded the
chaplain, who resigned.
But no matter what was the per-
sonal type of the men as individuals
they were, without exception. anxious
TO go 10 the front. On the evening that
orders came for large body of men
10 prepare TO leave for Santiago, their
enthusiasm knew no bounds while the
order was being read. Before they
broke ranks, however, another order
arrived and was read. countemandng
the first order. Many of the men cried
over their grievous disappointment.
KEPT TRACK OF THEM.
After the Fourth Ohio, Third Illinois
and Fourth Pennsylvania left for
Porto Rico via Charleston, | took pains
10 keep track of them. | later learned
OF an incident which shows the kind OF
stuff in an American soldier. Colonel
Colt, of the Fourth Ohio, was appoint
ed to General Brooke's staff. He was
ordered one day 10 take 200 men on a
danerous piece of detached duty about
three miles from the main body,
Colonel Colt, knowing the good
qualities of Companies A. c and *, of
mis- old command, picked 200 of them
and started. They were ambushed by
thrice their number. Colonel Colt or
dered the men 10 seek what protection
they could in ditch alongside the rail
road tracks, over which they were
travelling, and sent three men back "a
the main body, nearly three miles
away for aid. The men in the ditch
pcppered away at the enemy and kept
him under cover despite his superior
strength.
Seeing two dynamite guns coming
u their relief, Colonel Colts two hun
dred men broke from their position
drove the enemy out of his first en-.
trenchment ana over the second and
into block house ard the trenches
about II. They did this in order to pre-
vent their being robbed of victory by
the dynamite guns. This spirit is true
OF all the soldiers saw--cowardlce
isn't in their makeup.
Persons who thought the men In
camp had little TO do, are mistaken
The volunteers. especially. had much