The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1898-06-10

se-and the most of the boys seem to
have been provided with some other place
for a part OF their thoughts at least to
lodge-but the feeling that comes over him
at this, is not the one that he imagines a
soldier of Uncle Sam should have while on
guard duty In the woods of Chickamauga,
so he clears his throat-on account of the
night air, of course-and attempts to keep
more wide awake and mindful of duty by
imagining that there is a Spaniard behind
that bush out there In the shadow. He
does not, however, get so interested in this
that he isn't fully aware, that the next
relief Is at last on its way around and he
halts il with will with his rifle at a port.
The corporal then being advanced and duly
recognized, he quickly repeats his instruc-
ton to the new sentinel and falls in at the
rear of the guard to 90 back to the guard
house and sleep until four o'clock.
The next time, when he turns out from
a four hours sleep, rolled up in his blanket
under the trees In front OF the guard house,
he Is sleepier and drowsier than ever and
scarcely conscious of the meaning of tAe fact
that sun rise Is but few minutes away,
and that IL all the hours of guard duty,
these from four to six, are the most interest
ing. The mules even seem to feel that it
is time for change and let out what an
exasperated would-be sleeper is likely to
call the dog -goneddest" noise, or some
thing worse, really comparable only with
the noise of circus just come to town.
But there are other things to attract his
attention. The men begin to get around
here and there and the bugles begin to
sound the calls for reveille.
No one who has lived all his life as a
civilian can have any idea of the beauty of
either evening bugle calls, taps, or reveille
in the morning. as they are passed about
big camp, sounding at division headquar-
ters and from there repeated through the
different regiments and brigades until the
last bugler at the last guard house has
answered the call blown from his regimental
headquarters and the activities of the day
are fully ushered In.
Even before the bugles began however,
the great hot sun itself has looked over the
low mountain range and peered through the
trees down to the camp below. 1t comes
up apparently right through the trees and 1t
seems as though 1t looks larger than any
where else, while 1t looks so hot that you
wonder why it doesn't fairly blister your
face as you look at it. But these specula-
tions, as we'll as the thought of the beauty
of the scene, all vanish in an instant when
the sentinel hears mess call telling him
what he already knew-that 1t was break
fast time and he impatiently waits for the
relief again, and once more marches back
to the guard house and is given twenty
minutes in which to get his breakfast and to
return to the guard house.
His next two tours of duty, after ten to
twelve In the forenoon and from four to six
in the afternoon are much alike. They are
in spite of the daylight and the passing to
and fro of soldiers, more tiresome than the
night hours and are a steady tramp, tramp,
broken by but little besides the oc-
casional halting of some would-be intrud-
er and the repeating of the numerous calls
of sentinels beyond him who for some
reason feel unable to finish this tour of duty
and call for relief. The only other excite
ment seems to be the looking out for the
officer of the day or an officer of the guard
Is liable to be around at any time and to
test the sentinels knowledge of orders,
both special and general, and at the same
time see that the sentinel Is doing his duty
properly, saluting officers at the proper
time, walking his post ''in military man.
ner', etc.
Such are the rounds of guard duty gen.
orally while any other and more exciting
event though it may happen at any time,
is not to be expected now. So If this de-
scription be tiresOme, II at least can moi
compare with the tiresomeness of the work
itself, and the tired feeling which may follow
reading 1t wouldn't stand much show by
the side of the feeling which comes with
the realization on the part of the tired senti-
mel that the next day brings fatigue duty
with its attendant blessings of pick axes,
shovels, spades and pals.
As far as news is concerned there is little
to be said IN letter of this kind, especially
when the Detroit papers get it daily by tele-
graph. / think the health in general
throughout the regiment is little nearer
perfection than week ago and the boys are
getting more accustomed to weather, water
and duty. All have been vaccnated how
ever and there Is likely to be a little trouble
from that which will make sore arms ;or q
few days but of course nothing serious is
expected of 1t as precautions are being taken
to prevent the possibility of sickness from
that source. We have been issued everything
now believe, which comes to individuals,
except arms and ammunition and we're oil
through being In hurry to have them Is
sued to us. You see 1t is just that much
easier drilling In the field so long as we
have no heavy rifle, or warm cartridge bell
to carry. We have about given up expect